It’s obviously an amateur, too. Some whack-job with too much time on their hands and the assistance of a YouTube tutorial.
I sit in stiff silence and endure all forty-six agonizing seconds of the video. The moment where I bite Lucas and tell him off doesn’t come. The edited clip makes it look like a steamy make out with the stock moans dropped into the audio track rather than showing the unwanted advance for what it really was.
They made it look like I was panting for it. The sleeves of my blazer pucker beneath my tight grip, no longer crisp as I hug my arms.
This clip is designed to blow things way out of proportion.
Okay, Gemma. Take it in, then pick yourself up. You’re not the girl in that video.
My plan for this year is to coast by as an anonymous outsider. That goal doesn’t change if people here decide they know me. They can label me however they like.
I still know who I am. That’s all that matters.
I allow a breathy laugh of disinterest past my lips. “Man, you guys are a bunch of idiots if you can’t pick out stock moans. What porno did you and your limp dick buddies pull that one from?”
Beanie Dick blinks his beady little eyes.
I barely keep the smirk off my face.
What, did he expect this to make me cry in embarrassment? If one second of this video clip were true, the girl depicted wouldn’t give a damn about public consumption after kissing guys like that.
“This is the digital age.” I pat his dumbfounded cheek and affect a pout. “Try harder next time.”
A snort further down my row draws our attention. The nice girl who gave me the napkin coughs into her hand to hide the amused curve of her mouth. She flashes me an appreciative look, her eyes full of shining mirth.
She gets her chair kicked by the bubblegum bitch for her trouble.
“Who told you to laugh, Raggedy Anne?”
I glare at the mean girl.
The whole time the teachers don’t intervene.
Thankfully, the bell rings before things go any further.
Last week I remained invisible during my lunch period, but almost every eye in the room turns to me when I step out of line with my tray.
I haven’t made many friends here compared to my other schools. Part of me regrets my pact to keep everyone at arm’s length. I used to have a lot of fun with my old friends.
It would be nice to have someone for moral support right now.
Brows drawn together, I start toward the table by the windows I think of as mine after sitting there alone last week.
I don’t get three steps before Lucas’ tall figure blocks my path.
I stare at his broad chest for a beat. His blazer is discarded. Damn, his uniform fits nice. It’s tailored, unlike most guys here. The shirt is a perfect mold to the muscles beneath and highlights his athletic physique, the sleeves rolled up to the elbow to show off tan forearms.
Fuck, focus. You need to shut up, lizard hindbrain! Stop making me drool over his stupid sexy forearms.
“Hey, sweetheart. I didn’t realize you had the same lunch period.”
The faux-charm in Lucas’ tone sets my teeth on edge.
I don’t tell him I noticed him just fine. My hope that he’d ignore me today flies out the window when he smooths his hand down my arm without asking.
No need to ask permission when you’re the popular quarterback.
I suck on my teeth and contemplate the effectiveness of dumping my tray of food on him to make him leave me alone.
People give us a wide berth as they find their tables, but the chatter isn’t as loud as usual. Everyone’s watching this little show play out.
We’re the lunchtime entertainment.
“Come eat with us.”
Lucas tips his head, indicating the table behind him that’s packed with his groupies. Including Devlin and that football guy, Burns.
“Oh, too bad.” I hitch a shoulder and lay on the mock-disappointment. “Looks like your table’s all full.”
A cocksure smile curves Lucas’ mouth. It’s too smarmy and mars his attractiveness.
“You can sit on my lap.”
“Yeah,” I snort. “Don’t think so.”
“Come on,” Lucas croons.
He runs his fingers over my braid, using it as a tether. I’m forced to lean in. My fingers press into the plastic tray and the items rattle.
“See everyone over there?” Lucas makes a sweeping gesture. It’s full of beautiful people that I bet are just like Lucas beneath their pretty veneers. “We’re where you want to be, sweetheart. I’m inviting you there. That doesn’t just happen.”
Gritting my teeth, I roll my shoulders back.
“I can open doors for you. Not just here, but anywhere in town.”
Lucas’ attention drops to my lips. His pupils dilate. He wants another go.
Kiss thief, I call him in my head. Conman. Crooked burglar.
“I’m not interested. Can you let me go eat now?”
His grip on my hair tightens. He grants me a challenging look.
“You’re going to come sit with us,” he commands.
My chin lifts a fraction. “How do you figure, when I just said I didn’t want to?”
Lucas smiles down at me, but there’s nothing sweet about it. The smile is all hunter, mean and precise. The smile of a hungry predator with its prey in reach.
“Because what I say fucking goes around here. If I want you to come sit in my lap, you’ll do it. Do you need another reminder of who’s in charge around here?”
Who the fuck does this guy think he is?
“Did a football hit you too many times in the head?”
A confused wrinkle appears on his forehead.
“No,” I say slowly, so he understands. “I don’t want to sit with you. I don’t want anything to do with you.”
Lucas tugs sharply on my braid. He literally pulls my hair, like the bullying boys that girls are always warned about.
A scoff of amused disbelief leaves me. “Did you really just…?”
“I’ll give you one more chance, Gemma.”
Lucas’ playful demeanor and big-man-on-campus act has vanished. Now he’s deadly serious as he stares at me.
“Or what?” Sheer astonishment at this whole situation bleeds into my voice.
“You don’t want to know that. You’re either with us or you’re against us, and you don’t want to be against us. Just accept it, like everyone else does, or you’ll face the consequences.”
With us or against us. Consequences. Lucas sounds like some power-hungry mafioso rather than a high school quarterback.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me. I said no, you bastard.” My voice raises. “Back off, or I’m going to dump my lunch tray on you! I don’t think gravy stains will go well with your expensive tailoring.”
He drops my braid, but I don’t get the chance to move back before he grips my hips, his fingers digging at my skin through the material.
I mash my lips together to withhold a grimace.
“What is your problem? You can’t just manhandle me into getting your way,” I grumble. “Do you not understand what no means? That’ll get you in trouble with the law someday when your power trip goes to your head.”
Lucas rears back with a shocked look. Then his eyes narrow to dangerous slits.