Chapter 23
At my other school, the physics teacher had this huge Physics is Phun banner hanging across the front of the classroom.
Physics today is not fun. I don’t know what evil scheduling fairy did this to me, but both Mandy and Marshall are in this class with me.
Fortunately, Max, Aria, Micah, and Beau are all in here, too. When I’d shuddered upon entering the classroom—yes, visibly shuddered—this group of people who’ve taken me under their collective wing, guided me to a seat and surrounded me.
Of course, these new friends are nosy as hell, too. Especially Aria. From the seat beside me, she leans over. “Okay, what the fuck, chick? How do you even know fucking Marshall Vincent III? He’s so sleazy.”
I burst out laughing upon hearing his full name and have to slap my hand over my mouth when Mr. Roudebush scowls in our direction. “He totally came onto me at the party after you left.”
She shakes her head. “Steer clear.”
Max taps me on the shoulder. “Are we talking about fucking Marshall?”
I nod. “Trust me, my ick detector went off rather loudly the very first time I met him at the party.”
Micah turns around. “You had quite the fucking time that night.”
“Tell me about it. Then he was bugging me before lunch today.”
Beau turns around to look at me, brows raised. “You wanna explain what you mean by ‘bugging’?” His dark eyes bore into mine, and I know he’s not happy. And damn, the possessive vibes rolling off of him… well, it’s hot. Really hot.
“I got lost on the way to lunch and Marshall cornered me. I ended up having to shove him away from me. Then the idiot tried to ask me out. As if I was going to say yes after that.”
Beau’s jaw twitches. His voice low and gravelly when he says, “Do I need to fucking choke him?”
I give a swift jerk to my head. Stealing a look over my shoulder at where Marshall and Mandy are sitting at a table behind us and to the right, I size Marshall up. That asshole looks smug as hell, and he’s definitely watching me, as is Mandy. He doesn’t get to fuck with me and get away with it. I raise my voice on purpose so everyone can hear me. “I’d never go out with someone who tried to intimidate me into doing so. That’s such a sleazy, asshole move.”
Aria looks over her shoulder. Then, rather loudly, says, “Yeah, don’t bother. He’s a real fucking douche. Tiny dick, too, or so I’ve heard. Isn’t that what you said, Mandy?”
Blood drains from Mandy’s face, and she sputters before getting up from her seat and moving to a different one. She shoots daggers with her eyes in our direction.
Marshall, though… he keeps staring right at me. It’s unnerving, and I wonder if I haven’t caused more trouble for myself.
* * *
My final new class to attend is PE 12, where I discover I’m the only girl. I excel at PE, but it sucks to be the lone female in here. The class is mostly made up of members of the football team and a few other assorted male athletes. And me. Ha-ha. And the head football coach is the teacher, so he lets this class of seniors do whatever the fuck they want, within reason.
It’s all good. I can hold my own—in any sport except swimming, that is. I laugh to myself. Thank God we aren’t swimming.
Nope. We’re playing dodgeball. I didn’t think schools encouraged dodgeball anymore, seeing as how it’s a nasty game of pegging balls at other people.
Honestly, I think I’d be cool with it if I hadn’t seen Marshall walk right into the locker room behind Micah and Beau. Gah. At least I’m not on my own. They’ll make sure he doesn’t bother me.
Not that I can’t handle myself. Because I can.
Toward the end of class, it’s become apparent to every single person in the class that my size and agility are a distinct advantage. In an unfortunate twist of fate, Marshall’s lean frame makes him a worthy opponent. Eventually, it gets down to just the two of us lobbing balls back and forth at each other.
Beau and Micah cheer me on from the sideline.
“Let’s go, Lyla. Knock him out!” Beau’s deep voice echoes through the gym.
Micah barks, “Nail his ass!” just as a ball flies right past my face.
Fucking asshole. We aren’t supposed to aim at faces.
“You did that on purpose.”