Facing Reality

Katrina's POV

"One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish."

"What was that?" Rowan asked.

"Oh nothing," I mumbled. "Something to distract me from the pain."

Rowan laughed. "Well it's your fault, you just had to check out ten books from the library."

I sighed. Just what I needed, an ass hole of a football player to not offer to help me carry my books. It was hard to believe that girls swooned over him because he was "sweet and caring," but in reality, he was a fucking jerk that picked on me for being small and a bookworm that was stupid enough to be his childhood friend. But I can't help the way I feel about him. Finals were coming up soon, so I went to the library to get some books to study. As usual, Rowan followed me. We practically never split up. I was expecting him to offer to carry my books for me, but of course he didn't. Why am I not surprised.    

An idea popped in my head and I smirked, placing my books carefully on the sidewalk as Rowan walked ahead. Then I lied on the ground and let out a painful wail. That caught Rowan's attention. He immediately turned and ran to me. The idiot took the bait and was going to finally offer some help.

"Katrina? What's wrong?"

I acted like I was in pain, clutching at my stomach and feigning a seizure. "The books! They threw out my back and I dropped them. Are-are they okay?"

Rowan smirked. "They threw out your back?"

"Yes," I gasped.

"And you dropped them?"

I nodded, getting slightly annoyed and raising my voice a tad. Honestly, when I say yes I mean yes, even if I'm lying. "Yes!"

He pointed at my books. "Then why are they in a neat stack?"

My mouth dropped. When had Rowan gotten so knowledgeable? I was the smart one in our "partners in crime" relationship. He was the dumb jock and I was the smart ass nerd, stereotypically speaking.

"Well, umm. It's a miracle! They didn't get damaged! I took the fall for them, I feel like a hero."

Rowan laughed and helped me up. "Well then "hero," I know what will rejuvenate your strength."

I cocked my eyebrow. "You do?"

He nodded and slung his back pack off his back then began to through it. "A question first."

"Rowan, I'm flattered, but we agreed not to go out. Or get married. So stop digging for that ring."

"Ha. Ha." He said, looking down at me from his back pack with his famous "panty dropper" smile. "Bitch please, if I wanted to ask you to marry me it'd be a lot smoother than pulling the fucking ring from my back pack."

I laughed, crossing my arms. "Smooth like sand paper? Or like a baby's bottom?" He glared and I laughed again. "Okay, shoot," I said.

He nodded. "You just finished reading the book about Persephone and Hades, right?"

I nodded but cocked my head. Since when did he pay attention to what I read? I looked at him in the eyes, and saw an emotion that I couldn't quite decipher.

The next thing I knew he pulled out a fruit. But not any fruit, a pomegranate.

He held it out to me. "Go on, take it."

I shook my head and bent down to pick up my painfully heavy books. "No," I said as I began to walk again.

Rowan's mouth fell open as I glanced at him. "But you said you loved that book."