Cameo by Tanille Edwards Page B

Then, when I didn’t respond, he waved. I see you. I smiled and quickly looked away. You can never give a guy too much of your attention, that’s when things start to go south. I’m a living specimen of that, too. Plus, I was beginning to think that if I cut him loose, this might be all over. How could I ever use thebathroom again without getting freaked out after this? I tried not to let the first incident give me a complex, but this would be difficult to let go.

Chapter 6
    The next morning, Cindy and I bummed a ride to school with her father.
    â€œI’m so sorry about this,” Cindy said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œUh, this whole carpool thing. Having to listen to my father’s lame jokes. I keep telling him he’s not funny, but he swears my friends think he is.”
    Although her dad’s jokes were pretty dry, we only had to endure them for ten minutes on our way to school. It was no problem, really. Dealing with the car ride trumped spending my nights at the all-you-can-eat with my grandparents and sleeping in the guest bedroom that reeked of mothballs.
    â€œSo I shouldn’t laugh anymore?” I asked.
    â€œNo,” Cindy said firmly. “Looks like you got company.”
    Jason was waiting for me at the front entrance. I had totally forgotten about the whole chaperone thing. I should’ve been down on my knees, thanking my lucky stars for some backup. I hadn’t told anyone about last night. And I wasn’t planning on it.
    â€œHe’s looking at you. Wait a minute? Is he waiting to walk you to class? Aw!” Cindy said in a mocking girly voice.
    â€œAnd where’s Peter? Oh … you’ve got no strings attached. I’m sure there’s a girl somewhere who envies you.”
    Cindy’s mouth dropped. I didn’t usually talk to her like that. But she was getting on my nerves a little, with her watching every move that Jason and I made.
    â€œThat was way harsh. BTW, keep this up and you’ll be in the morning spiel for the next week, Missy.” Cindy winked.
    â€œAnd maybe I could use a little heat my way,” I said.
    She knew I was being facetious. I hoped.
    Jason stared me down as I approached him. I acted as if I hadn’t spotted him fifteen feet away. I let Cindy walk in front of me a bit as I slowed my pace. I looked at him and smiled coyly as I passed him by. He was cute all right—dark black hair, chocolate skin, big, brown, puppy dog eyes, tall, sort of built, definitely not skinny. Why did I keep describing him in my head over and over again? It’s like I forgot how cute he is. I call it the “I like you amnesia”—you forget how he looks because you like him so much.
    He casually looked around before practically tripping over himself to catch up with me. He covertly tugged at my arm. “Wait up,” he said.
    He was a persistent one.
    â€œHi,” I said, like I had no idea he’d been trailing me. “Do you have a job, like a part-time job?” I asked him. If a boy had a part-time job, there was always a chance he had a girlfriend at work.
    â€œAre you running a background check?” he asked as he followed me up the stairs. We had the same homeroom.
    â€œYou’re the one creeping up from behind. It’s plausible that some background would be in order.” I had to think up that one.
    â€œJust crush the ego, why don’t you?” His tone changed from charming and inquisitive to cold and dry. Note to self: Don’t call him out on his fawning. I liked it better when he played charming.
    â€œSo … we’re going to class?” he asked. He avoided direct eye contact with me. He walked ahead a little and held the stairwell door open for me.
    â€œWhy? Are trying to weasel out?” I walked through the door. “Thanks,” I said.
    â€œMe? You know you’re not like any other girl. For real.”
    I stopped in the middle of the hallway. “Is