Wrecked (47 page)
“Hey Candi, remember me? Rick Waznewski? We were in algebra together two years ago?”
“Um, yeah, hi Rick.” This guy had never even looked at her once in algebra or anywhere else.
“Do you want to come sit over with me and some friends?” he gestured over to the table next to where Kevin usually sat. Kevin wasn’t there yet.
“No, I’m meeting a friend at another table, but thanks.”
“Sure, anytime. Uh-oh,” he winked at her, “incoming.” He walked away as another guy came up. This one she knew played for the school basketball team. He was about six foot four, which meant she came up to his elbow.
“Hey, what’s up?” he said as he approached her.
“Um, nothing.”
“Yeah, so, I’m in your chemistry class. Greg.”
“Hi Greg.”
“Hi. I was wondering if you have a date for prom yet.”
“No, not yet. But I don’t think I’m going.”
“How come?”
“I don’t know, I just don’t know if I want to.”
Greg smiled. “Is this your nice way of letting me down easy?”
Candi smiled back. “No, I’m serious. I’m just not sure yet.”
“So how much competition do I have?”
“Excuse me?”
“How many other guys have asked you to go?”
Candi smiled, a little embarrassed. “You’re the fourth.”
“Did Rick ask you?”
“No.”
“Well, count him in, because I heard him saying he was going to. Looks like you’re going to be the prom queen this year.”
Candi laughed. “Don’t be silly; I’m no prom queen.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Well, anyway, I’ll see you around. If you decide you’re going to prom, message me on Facebook or something.”
“Okay, sure. Thanks.”
“Later.”
Candi finally made it to the table and sat down. Sarah was waiting with a knowing smile on her face. “So? I’m right, right?”
“Yeah, for some crazy reason I think you are. Two more guys came up to me, and all the girls are staring and talking about me, I can totally feel it.”
“Yep. Jealous. You used to be one of those girls, Candi.”
“I never talked about people in a mean way, Sarah.”
“I know, I’m just kidding. But seriously, you are different and everyone can see it.”
Candi looked down at the table. “Everyone except the one who really matters.”
Sarah smiled. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that if I were you.” She looked pointedly across the room at Kevin’s usual table.
Candi turned around in her seat to see what Sarah was looking at. She saw that Kevin had arrived and was in a heated exchange with Greg. Kevin looked mad. Greg was throwing up his arms, like he was explaining himself. Then he put his left hand on his heart and held up his right arm for a high handshake. Kevin grabbed it and they pulled each other closer and patted each other on the back.
“What the heck was that?” asked Candi, confused.
“Well, if I’m reading their body language correctly, and I’m pretty much an expert at that by the way, Kevin just went over there and said something like ‘get the hell away from my girl’, and then Greg was like ‘hey man, I didn’t know she was your girl’ and then Kevin was like ‘no harm no foul, man’, and Greg was like ‘yeah, man, sorry about that, are we cool?’ and Kevin was like ‘yeah, we’re cool’ – and then they shook hands and did some man cuddling, and it’s all over. Kevin has officially peed on his territory.”
Candi looked at her with her jaw dropped open. “You are completely insane.”
“Crazy like a fox, baby. Like. A.
Fox.”
Just then a lunch tray dropped down on their table next to Candi. “Hello ladies. This seat taken?”
“Why hello there, Jason.” Sarah looked at Candi meaningfully.
“Hey Sarah, hey Candi, what’s up?”
“Nothing much. Still the same as earlier today.”
“Got any plans for the weekend?”
Sarah interrupted. “She’s helping me move.”
“Oh. Well, if you want any help with that you could give me a call. I’m pretty strong, I can lift boxes and stuff.” He held up his arm and flexed.
Candi laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Sarah grabbed her phone that had just beeped, signaling she had a text. She laughed when she saw it. “Uh, Candi? I have a message for your friend Jason here.”
Jason frowned. “For me?”
“Yes. This is a text from my brother.” She handed him her phone.
Jason read it and then stood up and picked up his tray, handing the phone back to Sarah. “See you guys later.”
Candi watched his receding form and then looked back at Sarah. “What the heck was that all about?”
“See for yourself.”
Candi took the phone from her. There was a text on the screen from ‘Dipshit’.
“Who’s ‘dipshit’?”
“That’s how I named Kevin in my phone. Read what it says.”
Candi read the text. STAY AWAY FROM MY GIRL.
Candi’s heart started racing, first with excitement and then with annoyance. “Who does he think he is? I mean, he ignores me for a month, he’s sitting across the room from me, but he can’t get his butt up to come over here? So he texts a threat to a nice guy who does come over to talk to me? Seriously, Sarah, are you cool with this?”
“Nope. I think he’s a dipshit.” She held up her phone and waved it at Candi. “Helloooo … ”
“Oh, right. Dipshit is the one who sent the text.”
Sarah continued, now talking quietly to herself, “Although I guess I’m going to have to change his name on here since I can’t say dipshit anymore … what should I use? Oh! I know … ” She started typing on her phone keys. D-U-N-G-B-E-E-T-L-E
“Well, he can kiss my butt. I’m not his girl. He’s made that perfectly clear.”
Sarah continued typing on her phone.
“Don’t text him back, just ignore him,” said Candi.
“I’m just answering him. He asked me for your cell number.”
“Don’t tell him!”
“Too late.”
The lunchroom was completely full to capacity now. Candi turned to look at Kevin’s table. It was loaded with the usual suspects – all the members of the rugby team, cheerleaders, and Gretchen, who was sitting across from Kevin, staring at him and then Candi with an angry look on her face.
Kevin looked up at Candi and stared at her. He was being bumped and jostled by the group at his table and the one behind him, but he just elbowed them off. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He jerked his head sideways, signaling her to come over.
She met his stare defiantly. She shook her head at him, signaling to him that he must be out of his mind. No way in a million years was she going to get up and go over there, just because he told her to.
“He wants you to go over there.”
“I know.”
“Are you going to go?”
“Hell
to the
no.”
Sarah laughed. “Good for you. Make him work for it.”
“I’m not making him work for it, I’m just not going to be treated like some stupid girl who has to go running after mister rugby stud.”
Her phone beeped in her purse. She sighed loudly as she fished it out. She had a text from an unknown number. The dungbeetle.
COME SIT WITH ME.
“Pfft. Not likely.”
NO THX, she texted back.
Sarah laughed as she looked at Candi’s face. She was cute when she was mad. She looked over at her brother. He looked frustrated. “What did you tell him? Whatever it is, he looks veeerry frustrated.”
“I don’t care.”
Sarah just smiled.
Candi’s phone beeped again.
I NEED TO ASK U SMTHNG.
Candi’s fingers flew over the keys.
NOT INTERESTED.
Kevin stood up a couple seconds later, still holding his phone and looking at the screen. He looked over to where Candi was sitting.
“Uh-ooohhhh,” said Sarah ominously.
“What?” whispered Candi.
“He’s standing up. He looks cranky.”
Candi’s phone beeped.
DON’T MAKE ME DO IT.
Candi’s heart leapt into her throat. She felt butterflies racing around in her stomach.
What is he talking about? Do what?
She turned around and watched him stand up on his seat.
“Holy horsepuckies, he’s standing on his seat, Candi!” said Sarah, mouth wide open, laughing her butt off at what she knew was coming.
“Oh my god, Sarah, make him stop!” whispered Candi as loudly as she could. Her face was nearly catching on fire it was so hot.
Kevin cupped his hands on either side of his mouth, and began to yell.
“HEY CANDI! CANDI BUCKLEY! WILL YOU GO TO PROM WITH ME?”
The cafeteria was dead silent for a full five seconds.
Then the cheering started, along with banging on the tables and benches. It was mass pandemonium in the cafeteria, everyone cheering and hollering, making as much noise as they could while waiting to see what Candi was going to do.
The words Candi wanted to hear, from the guy she wanted to hear them from. But now she wasn’t so sure. Her heart was raw from his indifference over the past few weeks. She didn’t know if she should give him another chance.
“He’s waiting, Candi,” reminded Sarah, trying to be heard over the ruckus. “Everyone’s waiting, to see if the prom queen is going to say yes to the prom king.” She smiled, riding the wave of craziness.
Candi threw up her hands. “Now that’s just ridiculous. Three months ago I was invisible at this school.”
“Well, you’re not anymore,” said Sarah.
Candi’s phone buzzed on the table. She sighed heavily. “This is getting old.”
I WAS HOPING TO SEE U IN ONE OF THOSE GRASS SKIRTS AGAIN.
Tears came to her eyes. Memories of the island and the night of their island prom came flooding back. She stood up suddenly, throwing her purse over her shoulder. She probably should try to stay mad, but she couldn’t. She was happy. He hadn’t forgotten. She turned her head and saw that he was moving down the aisle between the tables, staring right at her. Guys were slapping him on the back as he pushed by.
“Where are you going?” asked Sarah.
“Kevin’s on his way over here. I’m leaving.”
“Are you blowing him off?” Sarah was confused. She knew Candi loved her brother and that her blockhead brother loved Candi back. She could see him coming their way with a determined look on his face and she had a pretty good idea about what he was going to do. He had gone down on one knee for her before …
“I’m not that easy,” explained Candi, smiling confidently at Sarah.
Sarah beamed back at her. “That’s my girl! Let me know how it works out. I’ll see you at home.”
Candi glanced over her shoulder long enough to see Kevin battling the last of the crowd to get to her. He didn’t care who was watching – and it seemed like almost everyone was.
“Candi! Candi, wait up!” he yelled.
The crowd picked up the chant banging the tables with every syllable, “CAN-DI! CAN-DI! CAN-DI! CAN-DI! … ”
She walked quickly towards the side exit doors of the cafeteria. As she opened the doors and stepped out into the sunshine, she realized that she liked the idea of a home with Sarah in it. Not because of what it would do for her social status, but because she genuinely loved her like a sister. She laughed to herself about how ironic that was.
Six months ago she would never have imagined herself walking out of the cafeteria with Kevin Peterson shoving chairs aside to come running after her, while she looked forward to an evening spent with her pregnant friend Sarah Peterson and the baby daddy, her brother Jonathan.
Life has a crazy way of working out, even when it’s totally wrecked.
The End
… or is it?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elle Casey
is an American writer who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and Hercules the wonder poodle. In her spare time she writes young adult novels.
A personal note from Elle …
If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving positive feedback on Amazon.com or any book blogs you participate in. More positive feedback means I can spend more time writing! Oh, and I love interacting with my readers, so if you feel like shooting the breeze or talking about books, please visit me. You can find me at …
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War of the Fae: Book One, The Changelings
War of the Fae: Book Two, Call to Arms
War of the Fae: Book Three, Darkness & Light
War of the Fae: Book Four, New World Order
A YA Fantasy novella, featuring female protagonist Iona Candella, an American girl spending the summer in Sommières, France who plans to read a hundred books on her Kindle to pass the time, but meets an interesting neighbor who changes the course of her life instead. Books, intrigue, romance, danger and more … all in a convenient novella-sized package.