White Teeth Teens

24. Getting Some Action

In Drawing class on Monday, Ben scooches his desk a few inches closer to me and turns to smile at me every few minutes. Tom is making us draw and render items on the table in front of us.

When we've think we've got one step down, we show it to him and he tells us whether we are ready to move on to the next step. It's relaxing because I can listen to my iPod as I draw and block out everything else—aside from Ben's eyes.

Ben walks me to History class right after and then finds me afterwards to walk me to Spanish. Marie eyes us as she walks past into the classroom. I ignore her, and press onto my toes to kiss Ben on the cheek. He grabs my wrist to stop me from walking into class.

"Meet me by the D wing bathroom in fifteen minutes," he says. I raise my eyebrow. "Say you have to go to the bathroom."

I nod and squeeze his hand once more before letting go.

Ten minutes later, I raise my hand and ask to go to the bathroom. When I close the classroom door behind me, I feel like I'm the only one alive in the universe. There's no one around. Nothing but the sound of my own shoes squeaking.

When I get to the bathroom in D wing, Ben's leaning against the glass window of the courtyard. He pulls me down the hallway by the Dance Room and starts kissing my neck and my lips.

"I just can't stop thinking about you." He kisses me again and again.

I'm hyperaware of our surroundings. "Not here. Not in school." I check over my shoulder. "Someone will see us."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be like this." He looks down at the floor and back up at me.

"Well," I bite my lip. "What are you doing after school?"

"Away game."

"Oh right."

"Don't you have the animal shelter?"

"I can skip."

He frowns. "I can't."

"Guess we'll have to wait for the weekend?"

"Guess so."

The hairs on my arms stick up just thinking about being alone with him again. He starts walking me back to class then snaps his fingers like he's just remembered something. He tells me that Val is worried I'm mad at her.

"For what?"

He shrugs. "She wouldn't say."

I spend the rest of History ruminating over what Val thinks I could be mad at. The fact that she offered me the joint? Or was it something else? They were high at the dance but in Ben's car Val was acting particularly weird.

When the bell rings for lunch, I check my phone.

Ben: ok I kno why val thinks ur mad at her

Ben: brace urself

Me: ?????

The typing bubbles go on forever. And then...

Ben: she made out with dean at the dance

I almost drop the phone. Someone slams into my backpack because I've stopped abruptly in the middle of the hectic hallway. Val and Dean making out? Ugh I don't want to picture it. Now the weird behavior makes sense, and Allison asking about Dean and Marie.

But I was with Dean all afternoon yesterday and he didn't look suspicious at all!

Ben: u ok? R u mad?

Me: see u at lunch

#

I completely bypass the entrance to the food area of the cafeteria and my usual table. Allison, Val, and Ben are all there. Val won't look at me, but Allison waves to get my attention. I ignore both of them and march to Dean's table.