Mask of Celibacy

Chapter 38

Care and I burst forth from our last high school final exam like a cork out of a champagne bottle.

I'm free!

"It's over, Rocky," shouted Care, extending her arms to Jack like a cavewoman. "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas!"

"Fuck, yeah!" roared Jack across the hall as he left his level two math class, his arms outstretched. "Come here, Shortcake!"

Rocky? Shortcake? When did this happen?

They normally just call each other that online. Does that mean...?

She leaped into his arms as he gave her a bear hug and nestled into the crook of her neck. Closing his eyes, he exhaled a sigh of relief and held the embrace a beat too long.

Wow! The way she gazed up at him and he returned that look with a hint of intensity that I couldn't quite place...

They claimed to be friends, but I believed something very different.

After Care whispered in his ear, Jack chuckled and gave her a peck on the crown. A few of the guys made catcalls before he roared back at them, telling them to stop.

"The hell's wrong with you? Can't two friends celebrate the end of school?"

Yeah, right!

"Hey, Perez!" shouted Jack, jolting me out of my thoughts. "Get your ass over here, girl!"

He wrapped me in his arms next, giving me a hefty pat on the back like I needed the Heimlich maneuver rather than a celebratory embrace. Care enveloped me at the same time.

"Guys! Need...to...breathe..."

"You're such a wimp, Perez!" he said as he backed off, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

I crossed my arms but couldn't stop the smile tugging at my lips. "Excuse the hell outta you?"

"Why? I didn't fart!" he retorted.

Care started to crack up laughing, which made him stand proud like a peacock who'd impressed a potential mate. Oh, I knew that feeling all too well. We'd come full circle. Freshman year, I laughed my ass off at his jokes while she shook her head. Senior year, she laughed her ass off while I shook mine.

Meanwhile Bryan had sauntered over to our group, giving me a shy smile before clapping Jack on the shoulder.

"Hey, man! How'd it go?" he asked.

"Math blows," said Jack. "Whatever, man. It's the last fuckin' final in this fuckin' school!"

"Kowalski!" shouted Principal O'Leary, making everyone near him fall silent. "That's a detention."

"Are you for real, man?" asked Jack with a bemused expression.

"Nah, I'm just messin' with ya." The principal narrowed his eyes. "But enough with the swearing on school property."

He gave a fake salute. "Sir, yes, sir."

"Don't make me change my mind."

"Hey, how'd your finals go?" Bryan asked me as a deep blush spread across his cheeks.

"I think I failed."

His face dropped while Care gave him a playful smack. "Don't listen to her. She's always saying she failed when she gets a ninety-five percent."

"That's not true."

Care gave me an incredulous look. "Dude...seriously?"

"Okay, it's a little true."