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“What is it?”
    “Hot New Guy’s eyes.” She died out laughing and said, “Sorry, Claire, but you walked right into that one.”
    I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips as I said, “Maybe you’re the bigger asshole of the two of you. You should definitely be a couple.”
    “That lacked creativity and it’s insulting to me as your slander master. We have to work on your comebacks because you are seriously letting me down,” she said, then added, “I wish you could see your face right now. Whatever he just did to you has you clueless. You can’t decide if you should be pissed off at him or hot for him.”
    I turned to look at this crazy person I called a bestie standing next to me. “I’m jealous of whatever you are smoking because it has you completely reality challenged.”
    “He got it all wrong when he called you Princess. He should have called you Queen of Denial because you’ll never admit what’s going on here,” she accused.
    It was just like Payton to draw a conclusion with no real evidence to support her theory. “I have no idea what kind of nonsense you’re talking about.”
    “I hope he got plenty of rest last night because his legs are gonna be real tired after he runs through your mind all day,” she laughed, making me livid.
    I noticed myself stomping as I walked toward the school entrance. “You must have taken your sleeping pill this morning instead of last night because you are definitely dreaming.”
    “When you look back on this moment months from now, don’t forget the one word I’m about to say to you, Claire Deveraux. Foreplay.”

5 East Franklin’s Sweetheart

    Jessie

    I watched Claire walk away, along with the angry sway of her hips in her short floral dress, and I laughed at how well fury suited her. I reluctantly admitted to myself that my hope about her was all wrong. She was all that, plus a whole lot of spunk I didn’t expect.
    After looking at her closely, I noticed her hair was more red than brown and it was longer than it looked when it was pulled up into a ponytail at cheerleading practice. I originally thought her eyes were brown, and they were in the center, but the outer edge was green and unlike any I’d seen before. For a second I almost thought they might glow like the Incredible Hulk because she was so angry with me.
    She became mad as hell when I called her Princess, so that must mean she has a strong aversion to it. Luckily for me, that meant I had just found the button I’d be pushing every chance I got.
    I looked down to see if I had time for another stogy before class. Nope, only six minutes left until I had to be in homeroom. I could have been getting my nicotine fix instead of jacking with the Princess, but it was so worth missing a few drags to yank her chain. Maybe she would run and tell her boyfriend about our verbal showdown so he would start a fight and I’d have an excuse to stomp him in the ground.
    Screw it. I lit up so I could get a few drags on the way to class. I’d lie and say I didn’t know East Franklin had a no smoking policy if I got caught by a teacher.
    I gave my smoke a flick when I got closer to the school entrance and wondered if I would have any classes with the Princess. I popped a breath mint and saw a dude looking lost while he studied a copy of his class schedule, so I guess I wasn’t the only new student at East Franklin.
    I walked toward homeroom thinking about how I was glad I came earlier in the week to set up my schedule with the counselor and locate my classes, even if it was a pain. If nothing else, I avoided looking dumb like this guy as he stumbled around looking for his classes.
    I entered Mrs. Garrett’s homeroom and made my way toward the back row where trouble makers and those wanting to be invisible chose to sit. I slumped down in my desk, pretending no one would see me if I continued to slide lower. I scanned the room for the Princess and I cursed when I didn’t see her because she was the only thing