Troy High by Shana Norris Read Free Book Online Page B

them from the game. I shot a quick glare at their backs as they headed across the room.
    The jealousy that flooded through me helped give me courage.
    “I’m really sorry,” I said. “I shouldn’t have left the game with Elena after what happened.”
    “You didn’t have to stay,” Greg said. “But I kind of thought that you might. I thought we were best friends.”
    “We are,” I said softly. “But I wasn’t sure that you wanted to see me right then, since you walked away like that. And Elena had just dumped your brother for mine.”
    Millie returned with Greg’s drink and the pizza. Once she had left and we had both served ourselves a slice, Greg said, “Why would that make me not want to see you?”
    I twisted a string of cheese around my finger. “I don’t know. It just seemed like you might be mad at me.”
    “No, I’m mad at Elena and Perry. Lucas is my brother, so I have to be mad at them.”
    “And Perry is my brother,” I pointed out. “But that doesn’t mean I have any hard feelings toward Lucas.” I put my pizza down on my plate and looked at him. “How’s he doing, anyway?”
    “He’s doing as well as he can after being dumped,” Greg said. “He messed up a lot of easy plays last night during the second half. We lost, by the way, 38–14. Coachcalled the house last night after the game, and he and Lucas talked for a long time. Lucas isn’t punching holes in the wall, so I assume that’s a good sign.”
    I sighed. “Good. I told Elena this morning that she should have chosen a different time to break up with him.”
    “You talked to Elena this morning?”
    I looked at the clock on the wall. “Well, actually it was only about an hour ago. I slept really late today. She came over to tell me—” I broke off, realizing what I was about to say.
    “To tell you what?” Greg asked.
    I stared down at the table, tracing a crack in the laminate with my fingernail. “To tell me about her night with Perry.”
    Greg gripped his glass in one hand, his knuckles tight. “That girl is … Ugh, I can’t even think of an adequate word to describe her. She stomps all over Lucas’s heart and then she just goes off with her new boyfriend.”
    “I know,” I said. “She does feel bad, though. She thought it would be good for Lucas to work out his frustrations during the game.”
    Greg sat in silence, stirring his Coke with his straw. I chewed my pizza, watching him.
    “So what’s going on with you and Elena?” he asked.
    I shrugged. “We’re friends.”
    “Elena Argos has never given you a second look during all the times she’s seen you at my house, and now she’s suddenly your new best friend?”
    I raised one eyebrow at him. “She’s not my
best
friend.”
    Greg’s ears reddened a bit. “You can be friends with whoever you want. I just thought the two of you were an odd pairing, that’s all.”
    “Why?” I snapped. “Because Elena is so beautiful and popular and I’m just some plain, unnoticeable dork?”
    “You know I don’t think that,” Greg said, staring hard at me. “But really, what do you and Elena have in common?”
    I sat up straighter. “Lots of stuff,” I said. “Girl stuff that
you
would never understand.”
    Greg rolled his eyes. Before he could speak, the chime on the door sounded and Lucas walked in, followed by his friends Owen, Ackley, and Patrick. I knew Owen better than Ackley or Patrick, although all of them were on Lacede’s football team and I’d seen them around Greg and Lucas’s house several times. Owen was friendly, but Ackley kept more to himself and was always shadowed by his best friend, Patrick. Also, I doubted Ackley had wanted to spend much time in my presence over the past year, ever since Hunter injured his ankle in the game between Lacede and Troy.
    Lucas headed in our direction when he spotted Greg and me.
    “Well, if it isn’t a Trojan in Spartan territory,” Lucas said, looking down at me. He looked tired, with dark circles