Jillian Cade Read Online Free Page B

would have happily bankrupted myself buying it. It wasn’t just the way she looked. It was how she moved and spoke and breathed. She assumed the world already loved and wanted her, whereas I assumed exactly the opposite about myself.
    In both cases, the world lived up to our expectations.
    Corabelle was perched on one end of the bench, bright blond ponytail tilted back, big round boobs tilted forward. First day of school and—of course—already in the cheerleader outfit. She didn’t look any more thrilled to see me than I was to see her. However, and to her credit, she greeted me with something that passed for politeness. “Hi.”
    â€œHi.” I dropped my backpack to the ground, plopping onto the other end of the bench. I glanced at my watch. Eight minutes.
    First thing first: get rid of Corabelle. I decided to fight fornication with fornication. “I need this space,” I told her. “I got a guy coming.”
    â€œReally?” Corabelle’s tone of surprise was, frankly, a little offensive.
    I frowned.
    â€œSorry.” She didn’t look sorry at all. “I’ve just never seen you with a guy.”
    I scanned the street. No cars were slowing down as they drove past the school. Yet. “Maybe I don’t have guys the way you have guys, but I have guys.”
    â€œWhat is that supposed to mean?” Now she sounded offended. “The way I have guys?”
    â€œHi, guys.”
    It was a guy’s voice. Actually, it was Sky’s voice. He sat down between us on the bench.
    Wonderful.
    â€œHello,” Corabelle cooed.
    Wonderful . . . and also irritating. I shrugged off any faint idea that Sky might have been interested in me, or that Corabelle wouldn’t be interested in him. With his messy crop of dirty-blond hair and the way his face was all perfect and his body was all tall and lean, it made total sense that she’d jumped right on it. But seriously, school had started like four hours ago. It wasn’t her taste that was so impressive. It was her speed.
    Now I had seven minutes until my client showed up, and I had to ditch two audience members instead of one. This was awful . . .
    Or not, I suddenly realized.
    Since Corabelle and Sky appeared to be meeting for some noontime nookie, maybe there was a way to get him to take her somewhere else. After all, she wasn’t going to let him get to second base right in front of me. At least, I hoped not.
    â€œCondoms,” I blurted out.
    Corabelle stared at me. “What?”
    â€œShe said condoms,” Sky told her helpfully.
    â€œThey’re giving them out in the cafeteria,” I said. “It’s part of the war against sexually transmitted diseases. You guys should go pick some up.”
    â€œWhat are you trying to say?” Corabelle asked.
    â€œOnly that you might want to take advantage of the free prophylactics being offered at our oh-so-progressive school.”
    â€œI’m on the pill,” said Corabelle.
    â€œBut these are special condoms. Like, with colors and flavors.” I was improvising now, which couldn’t be good. Outside of that one embarrassing week in seventh-grade health class, I’d never come in contact with a condom in my life. “And shapes.”
    Sky and Corabelle exchanged glances. “Shapes?” he said.
    Corabelle shrugged. “Hey, if you want to check out the condoms with shapes, go right ahead.” She fixed me with a glare that was both icy and amused. “I’m comfortable right here.”
    â€œMe too,” said Sky.
    What did they want, a witness for their exchange of bodily fluids? They would not win this battle. They could get it on anywhere. I was staking my claim on this bench. I checked my watch again. Five minutes. Still no cars. I was debating faking a coronary, because maybe at least one of them would run for help, when Corabelle said something that changed my mind.
    â€œYou know what would make