06

Since then, things had been quiet though. Too quiet really. You could literally feel the tension in the air. Something was most definitely getting ready to happen and he was well aware that he could not afford to let his guard down for even one iota of a second.

Everyone was at lunch now. Justin was sitting in his usual spot with some of the guys from the football team, and a few of the cheerleaders too. He spotted her sitting on the other side of the cafeteria at the table with that same girl that he couldn’t seem to remember the name of. The girls both seemed to be in heavy conversation and for whatever reason he couldn’t seem to pull his gaze away from her, Chloe Miller.

He couldn’t explain it and didn’t even know if he wanted an explanation. Quite simply put, she intrigued the hell out of him. No one had ever been as bold as she had been against him and secretly, he had to admire that. The girl had some major spunk and crazy skill ; that within itself was a rarity in this day and age when everything was about fitting in and going with the flow.

‘You’re staring again.’

Justin turned around and looked at John who was shamelessly cheesing back at him.

‘I am not,’ he argued, and picked up a fry from his tray, he liberally dipped it into some catsup before plopping it in his mouth.

‘You are too,’ he retorted, shooting a glance over in Chloe’s direction.

Justin made an in-derisive sound and picked up another fry, pointing it at him and lifted his brow, ‘looks like you are the one that’s staring my man’.

He chuckled and shook his head. ‘Maybe, the view isn’t half bad from where I’m sitting bro.’

Grinding his back teeth, Justin refused to glance back over the table. Instead he kept his eyes peeled on his plate and pretended to take notice of all of the carbohydrates, now that was something that he needed, especially since they had practice this afternoon. He fully expected it to be a grueling one since they had the big game this weekend.

‘Whatever,’ he muttered under his breath after a minute of uncomfortable silence passed between them. Blowing out a deep breath of air, Justin picked up the bottle of water from his tray, twisted the cap off and took several large gulps to satisfy his now parched throat.

For a moment, neither of the two guys said anything more. Justin could hear the sounds of laughter from some of the guys down the tale and low hum of other voices in the background while he went back to eating his own lunch.

Again his thoughts flitted back to the mysterious new girl and wondered what it could be that invoked her sudden hatred of him. He didn’t even know the girl but yet she was bound and determined to bring him down for some reason. Trying to figure out the why of it was about to drive him insane.

It was John’s voice that caught his attention, bringing him out of his reverie.

‘I get it,’ he said sang cheekily.

Turning, Justin glanced up at him and John shot him a knowing expression. By the look on his face one would have thought that he had just discovered the key to world peace.

‘Get what ?’ Justine queried, his brows scrunched up in confusion. John had been on this perceptive binge lately and Justin had a sneaky suspicion that he was seeing far too much than he was comfortable with.

‘You’re scared of her.’

Justin snorted and the swallow of water that he had just taken came back up through his nose, spilling all over the table.

‘I am not,’ he shouted defensively.

‘You are too,’ he replied with that damnable grin of his, stretching from ear to ear.

‘Justin’s not what ?’ Cathy asked, standing up from her chair at the end of the table. She walked over to Justin and pushed his tray out of the way, taking a seat on the table in front of him.

Cathy was the head cheerleader and she dated Justin off and on over the years. It wasn’t a platonic relationship and both of them had an easy understanding of sorts. They were both content with playing with each other. It was the way that it was supposed to be, school football quarterback and head cheerleader together. It was more for appearances than anything – and more importantly, it worked.

‘Nothing,’ Justin responded almost too quickly and Cathy turned to him, conveniently placing a leg on each side of his body so that he was literally sitting in between her legs.

Leaning down, she teasingly ran a neatly manicured crimson red fingernail down his chest, setting off a whole new train of thoughts in his brain.

‘Justin’s afraid of the new girl,’ John spoke up from beside him, still grinning.

‘Really ?’ Cathy said sounding surprised.

‘I. AM. NOT.’ He breathed out in frustration, shooting a look over at John that promised definite retribution later.

Cathy glanced over her shoulder in Chloe’s direction and Justin’s gaze followed hers. At the exact same time, Chloe lifted her head and their eyes met, locking on to each other.

For a moment, Justin thought that he say something that could have passed as an inherent sadness reflected in those tell tale eyes of hers but just as quick as he thought that he spotted th vulnerability, it was gone, and replaced by a hardened mask of expressionless emotions. Her eyes narrowed on him for a second longer, before she quickly turned away.

‘I don’t see much there to be too scared of,’ Cathy remarked, turning back around and staring down at Justin with hooded eyes.

Smiling, Justin turned around and shrugged his shoulders. ‘Because there isn’t,’ he agreed.

Cathy slid off the table so that she was now fully straddling Justin’s lap. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her closer to him and she leaned in, pressing her lips against his, kissing him in earnest.

Cat calls and wolf whistles sounded all around them, urging them on. Justin couldn’t help but to smile against her lips, loving the attention that they were receiving. By the time that they ended the kiss, Cathy pulled back and offered him a mischievous grin.