Love to Hate You

Chapter Eighteen

“Welcome back to Earth, Reese!” he says enthusiastically.

I swat him off.

“Oh, get off it! I’m keeping the red hair, so don’t expect me to return to my geeky, loner self.” I scowl.

“I liked that, though. But, you’re painting again, so that’s saying your old self is still in there somewhere.” He smiles.

“Okay, whatever. I would never give up on painting, okay? I just needed a break from all that rejection.”

“Rejection?”

“Yeah, it lowered my self-esteem, okay? Not one teacher will let me be on the Mural Wall.” I sigh.

“So, you turned to something you were actually getting attention for. That makes sense.” He reasons.

I frown at him, completely annoyed.

“You bug me.” I say before turning to leave.

“Hey, you’re still the geeky little art nerd!” he calls after me.

“Proud of it!” I call back.

I hear his light chuckle while I ascend the steps up to my room. Smiling, I fall down onto my mattress. I play with the necklace for a while, zoning out, when my eyes land on something I haven’t given back. I giggle and sit up, taking the souvenir into my hands. Alright, Karma, let’s make a flashy entrance back into the Heartbreakers, shall we?

~*~

I can feel Justin’s eyes on me with every glance he sends my direction. I tilt my head in his direction and quirk an eyebrow with a small smirk. When he sees this he smiles broadly and leans over his desk slightly, licking his lips. I roll my eyes and fiddle with the guitar pick hanging off my neck. I hear a ghost of a chuckle and smile to myself.  He’s been like this all period. And by this, I mean completely adorable. He should knock it off.

“Carrots! Hey, Carrots!”

I turn my head toward the whisper and wait for him to continue.

“Practice tonight.”

I nod slightly, my mind drifting. Sean, Austin, and I have a little surprise planned for them tonight. I look down at my backpack. Justin’s mic is in there.

With the surprise in mind and Anne of Green Gables finished, my mind is allowed to take a break. Everything is planned and simple. No more having to constantly think about the war between Justin and I, even though I can still feel it’s there. Just because we forgave each other, doesn’t mean we are automatically going to become best friends. Nope, he’s going to have to earn it.

“Carrots!”

I sigh and give him a sideways glance.

“What?”

“Sit with me at lunch today?”

I bite my lip and look at the clock. The painting I started last night is on my mind and I promised myself I’d visit Mrs. Boots at lunch to get her input.

“No, I’ve got plans.” I whisper with a shrug.

“You suck.”

“Whatever.”

“Hate you.”

“I hate you, too.”

~*~

“So, I was hoping that maybe after you saw it-“

“Reese, all of the mural stuff needs to be turned in by Monday.”

“It will be.”

“Even still, you’re a junior, it probably won’t happen.” Mrs. Boots sighs behind her desk, suddenly standing up to erase her white board.