Emery Rose
This was serious business now.
The determination coursing through my veins felt almost palpable as I leaned forward, my gaze locked on Dylan. He raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips "You're not going to give up, huh?" he quipped, his tone tinged with amusement as he prepared to toss yet another grape my way.
But before he could release the grape, a voice cut through the air, dripping with disdain
"You two need to grow up"
Beside him, Leslie sat with an air of detached indifference, her attention still glued to her phone.
But her admonishment fell on deaf ears as Dylan and I remained focused on our grape catching game.
This game had become somewhat of a ritual for us whenever the school cafeteria provided grapes. Dylan was undeniably skilled at it, effortlessly snagging the grapes mid-air with his mouth no matter how they were thrown. On the other hand, my attempts were met with considerably less success. No matter how carefully he aimed or how delicately he tossed the grape, it always seemed to veer off course, inevitably ending up smacking me in the face.
It's not happening again. Watch.
Dylan sent the grape hurtling through the air towards me.
This time, I was ready.
With lightning-fast reflexes, I snatched the grape out of the air with my hand and threw it into my mouth, a triumphant smile spreading across my face as I celebrated my victory.
Dylan's jaw dropped "What— you can't do that" he protested.
I paused, raising an eyebrow "Do what?"
His eyes narrowed "You caught the grape with your hand instead of your mouth" he pointed out
"So?" I asked nonchalantly, chewing the grape. It's really good actually.
"That's cheating!" Dylan insisted, his frustration mounting.
I shook my head "No, it isn't," I countered. "You're just sore because I beat you fair and square."
"You caught it with your hand! That's not the point of the game!"
"Just accept that I won" I declared, unable to resist needling him further.
Dylan's annoyance only seemed to grow "Fine" Dylan huffed, rolling his eyes. "I'm telling Justin you're not playing fair."
"Oh, yeah, tell mommy on me" I taunted.
Before Dylan could respond, I heard Justin's voice "Are you two fighting over that stupid game again?" he asked, settling down beside me with his lunch tray in hand.
As Justin leaned in and planted a kiss on my cheek, a smile spread across my face.
Reflecting on Justin's behavior earlier in the day, I couldn't help but notice a subtle shift. He had been unusually affectionate, showering me with kisses and gentle touches. It felt different, but in a good way.
I had missed this side of him. Physical affection had always been my love language, and feeling Justin's touch brought a sense of comfort that I cherished.
Before I could respond, my attention was drawn to Leslie, who was shooting daggers in our direction before quickly returning her focus to her phone.
It struck me as odd—yesterday, she had been her usual cheerful self at cheerleading practice and even offered me a ride home. But today, there was a palpable tension in the air, and Leslie's sudden change in behavior did not go unnoticed.
She hadn't even touched her plate, which was unusual considering her love for lasagna.
As I observed Leslie's peculiar behavior, a nagging worry gnawed at the back of my mind. Was something bothering her? Had I unintentionally done something to upset her? Was she on her period?
No, not for another two weeks. I bluetoothed her my period.
As Jake and Matt, Justin's teammates, swaggered over and took a seat next to Dylan, I took the opportunity to discreetly reach out and touch Leslie's hand.
She glanced up, her blue eyes meeting mine.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly, searching for any sign of distress.
Leslie hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering to Justin before settling on me again.
"I'm fine," she replied curtly, her tone sharp and dismissive.
Feeling a knot form in my stomach, I persisted, my concern growing with each passing moment. "Are you sure? You can talk-"
"I said im fine" she snapped, snatching her hand away from me.
Confusion furrowed my brow as I watched her retreat, her abrupt departure leaving me bewildered.
"I'll talk to her" I offered, already rising from my seat, but Justin's hand gripped mine, halting my movement.
"No, give her some space," he advised, his tone tinged with worry as he glanced after Leslie's retreating figure. His hand tightened around mine.
Reluctantly, I sank back into my seat, my mind racing with questions and uncertainties. What had caused Leslie to snap like that? Maybe she wanted to play the grape catching game?
But before we could dwell on Leslie's sudden departure, Dylan's voice broke the uneasy silence, oblivious to the tension in the air.
"Hey, are you guys going to Jake's party?" he asked, completely unaware that Leslie had slipped away.
Justin's interest sparked immediately, his eyes lighting up with excitement "When's the party?" he asked eagerly, taking a bite of his lasagna.
"Tomorrow" Dylan leaned back in his chair, grabbing another grape. As he effortlessly caught it in his mouth, he shot me a triumphant glance, as if to say "That's how it's done."
I flipped him off, earning a chuckle from Justin.
"Oh, hell yeah! We'll be there," Justin's enthusiasm bubbled over, his grin widening as he contemplated the upcoming event.
Damnit.
As Justin's teammates and some of the cheerleaders approached our table with their trays, the atmosphere buzzed with energy. Laughter and chatter filled the air as everyone settled in but I couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration at the thought of yet another Friday night spent at a party.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good party as much as the next person, but it seemed like almost every Friday we were getting invited to one, and Justin was always eager to drag me along.
It was starting to feel like a routine, and the prospect of spending another night amidst loud music and rowdy crowds wasn't exactly thrilling.
But for Justin's sake, I plastered on a smile.
As I scanned the cafeteria, my gaze was drawn to a solitary figure sitting at a table near the window. Grayson. Memories flooded my mind of the times we used to sit together. But now, he sat alone, a tangible reminder of the chasm that had widened between us.
Our eyes met briefly and the sunlight streaming through the window highlighted his features, making his blue eyes even more striking.
Today marked the beginning of our tutoring sessions, a situation neither Grayson nor I were thrilled about.
"This doesn't change anything," his words from yesterday echoed in my mind, igniting a simmering anger within me. What had I done to deserve such treatment?
I hadn't harbored any illusions about rekindling our friendship anymore. Let's face it, Grayson made it abundantly clear that he wasn't exactly president of my fan club.
But The sting of his rejection still lingered, a constant reminder of the rift that had formed between us.
Despite the significance of our tutoring sessions, I had chosen to keep them a secret, a decision fueled by a desire to avoid unnecessary drama.
Grayson's reputation as the school's enigmatic loner loomed large, casting a shadow of intimidation over those who crossed his path. Perhaps it was his involvement in a few altercations, or maybe it was the intensity in his gaze that gave off an aura of danger.
Whatever the reason, people seemed to shy away from Grayson, avoiding him like the plague. But for me, his presence didn't evoke fear. After all, this was the same guy who reluctantly played with my Barbies when we were nine because I bribed him with chocolate.
Still, to spare Justin from any potential complications, I resolved to keep him unaware of our arrangement for now.
It would only lead to conflict. It wasn't worth risking our relationship over, especially considering Justin's tendency to react strongly to situations he didn't agree with.
Sounds like a great idea, right?
A grape suddenly bounced off my forehead. I turned to find Dylan grinning mischievously "I won"