Jesse's Girl

Chapter 10

It took a good night’s sleep to conclude that my oh so sinister revenge plan might have been a little too sinister and that I would be truly labeled insane if I went through with it.

          Never mind that, I’d be playing with fire. I felt the need to remind myself that I didn’t know Jesse personally; I didn’t know how he would retaliate against me if I acted out of my revulsion for him. When it came to him, I didn’t really know what to expect. All I knew was that with what I planned, it wouldn’t be persistence and flirtations I would receive, but maybe even violence.

          And having a guy follow me—no matter how annoying—certainly wasn’t a good enough reason for being sent to prison for assault with a deadly weapon.

          “Lady Danger,” mused Katrina. “Look at that color. Your mom’s walking on the wild side, Carson.”

          I glanced up from my phone to look at my best friend, who was smearing a little of my mother’s—nearly—neon red lipstick across her mouth.

          She’d shown up later in the day after I had long since woken up, maybe an hour or two before the party. And although she didn’t mention it, I had a strong feeling she only came by to try to convince me into accompanying her.

          I wasn’t really surprised, though. Katrina was probably as socially inept as I was, however the difference between the two of us was that Katrina at least made an effort in expanding her circle of friends: attending parties, being the first to make a move when it came to grouping up in class, smiling when she made eye contact with someone. She made other friends aside from me. A square of friends, she had—or maybe even an octagon. Whereas mine was just a line; me on one side and her on the other.

          Pressing my lips together, I looked back down to my phone. “Well, at least now we know where I get it from.”

          Katrina laughed as she covered the tube of lipstick and set it back down on my dresser. And then, my earlier suspicious were proved true when she turned around and asked, “Are you sure you don’t want go? Your brother would probably understand.”

          He actually probably wouldn’t. He’d be outraged that I thought a party more important than him or outraged that I attended one without inviting him.

          Reminding myself that visiting him had just been a false excuse, I slightly shook my head. “He’s the spawn of Satan, but I miss him. Maybe if there’s time afterward, though.”

          Defeated, Katrina sighed and moved toward the bed where I was sitting, looping her arm through her bag that she had set down on my mattress when she showed up. “Well, hopefully there will be time.” And then, as she was making her way to my door, “Because who knows? Your best friend might get drunk and maybe someone might whisk her away to do—”

          “Katrina Marie Lockhart, you will do no such thing.”

          She turned back to me, and in a hushed whisper, said, “I won’t tell if you won’t.”

          “So help me, if you do anything unholy I will dye your hair pink before yearbook pictures and call it a day.”

          She laughed again, a breathy one that made it seem as if she were suddenly nervous, and ran one hand along the tips of her hair. “You’ll do it. I know you will.” I smiled, glancing down at my phone as she opened the door and began to walk through it. When I heard her voice again though, I looked back up. “Look, I don’t know if he even has any part in this, but if Jesse’s the reason why you’re not going…”