Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 117820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
“Yeah,” I agree sadly, pouting at Poppy. “I could go with Marshall; our parents will be expecting it anyway. Makes sense. Kane’s not going and you’re goin’ with my brother.”
Marshall grins, looking excited and relieved. “I’ll even pay for the limo.”
Poppy’s eyes light up. “And we can double date?”
“Absolutely,” I say, feeling evil because I know Kane will hate this but if he isn’t going to take me then I’ll find my own way.
“Marshall, you got yourself a date,” Poppy says on my behalf which has me cackling with laughter. She wasn’t hard to talk around. Just offer her something shiny and fun and she’s good to go.
Marshall grabs my shoulders and beams at me. “Thanks, Immy.”
“What are friends for?”
Marshall walks away backwards, still smiling, and joins his friends who were lingering nearby. They high-five which makes me roll my eyes because now everybody is going to think I’m dating Kane and Marshall. Which isn’t the case at all but it’s what we need people to think. Kane hates it, but if he wants me to not be grounded, Mee-maw has to believe I’m dating Marshall, so the rest of town has to believe it too.
“Kane is not gonna like this,” Poppy singsongs, a high lilt in my ear.
I shrug and we share a wicked grin. “He snoozes he loses.”
“Yeah, I was sad when he said he wouldn’t go. But it’s not his scene. He hasn’t been to any of the dances.”
“I thought he’d make an exception for me.” I lift a shoulder and look sadly towards where we left Kane and Ren to talk about this. My brother appears out of nowhere, hooking his arm around Poppy’s neck and kissing her deeply which of course makes me gag. “I mean, he got my initial tattooed on his arm, you’d think something as small as a couple of hours dancing wouldn’t be a big deal.”
“Kane Jessop doesn’t do school cheer, you knew this when you got with him,” Poppy needlessly points out. I glower back at the school where Kane is exiting with Ren, laughing at something hilarious by the looks of it.
“Just umm… don’t say shit to Kane about this,” I utter, eyes still on him until his find mine. I sneer at him and look away. “I want him to hear it from everyone else.”
“Damn, Immy, you’re mean as fuck.” She rubs her hands together and smiles evilly. “I like it.”
“Like what?” Selma asks, sliding to a stop beside us with her skateboard tucked under her arm. I miss skating. I used to do it a lot when I was fifteen until I broke my leg being an idiot. Mee-maw was actually really nice to me for those six weeks that I couldn’t walk. “What do we like?”
“Get it around the school,” Poppy orders, still grinning evilly. “Marshall just asked Imogen to homecoming and Immy said yes.”
Selma’s jaw hits the floor. “Kane will be pissed.”
“He’ll be too busy wonderin’ why the fuck I’m not talking to him,” I reply with a shrug.
“You’re not talkin’ to him?” she asks, eyes wide. “Why? What happened?”
“He basically called her a cheater in front of the entire school, and also insulted her hygiene.” Poppy throws a gumball into the air and catches it with her tongue.
“What a dick.”
“Right?”
“But…” There’s a pause. “What if he gets with another girl?” Selma questions and it’s a good fucking question.
I reply through a dangerous grin, “Then I hope he still has health insurance.”
“Or life insurance,” Poppy adds on a mumble, making me laugh my ass off.
“Babe,” Kane calls, getting closer.
I flip my hair and saunter away, linking my arm through Selma’s and ignoring him completely.
He can’t say shit like that and embarrass me like that. It’s not right. He needs to be taught a lesson.
“Let’s go dress shopping,” Poppy suggests and it’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.
An hour later I text Marshall what color he needs to coordinate with and he sends me a screenshot of the limousine his mom is booking. It’s so exciting!
Kane: Are you really pissed at me? I thought you were just fucking with me.
I don’t reply. I’ve never not replied before. I want to make him sweat a little. That’s if he even cares. When I climb into bed after listening to my mee-maw go on animatedly about how happy she is and blah blah, another text comes through.
Kane: You comin? Bed’s cold.
I ignore that too.
It’s petulant and stupid but I’m loving every second.
Kane: Come on, babe. You know I was just fuckin’ with you.
I’m not replying until he says he’s sorry and means it and promises that he won’t do that shit again. He’s can be a real ass sometimes and he knows it. But it’s not okay. I haven’t done anything to make him not trust me. I spend all my free time with him when I’m not with friends. He always gets such a bee in his bonnet over Marshall despite the fact Marshall has repeatedly told Kane we are just friends. Kane doesn’t believe it. It’s frustrating. But for him to insinuate that I’d have sex with somebody else at all, let alone after we’ve already had sex, it’s just fucked up.