Aftershocks by Monica Alexander Read Free Book Online Page B

to come up with something so witty in that moment.
    Connor just laughed, and I realized what a great laugh he had as I took the seat beside him.
    History with Connor turned out to be a blast. From our seats that he had strategicaly picked out, he was able to mutter a running commentary about the material under his breath throughout the whole class without Mr. Cooper noticing. It was only the one time when I actualy laughed out loud that I got in trouble. I received a dirty look from Mr. Cooper, which I promptly shot to Connor when Mr. Cooper turned his back.
    After class, I play-punched Connor in the halway when he mimicked Mr. Cooper’s dirty look and my face when I’d gotten caught. He continued to make me laugh as we walked to lunch and was stil teasing me when we reached the cafeteria. It was only then that I remembered that I would be eating alone since Nicky had a voleybal meeting that day and Luke, a friend of ours who had also been shunned by the popular kids, had to meet with his guidance counselor to switch a class. After he’d texted me in third period, I’d started to mentaly prepare myself that I would just go to the library and get started on my homework, but walking from class with Connor made me forget my original plan.
    As I turned to say goodbye to Connor, he surprised me by giving me a hug. Over my shoulder, at the lunch table where Alexis and her friends sat, I could see her looking at us, her eyes narrowed to slits. She hated that I was hugging with her boyfriend. It was slightly great, so I hugged him a little harder than I normaly would have. Oh, the things that had to be going through her mind in that moment.
    Oh, the things that were going through my mind in that moment.
    “Why don’t you sit with us?” Connor asked, when I told him about going to the library for lunch.
    I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
    I wanted to avoid Alexis, her folowers and the footbal jerks if I could. None of them, except maybe Kelen Thomas and Jack, even looked in my direction these days. Sitting with them for thirty minutes and having to make idle chit-chat seemed less than appealing. I usualy liked to forget that we had al been friends at one point. I had too much pent-up disdain for them.
    “Why not?” Connor asked, looking perplexed, his eyes searching mine. “I mean, I know you weren’t too fond of me this morning, but I figured we’d gotten past that and we’re, you know, friends?”
    He sounded so sweet when he said that, and I suddenly felt bad turning him down. “Yeah, we’re friends,” I said. “That is if you don’t use your car as a weapon against me anymore.”
    He laughed out loud and slung his arm around my shoulder as he walked me to the table where his girlfriend sat, so I didn’t realy have a choice in backing out. Had he forgotten the argument Alexis and I had gotten into before first period? Didn’t he realize we weren’t friends?

    “What’s so funny?” Alexis asked, and I could tel she was trying not to sound bitchy in front of Connor, but I could tel she was infuriated.
    “Oh, you had to be there,” Connor said, and I noticed Alexis visibly react to his response. He didn’t seem to pick up on it, but she was pissed that he had secrets with me. “Guys, this is Abby.”
    I gave a smal wave, feeling like an idiot since I knew almost every person at the table. Yea, lunch with people I didn’t like. Awesome.
    Everyone nodded, and I wondered what they thought of me being invited to eat lunch with them. Alexis gave me a look that told me she definitely wasn’t for the idea and promptly turned on a territorial vibe. She stood up, reached over to Connor to hug and kiss him and puled him into the seat she was saving next to her. I mentaly gagged for the second time that day, as I sat down next to Kelen on the other side of the table.
    “Hey Abby,” he said, smiling a dimply smile at me. Kelen was a big teddy bear of a guy who reminded me of Bily Bob from Varsity Blues. He