Page 29 of He Hate Me

“Um—“

“Mello can’t drive,” Brandon says, ruefully. It’s my fault is what he’s saying without saying, and this is not an argument I want to have in front of my mom. So, I paint on my best fake smile.

“Not a problem. Meet me in 20 minutes.”

“So, you’re going to have to drive me to school for the next few weeks,” Brandon yells, his head down as he fiddles with his phone. The open passenger window lets in a blast of cold air, making it difficult to hear anything over the loud wind. I keep my eyes focused on the road, determined not to let him see how much he bothers me.

“Fine,” I reply, raising my voice.

“What? I can’t hear you,” he shouts.

“Then close the window,” I snap.

“What?”

I use the button on the driver’s side door to raise the window and engage the child lock to keep it shut. As we approach campus, traffic starts to thicken. I’ll have to navigate through a sea of fancy cars during the drop-off rush to reach the student parking lot.

“I said, fine,” I repeat.

Brandon lifts his head, still hunched in his seat. “I’m not annoying you, am I?”

“Never,” I lie, earning a wan smile.

“Well, I’m not sorry,” he retorts.

I shrug. “Why would you be sorry? Like I said, I’m not annoyed.” He begins adjusting the seat controls, moving it back and forth.

“I thought you’d ask me how Mello’s doing.”

“I know how he’s doing. He texted me yesterday.”

“You’re still texting him?” Brandon’s attention is fully focused on me now, scowling as he sits up straighter.

“He texted me. I’d like to text him back so he knows I’m not ghosting him.”

Brandon shakes his head. “I told you not to mess with my friends.”

“He’s my friend too. And I’m not messing with him. Come on, Brandon. He’s hurt and I feel like I kinda owe him…something.”

“Nuh uh. Cut it off, or I might have to change my mind about Mackenzie.”

“Are you jealous right now? Is this because you think I like Mello?”

“Then why are you trying to talk to him?”

“Same reason anybody would want to talk to him right now. Because he’s my friend and he got hurt. I feel like I’ve said that already.”

A loud honk sounds behind us as the traffic light has turned green. I pull through the intersection. Taking a deep breath, I compose myself.

“My ass is still sore, Brandon. I am not trying to get another licking on top of it. I just feel like it would be super rude not to get back to him. That’s all it is.”

“As long as that’s all it is,” Brandon says, giving me a stern look. I keep my expression neutral, but inside I’m feeling a little something. Has Brandon been jealous this whole time? Could that be the real reason he spanked me, because he thought I was into another guy, or even two other guys? It’s kind of a weird way to go about it, though. And yet I have to admit without that spanking I probably wouldn’t have fooled around with him.

When I get to school, Mackenzie and Shel are waiting for me by my locker. Kenzie looks hot as shit in a crop top, Levi’s 501s and an oversized jacket. She’s giving 90s and I’m here for it. One of the football players winks at her as he walks by.

“You look amazing,” I tease, opening my locker.

“She’s actually just making sure he knows what he’s missing,” Shel says. Like me, she’s dressed in our regular fall uniform of jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie.