I Almost Killed My Crush's Mom

Chapter 8:: Malicious chair legs

“I hardly look the part,” I mumble weakly, realising that I’m basically screwed on the idea of fitting in with Rita and her friends.

Jesse raises his eyebrows, and looks me up and down painfully slowly. “You look fine. Besides, they won’t be looking at what you’re wearing or how much makeup you have on. Billie is your living proof of that: she spends her life in band t-shirts and sneakers. They’ll look at how you act,” Jesse explains, “If they see confidence, you’ll spark their interest. The whole homeless look could work in your favour.”

“Homeless look?” My face flattens and irritation seeps into my voice.

“Yeah,” Jesse says, completely ignoring the offence I’ve taken to the comment. “If you act just as confident without make-up on as you do with it on, you’ll fit right in.”

“Right,” I scoff.

“I think you seem to think that they’re horrible people- they’re really not,” Jesse analyses me curiously. “If you’re nice to them, they’ll like you. Simple as. They’re not the Plastics from Mean Girls or anything.” He turns to look out of the window casually, but I struggle to restrain my shock as I register what he just said.

I spin my head around to look at Jesse, my jaw lapsing. “You’ve watched Mean Girls?”

“Of course,” Jesse rolls his eyes coolly, but his cheeks portray a different image. “It’s my favourite film obviously.” Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

“My favourite film is the Fault in our stars,” I shrug, “Have you watched that?”

“Of course,” Jesse scoffs.

“What’s your favourite part then?” I raise my eyebrows, slowing down the car as I enter the café parking lot, eyes darting around for a space. I don’t believe for a second that Jesse has watched the Fault in Our Stars. Not only because jock going to see a love story film about two teenagers with cancer would defeat a fair few stereotypes, but the way he scoffed when he said it was a complete giveaway.

“My favourite part of the Fault in Our Stars…” Jesse struggles, “It’s probably the, um, part where Augustus falls into the chocolate river and gets sucked up that tube thing.”

It takes me a second to let that sink in, and to Jesse’s embarrassment, I burst into laughter.

<><><><><> 

I enter the café with a knot in my stomach about meeting Rita and her friends, my reassurance from Jesse disintegrating by the second. However, that knot immediately dissolves the moment that I spot Heather and Adam leant over the empty counter, chatting. My friends will help me get through this. They’ll tell me what to do, how to act. Barely mumbling a goodbye to Jesse, I make my way over to them hastily. Heather spots me coming, and straightens up from the counter, grinning. “Look at what the cat dragged in,” She sneers teasingly. “Hey there stranger,” She pulls me in for a hug and I sink into her embrace: craving the comfort.

“Hey,” I pull back with a troubled expression, offering a weak smile at Adam. “What am I doing today?” In answer, Adam raises a damp cloth and a spray bottle. Wiping the tables, then. “Erm, Adam, would it be okay if I took a half an hour break in the middle of my shift? I’ll work extra at the end. I just have something to do today,” I glance over at Jesse as he greets the rest of his group. Rita, Billie and Sophie are sprawled across the sofa seat, sipping at milkshakes and laughing. The mere sight of them makes my stomach sink. How in the hell is this ever going to work? Jesse must be delusional.