Unraveling by Micalea Smeltzer Page B

mouthful of cheese.
    “Have you not eaten anything , today?” Rollo asked.
    I shook my head. “I woke up late and didn’t have time to eat breakfast before class, and then I had to go straight to Sharon’s.”
    “You really need to eat your breakfast, Katy, because the way you’re attacking that pizza is frightening.”
    “You’re mean,” I growled, taking a sip of iced tea.
    “Baby cakes, I’m honest, there’s a major difference between honest and mean,” he sprinkled some Parmesan cheese onto his pizza.
    “Yeah, one makes me want to bite you,” I snapped.
    He chuckled. “You’re too busy devouring that pizza to bite me.”
    I stuck my tongue out at him, just as my phone started ringing.
    Rollo snatched it off the table before I could even put my pizza down.
    “Oooh! It’s Jare-bear!” he exclaimed, causing a few people sitting around the pizza shop turned to look at us.
    “Give me that!” I hissed.
    “I don’t think so,” he leaned away from me, stretching back in the chair. He hit the ANSWER button and said, “Hello?”
    I heard Jared’s voice rumble on the other end.
    Rollo snorted. “No, this is Rollo. I’m gay, definitely not trying to get in your girl’s panties so stop giving me the third degree for answering her phone.”
    Jared chuckled.
    “Give me the phone!” I tried to grab it from Rollo.
    “Not yet,” Rollo told me and returned to the conversation with Jared. “We’re at Mario’s, having pizza, you should join us… that is if Katyrina hasn’t eaten it all by then.” A pause. “Good, see you in a few.”
    Rollo hung up and handed my phone back.
    “I hate you so much right now,” I glared at Rollo. “Like, seriously, hate you with a burning passion.”
    Rollo rolled his eyes. “ Puh-lease, baby cakes, once Jared and his perfect ass gets here, you won’t be hating me anymore.”
    “No, I’m pretty sure I will,” I glared down at my slice of pizza, suddenly not hungry anymore.
    “Well,” Rollo said, “you better turn that frown right side around, real quick. Hot bod just pulled up.”
    “Shit,” I whispered under my breath.
    I heard the door open from behind me and my body instantly jolted awake, like someone had struck me with a live wire. Every part of my body, even ones I’d long ago believed dormant, were aware of Jared’s presence.
    Even before ‘the event’, no one had affected me this way.
    “Hey,” Jared said, standing awkwardly beside the table. He was dressed casuall y in dark blue sweatpants and a tee. He wore a baseball cap low over his eyes.
    “Hi,” I squeaked. I felt completely awkward after our… whatever you wanted to call it, because I refused to think of it as a date.
    “I was just heading out,” Rollo stood. He looked at me and winked. “See you later, baby cakes. Take care of my girl,” Rollo clapped Jared’s shoulder .
    Jared smiled at me and hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “I’m going to go get some pizza,” he turned to head to the counter but suddenly he was back in front of me. “Please, don’t run, Katy. Especially when I have my back turned.”
    “I promised you, no more running. I’ll be here,” I played with my napkin.
    “Okay,” he slowly eased away. I could see in his eyes that he was sure that I’d leave as soon as he turned around.
    As much as I may have wanted to do that, I couldn’t. Not to Jared.
    His back bumped into the counter and with a chuckle, he turned to give the gaping girl behind the counter his order. She was obviously starstruck by Jared, and honestly, I couldn’t blame her. Forget his good looks; there was just some kind of magnetism about him that drew people in, including me.
    He finished giving his order and turned his head slightly to peer at me from the corner of his eye. When he saw that I caught him peeking, a grin took over his face. He shook his head and paid for his pizza, dropping the change in the tips jar.
    “I’ll bring your pizza out to you when it’s ready,” the