Page 30 of He Hate Me

“Who?”

“Brandon,” Shelby says, but Kenzie rolls her eyes and sighs as if she doesn’t agree.

“Did I see you guys come in together?” Kenzie asks, her eyes focused on the entrance.

“I have to give him a ride to school from now on.” My tone is bitter. “He was carpooling with the guy who got hurt on Saturday.”

“That sucks.” I shrug.

“Kenzie told me you saw Brandon kissing somebody,” Shelby says.

“No, I didn’t.”

“But…” Shelby, confused, shoots a puzzled look in Mackenzie’s direction.

“Stop being so extra, Shelby,” Mackenzie says. “I didn’t even like him that much.”

“What even happened on Sunday?”

“I asked him if he liked me and someone else. No big deal.”

“But he was flirting with you, right?”

“Guys flirt, Shel,” Mackenzie responds. “That’s what they do. They’re just full of shit.”

“Is that really fair, Kenz. It’s not that weird to be flirting with more than one person at the same time. I was—” I catch myself just as I realize what I was about to say. Shelby looks at me with wide eyes and Mackenzie is shaking her head. She stops walking, forcing us to stop too.

“I knew it!” she says. “You were talking to Gio and that black guy. That’s why they were acting aggro.”

“I don’t know,” I answer. “I probably shouldn’t have invited Mello to the party knowing Gio might be there, but I never thought Gio would act like that. I don’t even think he really likes me.”

“Really?” The hopeful lilt in Shelby’s voice just makes me sad. You are too good for that guy, I want to tell her.

“That guy’s a player,” Mackenzie says dismissively. “But going back to Brandon I guess you’re right. I wonder who it is, though. Probably some fugly soccer chick.”

“Or a ghetto chick from his old high school,” Shelby says, brightly. She has the decency to blush when I give her some side eye. I can’t sometimes with these white girls. First calling Mello “that black guy,” now this?

”Can we focus on English right now?” I say, allowing some of my irritation to slip into my voice. “I think we’ve already given Brandon way too much of our time.”

“True,” Kenzie says, walking into the classroom and finding her seat. I take mine next to her, with Shel on my other side. All eyes are on us, the boys admiring, the girls jealous or wishing they were us. The sensation of being watched settles over me like a familiar blanket. I sit up straight, school my features into a half-smile, and wait for class to begin.

I get to the lunchroom a few minutes late that day because I stayed back to ask my chemistry teacher a question. Mackenzie, Shelby and Lorelei are already at our table. Gio is standing next to it and talking to them. I can’t see Mackenzie or Shelby’s expressions, but I catch Lorelei’s subtle eye roll. I wonder if he’s going to ask to eat lunch with us. They know not to say yes to anyone before I get there. I don’t like to be mean, but I will be if I have to be. I guess he’s not as pissed anymore if he wants to sit with us. I wish I could check my phone to see if he’s texted me, but of course my phone is in my locker, and I was in a rush since I was running late.

By the time I grab my lunch and saunter over to the table, Gio is nowhere in sight.

“So then she says, ‘If you can’t figure out how to calculate the density of a liquid, I’m not sure what you’re doing in this class,” Lorelei says, and the girls all laugh.

"Hey, girls," I greet them, setting my tray down and joining the conversation.

“Hey, Deja.”

“What's the deal with you and Gio?” Lorelei asks, pushing a French fry around her plate. She loves fries, but she’s paranoid about gaining weight. She usually gets them, eats two or three, and then gazes longingly at the rest for the remainder of the meal. I always think, "Why even tempt yourself?" but it works for her.

“What do you mean, what’s up?” I sound nonchalant because I really am. I had my reasons for talking to Gio, but I’m much less bothered by his giving me the cold shoulder than I’d expected to be.

“He was just over here acting like he’d never heard of you.”

“What’d he say?” I ask.