Presently Perfect (Perfect #3) (5 page)

“I don’t want you to go yet. I’ll miss you too much,” Brittani whined, pouting her lips.

I heard Tweet huff and mumble something under her breath that I couldn’t make out.

My gaze darted toward Brittani, making sure not to look directly at
them
. “Yeah, well… um… maybe later.” I stood. “I’ll see you in Algebra, Tweet.” Her eyes narrowed as she gave me a slight smile, but I could tell her jaw was clenched. “See you later, Beth and um…”

“Brittani!” she squeaked, biting her lower lip.

As I backed away from the table, my eyes locked with Tweet’s. I thought I saw tears beginning to build before she turned her head away from me. “Um… yeah… Brittani,” I said and then got the hell out of there.

Once I made it out into the hallway a deep sigh escaped me. I was so mixed up. I thought about Tweet all the time. Then Brittani showed up with her boobs pushed up, out, and directly placed in my sight line. The look in Tweet’s eyes before I left the cafeteria had my stomach tied in knots. She didn’t look mad like she did when Brittani first sat across from me. Tweet had a hurt look in her eyes and I felt as if I’d been the one that put it there.

“We’re finally alone.” Although I’d heard the voice only once, there was no mistaking who it belonged to.

I was leaning against the brick wall at the entrance of the school, flipping through my iPod, waiting for Tweet to come out after her last class. I breathed in deeply before lifting my head to see Brittani standing in front of me. During the time between lunch and my last class I had already heard stories about her. Apparently, this should have been her sophomore year, but she was held back. During her freshman year she had supposedly spent more time with the baseball team than she had spent studying. Her parents decided a new school would be a good fresh start for her, so she transferred in. The way she kept eyeing me, though, it didn’t appear like a fresh start interested her. I think she was still a
team player
.

“You were in such a hurry to leave at lunch I didn’t get a chance to ask you something.” Her finger twisted in the tip of her blond curls, that rested right above the deep V in her shirt.

“Hey… um…,” I stammered. She made me nervous for some reason.

“Brittani,” she pouted. Stepping closer, she untangled her finger and pushed her hair back over her shoulder, giving me an open view of her chest. “You wanna hang out?”

“I can’t. I have homework.”

I couldn’t help notice her eye roll. “You do your homework right after school on a Friday?” she said sarcastically.

“Yeah. Tweet and I have always done it that way.”

“Tweet? Was that the other girl sitting at the table today?” I nodded. “I thought her name was Ana.”

“It’s Amanda,” I said, sounding slightly irritated. “Tweet’s my nickname for her.” I gave her a quick smile before glancing away.

“That’s sweet.” She stepped in closer, putting her only about a foot away from me. Taking in a deep breath, her chest lifted, causing her shirt to open up a little more. “And kind of hot.”

Sweat started dripping down the back of my neck and my palms were wet. I fumbled with my iPod before shoving it into the front pocket of my pants.

Pushing off the wall, I straightened. “Yeah, well that’s what I call her.”

“So are the two of you,
together?
”

“No, we’re not like that.” I felt my stomach sink as my shoulder muscles tensed.

“Go out with me tomorrow night.”

“I’m supposed to wait until I’m sixteen to date.”

“It’s not a date silly. A bunch of us are going bowling. My dad is taking me. We can swing by and pick you up. Come on. It’ll be fun.”

She tilted her head to one side, smiling up at me while touching my upper arm. My skin heated up where her hand landed. If I leaned forward just a little I would be able to see right down her shirt. Feeling the front of my pants press against me, I shifted into position to get a glance when an overwhelming feeling of guilt ran through me.

I needed to get it through my thick head that Tweet and I were just friends. The fact that she won’t even let me hold her hand now makes it pretty clear she doesn’t have the same feelings as I do. Feelings I shouldn’t be having about my best friend. My parents had been telling me to make more friends. They loved Tweet but thought I needed to expand my circle beyond her and a few guys I played baseball with. High school was a chance to do that. Brittani wasn’t asking me on a date. There’d be other people there. I’m sure my parents would be fine with it.

“Yeah, it sounds cool. I’ll have to ask my parents first but I’m sure they’ll be okay with it.”

“Oh yay!” she yelped, tipping up on her toes as she slapped her palms together. “Write your phone number down for me.”

“You gotta pen and paper?”

She shoved her hand inside the big purse that was slung over her shoulder and pulled out a bright pink pen covered in glitter. I hesitated, staring at it for a few seconds. I wasn’t sure what had me frozen. Was it that I didn’t want anyone to see me holding such a girly pen or the fact that this felt like I was leaving Tweet behind? The pen wiggled in front of my face.

“Do you have a piece of paper?” I asked.

“You can write it here,” she said, smiling and holding out her hand.

She let out a deep sigh when my fingers slipped around her wrist to steady her hand while I jotted my number across her palm. I shot a slight grin in her direction as I handed her back the pen.

Finally she stepped back, putting distance between us. She kissed her palm. “Awesome! I’ll call you later with details.” I nodded. She turned and walked away. After a few steps she spun around and said, “I’m really excited that you’re going.”

I smiled again, not saying a word before she spun back around and headed across the parking lot.

Outwardly, the first week of high school was great—my classes went well, I’d been asked to try out for the junior varsity baseball team, I had a new friend in Travis, and a hot girl wanted to hang out with me. I should’ve been happy, but at that moment all I felt was sadness and frustration.

I was sitting at my desk while Tweet lay across my bed, her feet propped up on the headboard, crossed at the ankles with closed eyes. When I swiveled my chair around to look at her I had to smile. She was tapping her toes to the beat of the music while she played air guitar.

God, I loved watching her listen to music.

She had caught me a couple of times staring, but I don’t think she felt it had reached creep level yet. I wanted to go ahead and ask her about Brittani now before Mom came to get me for my dentist appointment. I needed her to be okay with it even though it wasn’t a date and Tweet wasn’t my girlfriend.

I rolled my chair over to turn the music down and then closer to the bed. Clearing my throat I said, “Tweet?”

“Yep.”

“You know that girl who sat at lunch with us today, Brittani Monroe?”

“Yep.” Her answers were quick and clipped. She had no interest in discussing Brittani.

“What do you think about her?” I asked, bracing myself for her answer.

“She’s a slut with a stripper name.”

I couldn’t help my chuckle. “Tell me how you really feel. Don’t hold back.”

She lowered her legs and swung them over the side of the bed. Leaning back on her arms, she propped herself up, causing her chest to stick out. Tweet’s boobs were awesome. They didn’t have to be pushed up and half naked to get noticed. They were just as hot in a T-shirt as they were in a bathing suit.

I was so caught up in my thoughts of Tweet’s chest that I almost missed hearing her when she asked, “Why are you asking me about her?” She tried to sound casual, disinterested, but I could tell she was curious. It must have been the writer in her. She was always looking for more behind the story.

“She asked me out,” I said, leaving out the part about other people being there.

“On a date?!” She shot straight up in shock. I loved her reaction.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“That’s crazy talk!” Her nose crinkled as her eyebrows knitted together in disbelief.

She was actually jealous and so damn adorable. Adrenaline pumped through me causing my heart to slam against my chest. If Tweet was jealous that meant her feelings matched mine. Maybe “us”
being more wasn’t that weird. Glancing up she caught me smiling at her.

“What’s so crazy about it?” I asked.

“Um… well, number one, we’re only fourteen and not allowed to date until we’re sixteen. Number two…”

“I can date now,” I said, locking eyes with her. Technically it wasn’t a date. It was hanging out with a group of kids from school. She didn’t need to know that, at least not yet.

Folding her arms across her perfect chest, she narrowed her eyes at me and said, “You’re kidding?”

“My parents said it was okay.”

“How are you going to get to the date? You don’t even have your driver’s permit yet. I’m pretty sure your handlebars aren’t wide enough for her to sit on. I mean, have you seen the ass on that girl?”

“I’ve noticed her ass.” I gave her a big smirk. By the look on her face I could tell she did not like my answer, but that was okay. Tweet was jealous and that made me happy. “She asked if I wanted to go bowling. Her dad’s going to drop us off.”

“So you’re going to go through with this?”

“I guess. Why not? She seems nice enough and she’s kind of pretty.”

Looking down, she picked at her jeans, and huffed, “Well, do what you want. It’s your life to ruin.”

“It’s just bowling, Tweet,” I told her, trying not to let her see how much I was enjoying her being pissed off.

Her head tilted back and toward one shoulder as her eyes focused on the ceiling. “Yeah. Well, first it’s bowling, then it’s a movie, and then you’ll get married, buy a house, and have little slutty stripper kids. But if that’s what makes you happy. Who am I to stand in your way?”

I almost busted out laughing at her prediction. Drawing in a deep breath, I held it as long as I could. Several seconds passed before I was able to talk. “Can I ask you something else?”

“Shoot.”

I hesitated for a second. I don’t know why. I knew the answer, at least I hoped I did. “Have you ever kissed a guy?”

“I’ve kissed my dad and my granddad.”

Shaking my head, I said, “I don’t mean relatives. I mean a guy. Have you ever had a real kiss from a guy?”

“You know the answer to that is no.” Her gaze fell to the floor as she nervously shuffled her feet back and forth.

“Well, I’ve heard from a reliable source that Brittani has kissed a guy, a few of them, in fact.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.” We sat in silence for another moment. Suddenly Tweet bolted up. “Oh my god! Are you going out with her so you can get some?”

Jerking forward I answered, “What?! Get some what?!”

“Brittani lovin’,” she accused, eyes narrowed and lips flattened as she shot a death ray glare at me.

“No! I’m going because… I don’t know… she asked me. Besides, you know how much I love the fries at the bowling alley. If you don’t want me to go, I won’t go. Just say so.”

Please tell me not to go. Tell me you want to be my girl.

All those times in the past
I knew Tweet liked me touching her. I couldn’t have imagined her reaction when we held hands or hugged. Then she started pushing me away for some reason. I could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice that she didn’t want me to have anything to do with other girls. Or was it just Brittani? I was so confused. She kept running hot one minute then cold the next. I needed her to say the words.

Her head turned away from me. “Go.” She paused and my hope disappeared. “It’s just… I don’t think she’s the right girl for you.”

“Oh, I’m positive she’s not the right girl for me.”

Her eyes immediately shot up to meet mine. Maybe if I kissed her, got it out of my system, my head would clear, and things could go back to normal. Knowing Tweet, she’d need a lot of convincing, especially with the way she’d been acting lately.

Rubbing the back of my neck, I thought for a few seconds, and then I pushed. “The thing is… um… you know I haven’t kissed a girl yet. I’m not saying it’s going to happen but what if she kisses me and I don’t do it right? Word would get out and I might as well go be a priest because no girl would want to go out with me.”