Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 68066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
To block out Jackson.
“You look stupider than you normally do, wearing those sunglasses,” Jackson harassed when he saw me wearin’ them for the first time.
I lifted my head higher, not payin’ him any mind. Pretendin’ as if he wasn’t there.
“Hello!” he shouted near my face. “Did you hear me? Or have I finally gotten my wish and your loud ass mouth can’t talk anymore?”
Still, nothin’. I couldn’t see him.
“She can’t hear you, dummy. She’s wearing her Jackson Blockers,” Shiloh answered for me.
“Her what?” he replied, confused.
“Her Jackson Blockers. You’re invisible when she has them on, duh!”
He didn’t wait for one second, steppin’ in front of my face and rippin’ them off. Immediately throwin’ them on the floor, he stepped on them. Crushin’ them into millions of pieces.
I just stood there not carin’. “It don’t matter. I have back-ups.”
“Yeah?” He cocked his head to the side with a nasty look in his eyes. Starin’ only at me. “I’ll break those too.”
“Memaw! This is not a laughin’ matter! He took it too far this time! O-M-G!” I laid my head back on the headrest. “I hate him so freakin’ much!”
“Calm down. What happened?”
I sat up, pullin’ Shiloh’s sweater away to show her the back of my jeans. “This happened!”
“You got your peri—”
“NO! Jackson put ketchup packets in my back pockets, and I didn’t even notice! And now the whole classroom thinks I got my period today!”
Shiloh chimed in, “Harley, they don’t think that. You showed them the proof. Everyone knows Jackson and you have this ongoing prank war.”
“It don’t matter! I can’t ever go back to school! I’m gonna have to move to another state! You think I could go under witness protection?”
“Harley, take a deep breath,” Memaw ordered in a soft tone, and I did as I was told.
“Take another one... that’s it... in and out...”
I felt a little better, but not much.
“Everyone is gonna be talkin’ ‘bout it at school on Monday. I can never show my face in public again.”
“I know it feels that way now, honey, but it won’t feel that way tomorrow. I promise.”
“You swear?”
“Would I ever lie to you?”
I shook my head no.
“I think it’s time I let you both in on a little secret. You’re old enough to hear it now.”
“What?” we replied at the same time.
“Now, I know this is going to sound like the craziest thing I have ever said, but I promise you what I’m about to tell you is nothing but the truth.”
“Okay...”
I waited on pins and needles for what she was about to share, never expectin’ her to say, “Jackson is mean to you because he likes you.”
I looked at her like she was crazy. “Wait, what?”
“I know. Sounds insane, right? I get it. But that’s just how boys are. They bully, tease, taunt, just because they don’t know what else they can do to get your attention. And nothing gets your attention more than hurting your feelings.”
“Memaw, that don’t make any sense.”
“I know, sweet girl, but boys don’t make any sense. It’s best that you realize that now. Because they don’t get any better as they get older.”
“Uncle Lucas picked on you?” Shiloh asked, readin’ my mind.
“Honey, Lucas still picks on me. He just does it in other ways.”
“Like when he won’t let you win at Monopoly and buys all the best real estate?” I asked next, eyein’ Shiloh who looked just as confused as I was.
“Girls, I’m going to let you in on another little secret.”
“There’s more?”
“So much more.”
“Is there like a club we can join? Or a book on this?”
“No, honey... no club or book. Just worldly knowledge that comes with age.”
“Well, how old do we gotta be?”
“A lot older.”
I sighed. “All the good stuff happens when we’re a lot older, like drivin’ motorcycles. And we been knowin’ how to drive those since we were six cuz of the MC.”
Shiloh smiled. It was true, we could drive motorcycles as good as any boy ever could. Better even.
“So, what’s the big secret?” Shiloh questioned.
“Well... I let Lucas beat me at Monopoly.”
“Memaw! Why would you ever let him beat you? Losin’ is the worst feelin’ ever!”
“Because, Harley Jameson, it makes him feel good, and sometimes you just gotta let them feel like an alpha.”
“But they ain’t dogs.”
“Debatable.”
“So, let me get this straight. You’re fixin’ to tell us that for the last bazillion years you guys have been together, you, Alex Ryder—mother of my momma, who never lets Daddy win at anythin’ if she can help it—that you lose on purpose?”
“Yep, that’s what I’m telling you.”
“Memaw, that’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. I don’t lose. I’m a Jameson. We don’t lose. Ever. Especially to that turd, Jackson Pierce.”
“One day, baby, trust me... you won’t feel that way.”
“Why? Cuz girls get dumber as they get older?”
“Yes. Especially when it comes to love.”