Chapter 25: CHAPTER 25

The hallway air felt lighter, less tense. It'll be easier to keep distance in health class too. The CPR unit was over, so we'd have new partners for the next activity.

I was barely two steps in when something hard collided with me-Cross's chest.

I grit my teeth. "What's your problem, CJ?"

I tried to push him off, but my arms were useless against his solid frame.

"Why are you avoiding me?"

I stifled a groan. I thought I did a decent job holding it together. Apparently not in front of him.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I raised my head, schooling my features in attempt to convince him otherwise.

"I'm not stupid. You took forever doing math problems I know you can finish in less than twenty minutes."

I crossed my arms. "While I appreciate the compliment, not all of us are as talented as you in math,"

"It's nothing you haven't done before. We're ahead of Theodore in math."

"That's probably why I was slow," I deflected. "It's been a whole year since I did that kind of math. Trigonometry is not the same as pre-calculus."

Cross clucked his tongue. He didn't believe a word I said. "You didn't look at me once. You ignored me the entire time and only paid attention to Theodore. You wanna tell me something?"

He was so dramatic. I had glanced at him a few times, enough to avoid this exact conversation.

Apparently, I wasn't discreet enough to hide my discomfort.

"Clara!"

A cluster of cheerleaders appeared down the hall, waving and calling my name. My mistake was letting the relief in my eyes show.

Cross's eyes narrowed.

I turned to greet the girls, ready to use them as an excuse to flee, until the vision made my mouth dry.

At the forefront, standing between Ruby and Eliza, was Kelly. But rather than the enhanced beauty I expected to see, what I saw was a blatant mockery of makeup.

Foundation too pale, cheeks colored too bright, contours left unblended, and eyeshadow a chaotic mess of colors that made her look more clownish than glamorous.

"Do you like it?" Rubi feigned innocence, inviting further input.

Kelly's grateful expression said it all. They'd been ooh-ing and ahh-ing her all day under the false pretext of looking good. Fake praises while Kelly made a fool of herself.

Before it's your turn, it's someone else's… Hilary's voice whispered through a memory. This must be it. And with Rubi standing beside her it stood to no question who was the mastermind behind this.

"You didn't take a piss all day?" Cross asked her, caught between disbelief and pity.

Kelly's smile weakened. "N-no I…"

"She promise she wouldn't look in the mirror until at least next period," Rubi smoothly intervened.

"Scouts honors," promised Kelly, lifting her right hand.

From my periphery, I saw Eliza cover her mouth to a hide a derisive giggle.

"Thanks for supporting Kelly's makeover," Amy said from behind. Her makeup was sharp and clean.

She'd even redone her cat-eye, a cruel contrast to Kelly's debacle. No one would've ever guessed the disastrous state she'd been in merely hours ago.

With an eerie calmness, she tossed my mascara. I was so stunned I didn't react on timne. It nearly hit my face if weren't for Cross's quick reflex catching it midair.

What was this, an initiation prank? I would've never offered my mascara if I'd known that was their intention. Now, it felt like I played a part in her set up.

"It looks ridiculous," I finally said.

Rubi gave a me a scathing glare, but I met it unflinching.

This was middle school all over again…mean girls playing cruel games for sport, feeding off of someone else's humiliation.

Kelly's snmile completely vanished. A self-conscious hand rose to her cheeks, but Rubi caught her wrist.

"It looks fine," Rubi reassured. And my, did she lie so well. "Clara's not aware of the current trends. AII she wears is mascara."

Dissatisfied with me not playing along, the girls huddled around Kelly and steered her down the hall to show her off to somneone else.

Cross let out a low whistle at their retreating figures, his arm casually sliding around my shoulders. "I hope she gets smarter after this."

I shrugged his arm off. When he refused to budge, inhaled sharply. "Get your arm off me." The remark so scalding Cross pulled away from me like I'd burned him.

"What the hell is Wrong with you? You forgave me for the makeup thing earlier, so why are you still mad?"

"I’m not mad."

"You are."

I stormed away from him toward health class. If I could find David again, I could use him as a buffer against this one. Unfortunately Cross easily kept pace, his long legs maintaining stride beside me.

"Did I make things weird because I said I like you?" When his hand brushed mine, my lips curled in disgust. I couldn't hold it in anymore. "You like me?" I repeated, a bitter laugh slipping out. "I literally saw you walking out of a closet with Amy."

Cross froze, eyes widening. Something like regret flickered across his face before he groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Of course, the one time I do nothing, you see me." He reached for me again, his voice low. "We messed around in the past. I was just ending things personally because she wouldn't stop blowing up my phone."

I shoved him off me. "Why are you even explaining this to me? I don't care. Just keep me out of your lying games!"

"Wait." I shrunk from his touch and began to walk away. "Wait, please just"

And his tone so desperate, and so unlike him- made my heart lurch.

He caught me again. His hands closing gently over mine, begging me to hear him out. The bell's ringing pierced the air. Yet it sournded so distant beside the low rumble of his voice. His fingers threaded through mine, my hand limp, yet he still held it like it meant something. The gesture felt uncomfortably intimate.

"I’m ready now," he said quietly.

His expression was serious, softened by a modest note of shyness, as if even he was nervous to say it aloud.

"Ready for what?" I asked, still not understanding.

He looked down for a moment, then lifted again, his gaze finding mine with a quiet intensity that stole my breath. Our hands stayed entwined as he tugged me closer, the air between us a thinning to a whisper.

When he finally spoke, his voice was low, but sure.

"I’m ready for a serious relationship. With you."