Just Roll With It: a Just Us novel by Niki Hager Read Free Book Online

shoulders about the same time I hear the guy behind say, "Yeah, too late," and snort.
    I pale and shrink as far down in my seat as I can go.
    "Geez, am I so utterly obvious?"
    I'm naturally extra careful of my surroundings, so their attention and having all of these eyes focused on me is making me uneasy.
    "Um, yeah," Martin, the guy behind me, and the cute little blond in the seat ahead of me all reply in unison. I scrunch up my face in humiliation.
    "Just talk to him."
    "Yeah, okay, Martin, it's not so easy for me, I'm sure he doesn't even—"
    "Don't overthink it, just do it."
    "How would you even—"
    "You're getting kinda sad to watch," he interjects. "Do something soon.
    "What do you mean?" I ask.
    "Why do you think nobody purposely asked you to partner up?" the blond in front of me chimes in.
    Huh. I didn't notice all of the people around me were so keyed in to my situation. Well, apparently not all of the people around me. A guy in class who I haven't given a second thought to, comes and sits in the seat next to me after break. The seat's usually empty. Every class since we've started last week he has gotten closer and closer.
    He looks like your stereotypical jock type—sports related T-shirt and a baseball cap, typical. He is sort of cute, in a sports enthusiast and athletic way. He's not the kind of guy I've ever been attracted to. He looks a bit too much like an asshat. Eyeing me like I should be grateful he graced me with his presence.
    He leans in, as expected, and claims, "I remember you."
    He what now? I may be extra dense today, but I'm pretty sure I don't know him.
    "You do? From where?" I ask him.
    How have I been missing all of these things going on around me? Oh, yeah, right, I know why.
    "Yeah. Tech Center, senior year. You were always walking around. Like, looking for things to draw or some shit like that."
    Charming. Is this his idea of flirting, because I think he might've just insulted me. I wouldn't remember him. Tech Center was too big of a school to know everyone, especially if they weren't in your field.
    "Oh, I guess it could've been me then. I do draw and shit like that."
    I really don't want to be talking to him anymore. I'm fidgeting around in my seat when Roman walks back in the class, which means break is going to be over in a minute.
    I look away from Jock to gaze at Roman. My body breaks out in goosebumps the moment his eyes find mine. I see when he catches the first glimpse of jock guy next to me. His expression hardens, and he looks as thrown off as I was.
    He quickly looks at me again, his mouth now set in a stiff line. He tips his head to the side like he's silently asking me something. Asking me what? If I'm interested in the jock next to me? If I need his help? If I will be his speech partner? I have no fucking clue what he is trying to communicate. But his look meant something so I shrug my shoulders to relay that I don't know any more than he does.
    The whole exchange happens so fast, within the few moments he walks past. So quickly Jock didn't even notice.
    "Jack."
    I snap my attention back to the ever-persistent pain in my ass next to me. He's sitting sideways in the desk so he can physically face me.
    "What?" Man, today is not my day for sounding like an intelligent human being.
    "My name, it's Jack."
    Convenient enough. I only need to change out the one letter to turn Jock to Jack. So if I accidentally slip up and actually call him Jock out loud he shouldn't notice.
    "Rigbee, nice to see you again, I suppose," I force a slight smile and reply as pleasantly, but stand-offish as possible.
    "Good to finally put a name to that face."
    He reaches up and turns his hat backward for no apparent reason, and rests his elbows on his knees. His smile is sickly almost. He thinks he's being smooth. He. Winked. Who would actually fall for his shit? Jock—oops, I mean Jack, thinks I'm interested. I think to myself, Please don't ask me to partner, please don't ask me to partner.
    "All right,