The Broken Girl and The Golden Boy

Hot 'n Cold

Chapter 14: Justin

Ten times. That's how many times I'd called Piper since she'd left my house Saturday morning. Ten. Freaking. Times. And how many times had she answered? Not once.

The first two times I left some short messages about meeting up at the library to work on our project. I waited most of Sunday for her to call me back. She didn't. I called her again that afternoon, but she still didn't answer. That's when I started to get worried.

What if something had happened to her?

I tried not to think about, not to freak out. I tried reasoning with myself. After all, I wouldn't flip out if any of my other friends weren't answering their phone, so why should I react any differently with Piper? And then I called her six more times. My willpower sucks.

I called her one more time this morning and - no surprise - she didn't answer. What was the point of giving me her phone number, if she wasn't even going to answer?

So I trudged through my morning routine, ignoring my little brother's smirking face, and drove out to St. Monica's.

"Hey, look, Justin," Leo exclaimed when we pulled into the parking lot.

"What?" I replied grouchily.

"It's Sadie and Piper!" he answered, pointing to the front of the school. I followed his gaze and there she was, hovering by her sister. So she wasn't hurt. And I was pissed.

"There aren't a whole lot of parking spots," I said, my voice dangerously calm, "How about I drive you up to the front?"

"Cool!" Leo grinned obliviously, his eyes locked on Sadie. I pulled up to the curb - right in front of them - and let Leo out. He scrambled over to Sadie and greeted her enthusiastically. Sadie smiled brightly and said something back, but my focus was no longer on them.

Piper turned around and saw my car idling there. Her eyes went wide in surprise for a moment, but her expression quickly changed to a glare. She was glaring at me? You have got to be freaking kidding me...

Piper said something to Sadie quickly and hurried over to her car. She drove off without saying a word to me. What the hell was that? Grumbling under my breath, I hit the gas and peeled out of the parking lot. I was probably speeding the whole way to school, but I was so ticked off I couldn't bring myself to care.

By the time I got to my chemistry class, Piper was already sitting at our lab table. She made a disgusted face when she caught sight of me, and I flinched back, feeling like I'd been slapped.

"Piper?" I said. She didn't even acknowledge me. She just pulled out her notebook and started copying down the notes from the board. The notes for the biology class. "Piper, seriously?"

"Leave me alone, Justin," she replied coldly.

"Fine," I mumbled, plunking down in my chair. I said nothing as the other students started filing in, but I could feel my anger simmering just under the surface.

"Aw, look at the lovebirds," Liv joked, nudging Steven in the side. For some reason, that struck a nerve and I exploded.

"You know what?" I scowled, "It's not fine, Piper."

"What the hell are you talking about, Justin?" Piper answered, her voice just as icy as before.

"I'm talking about your hot and cold attitude," I responded furiously, "We were fine when you were at my house on Friday and you didn't seem pissed off when you left Saturday morning. So, tell me, Piper, what changed?"

Piper's face turned bright pink and her mouth dropped open in shock.

"Piper?" I said uncertainly, my anger waning after my outburst. Before I could say more, she was gone. She ran straight out the door, hiding her face in her hands. What had I done?