Rules of a Rebel and a Shy Girl(14)

She gave a half-shrug. “That sometimes, you don’t appreciate the finer things in life.”

I shot an insinuating look at the bracelet on her wrist. “Isn’t that like the pot calling the kettle black?”

She covered the bracelet with her hand. “That’s different. I appreciate my parents for getting this for me.”

“And I appreciate my mom for taking me to Paris. That doesn’t mean I have to lie and say I liked the food or say I had a blast when I didn’t.”

“God, you’re so spoiled.”

I resisted an eye roll, biting my tongue. Again, it was too early in the morning for this shit.

“Do you know what time Willow and Luna are supposed to be here?” I glanced at the parent drop-off section at the bottom of the stairway. “I really want to go see where my locker is before the bell rings. Oh, yeah, and I met this guy—Ari—the other day when I was hanging out at the skate park. He just moved here. He seems pretty cool. I told him he could hang out with us.”

“What’s he like? Is he cute?”

“What do I look like, a girl?”

“Sometimes, you act like one.”

God, I really need more guy friends.

“And you can be such a brat sometimes, but you don’t see me pointing it out every two seconds.” I waved at Levi and Jack, two of my other friends, ignoring Wynter’s withering gaze.

Levi cupped his hands around his mouth. “Yo, Beck, you coming in?”

“In a bit,” I called out. “I’m waiting for Luna and Willow to show up.”

“So, which one of them are you dating now?” Levi teased, and Jack laughed.

I flipped them the middle finger, and they howled with laughter before pushing through the entrance doors.

“I can’t believe people are still giving you crap for hanging out with girls,” Wynter said, frowning. “They really just need to get over it.”

“You mean like you just did?” I questioned.

She shrugged. “That’s different.”

“How do you figure?”

“Because I’m your friend.”

I didn’t even bother trying to understand her logic. Instead, I asked her what classes she was taking, which seemed like a safe topic.

Wynter and I talked until we spotted Luna’s mom’s van pulling into the drop-off area. The side door rolled open, and Luna hopped out. She was wearing a godawful yellow turtleneck and baggy jeans. Poor girl. I didn’t know why she dressed in such hideous outfits. I figured her mom made her. I didn’t know for sure, though. Other kids made fun of her a lot, and I stuck up for her when I could, but it never felt like enough.

Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, Luna moved to the rolled down passenger window to talk to her mom while Willow jumped out. Well, I thought the tall girl without glasses was Willow, anyway. I wasn’t so sure.

She looked way different. Her long brown hair was down and wavy, and she was wearing tight black jeans, a thick pair of boots laced up to her knees, and a plaid shirt over a fitted tank top.

I assessed her as she waited for Luna to finish talking to her mom. The clothes weren’t flashy, but Willow usually wore loose-fitted jeans, baggy T-shirts, glasses, and her hair was always in a ponytail. She looked so different that it was kind of wigging me out.

When the two of them headed up the stairs, I hopped off the wall to meet them halfway. The closer I got, the more I noticed that Willow had gotten taller, and she filled out her clothes more. She looked good. Really, really good.

I quickly shoved the thought away. No fucking way was I going there. Getting a crush on my best friend would be stupid. And there were plenty of other girls around, ones who wouldn’t destroy my life when we broke up. And that’s what would happen if I dated Willow and we broke up. I’d lose the only person who knew most of my secrets, who knew how crappy I felt when my dad told me I was a screw-up, who knew I secretly cried during sad movies sometimes, who knew I got lonely a lot. Who would break just as much if she lost me, too. Because Willow needed me as much as I needed her.

Clearing my head of Willow’s sudden hotness, I continued down the stairway straight for her. When Willow spotted me, her eyes lit up as she bounced and threw her arms around me.

“I’m so glad you’re back.” She hugged the crap out of me. “I missed you.”

I hugged her back, spinning her around until she laughed. “I missed you, too.” And I was so worried about you while I was gone.

Wynter glowered at me as I set Willow down on her feet. “Why didn’t I get that kind of hello?” she asked.

I shrugged, and her eyes narrowed even more. I didn’t have an answer to give her, not one I was going to share.