Adorkable(37)

Hooker was so proud she called me Super Spitz the rest of the day; Becks couldn’t stop grinning; and I was walking on air. Standing up to him, for my mom, for myself, it sent me on the best kind of power trip. I was free, liberated. For a second there I even considered burning my bra. Hours later adrenaline still coursed through my veins. There had to be some major endorphins going on there too because I was far too giddy for there not to be. What happened between fifth and sixth period was a result of this feeling—or at least, that’s what I told myself.

It couldn’t have been jealousy. No way, I was above all that, a rock of strength and conviction. My sense of justice was tested when I saw Twyla Cornish plastered all over Becks in the hall, her hands clinging to his right arm, body pressed to his side. Anger flared hot in my gut. I’d had about enough of women throwing themselves at my boyfriend—correction fake boyfriend...but the fake part wasn’t common knowledge. This wasn’t about the green-eyed monster, I assured myself as I strode directly to Becks and the bespectacled home wrecker, ripped her hands away and shoved Becks into the storeroom where we’d started this thing over a week ago. It was about self-respect.

As the bell rang, I glared at him. I was missing the first part of British Lit, my favorite class.

“Something wrong?” Becks asked.

Yeah, like he didn’t know.

“Why’re you looking at me like that, Sal?”

“Baldwin Eugene Charles Kent, ich kann es nicht fassen,” I huffed, letting my anger carry me away. “Wir hatten eine Abmachung, kannst Du Dich daran noch erinnern?”

Becks looked confused. “What?”

“Oh, hör auf, so zu tun. Du weisst genau, was ich meine.”

“No, Sal, really,” he said. “Yo no habla German. Remember?”

The innocent act didn’t fool me. Full of indignation, I jabbed a finger at him, making sure to say it in English so he’d get it this time. “Now, I’m only going to say this once, so you better listen good.” I enunciated each word, spelling it out clear as day. “I will not be cheated on, Becks, and I most certainly will not be cheated on with the likes of Twyla Cornish.”

Stunned, he said, “How could I cheat? We’re not even really going out.”

I sniffed. “Still. I won’t be made a fool of Becks. Not by you, not by anyone.”

“Jeez, Sal, alright—” He rubbed the back of his neck. “—Let it go already.”

“No, I want your word.”

“My what?”

“Your word that you won’t see anyone else for the duration of our agreement.” Man, this power thing was addictive. I knew it was a lot to ask, and I also knew it was hard for Becks to say no to members of the female persuasion. But seeing Twyla glued to Becks’s hip, watching her bat her eyelashes, pout her lips, had caused something inside me to snap.

There was a glint in Becks’s eyes. He almost seemed pleased. “That wasn’t part of the deal. A month’s a long time to be tied down. There are girls who want to date me for real, you know.”

I did know. I was one of them.

Crossing my arms, I waited. There was nothing I could do if he didn’t agree, but I wouldn’t let him see how nervous I was—or how desperate.

“Okay, Sal,” he said finally, and I exhaled, “but I want something in return.”

I was immediately on my guard. “What might that be?”

Becks shrugged. “Just a favor.”

“Want to be a little more specific?”

“No can do,” he said, grinning. “One day I’ll ask for something. You won’t know when or where or what that something’s going to be, but you’ll have to give it no questions asked.”

“Been watching The Godfather recently?” I said.

Becks wouldn’t be sidetracked. “Take it or leave it.”

“I’ll take it,” I replied, holding out a hand. “But if this involves nudity in any way, I’m telling your mother.”

We shook on it, and Becks’s laughter was infectious. As we walked into the hall, the two of us were smiling like idiots.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The sharp female voice belonged to Roxy Culpepper. She was standing there, hip cocked to full capacity, short skirt riding high on her thighs, and a look of pure disdain on her face.

“This has to be a joke, right,” she said again. “Becks, what is going on here?”

Becks was no longer smiling. “What do you mean?”

“I’m out a few days with Mono and come back to find you and Spitz are hooking up. I don’t believe it.” Roxy gestured in my direction. “You can’t be serious, Becks. Look at her. She’s not even pretty.”