Kiss My Sass [Books 1 & 2]

[book 1] chapter seventeen: the cold shoulder

    "I can't skip, Amber." 

    Part of me hoped James wouldn't come to class today, yet another part of me prayed he'd be sitting in his seat when I entered the classroom. I wanted to talk to him so badly, even if just for a minute to give him my side of the story. Things were going so well between us and I didn't want to end what we had before it even started. 

    I took in a deep breath as I stepped into the room. My eyes locked in on his empty seat and I felt myself deflate. He wasn't coming. Amber rubbed my arm sympathetically before taking her seat. Considering I came this far I figured I might as well stay for the entire class.

    "Good morning, class," Mrs. Frazer said as she stepped into the room. "Please take out your textbooks and open them to chapter eight. Today we will be discussing the urinary and excretory system."

    "Great," I grumbled.

    As if my life wasn't already going to shit, now I had to learn about it too for the next hour.

    "Before we begin this lesson, I want you all to turn to the person behind you and do the diagnostic quiz together at the beginning of the chapter," she added. 

    I glanced at the empty desk behind me. Today was just getting worse and worse.

                        ~*~

    That day and the few days after that all dragged the same. I barely talked to anyone, I ate dinner alone in my room, and I wore the same pair of sweatpants that entire week. James still hadn't responded to my phone calls or texts, and I had no idea where he was. 

    I was sitting at my desk, eating my now cold takeout as I worked on an assignment for my psychology class. The only positive —if any— that came out of James' absence was with all this free time and my newfound antisocial tendencies, I was able to get a bulk of my school work completed. That didn't mean the quality of the work was actually good per se, it just meant I had this shit done on time. I was in the middle of reading about Piaget's theories when there was a knock on my door. 

    "Not now, Alex," I said without looking away from my textbook.

    "It's not Alex." 

    My eyebrows shot up when it was Brenton who entered my room. We were still not on speaking terms, and I didn't plan on ending that anytime soon. 

    "Can we talk?"

    I focused back on my textbook. "No."

    "Dani, I am so—"

    "Save it for someone who cares."

    "What I did was a mega dick move."

    "I'm aware."

    "I was just mad, I wasn't thinking and—"

    "And you ruined something really great for me," I finished. "Thanks a lot. Goodbye."

    Brenton sighed. "Please hear me out."

    "How about you get out instead?"

    "I made a mistake, and I really regret it. You're free to talk to whoever you want."

    "Thanks for granting me my rights back," I deadpanned. "Now leave."

    "Dan..."

    "Get out."

    Brenton gave me one last look before listening to my command and exiting my room. He had already done enough damage so his apology was virtually useless at this point.