The Twenty Year Triangle

Chapter Seven

Early Sept, 1999

Halfway through my first day of high school I realize the universe has something against me. I've had no classes with Olly and only one with Hunter. Luckily Hunter is in my science class and I smile as I walk in and see him.

I'm just about to head over when I see the teacher already has nameplates where we'll be sitting. It looks like everyone is going to have a lab partner. The name next to Hunter's is Mary Beth Baker, the prettiest girl in our class.

Of course, he'd get paired up with her. Great.

A pit of something I can't explain fills my gut, but I push it down and wave at Hunter as I walk by him. He waves back cheerfully, oblivious to my dismay over his pretty partner.

When I reach my table, I can't hold back my cringe; the nameplate beside mine is Brandi Benson.

Double great.

I slump down and watch Mary Beth walk in; her blonde curls are gleaming and bouncy. A bright smile lights her face when she sees her name tag. She's wearing makeup actual makeup, shiny pink gloss, eyeliner, and blue shadow; her eyebrows are even sculpted into a perfect arch. If that's not bad enough, she's wearing a pair of jeans that sit low on her hips, and her tight shirt, which clings to her perky chest, doesn't quite cover her belly, flashing a tiny bit of her tanned stomach.

Hunter pulls her chair out for her and she's flashing that big perfect smile at him which he's returning. I suddenly feel the urge to scream.

"Oh, good. I got a smart partner. I hate science, be ready to work for two, Ragdoll" Brandi breaks up my inner freak-out, and I turn to scowl at her.

"Don't call me that." My irritated reaction to Hunter's lab partner comes out in my voice, and it sounds menacing and harsh. Brandi's eyes widen at my tone, and I think mine do too, but damn, that felt good.

"Bout time you stick up for yourself," she says after a moment with a small shrug.

Be brave.

I ride the sudden confidence and follow it up with. "I'm not doing all the work either. I don't like science any more than you do."

"But aren't you a genius like Oliver?"

I laugh, "No one is a genius like Olly."

"Well yeah, but aren't you like super smart?" Her eyebrows furrow with her question, and I notice then that she also has her eyebrows shaped into a perfect arch, highlighting her big brown eyes, which like Mary Beth's, are lined with thick eyeliner.

"Why are you staring at me? Are you mad or something?" Brandi snaps, and I blink stupidly.

"No, I uh, I'm normal smart, not Olly smart, and .... how did you get your eyebrows like that?" I have to ask; I just have to. Unintentionally, my gaze flits over to Mary Beth as I do, who is cheerfully chatting with Hunter.

Brandi sees where my eyes go and snickers. "I'll do you one better. I'll help you get your eyebrows like this. On one condition."

"What?" I'm scared to ask, but I do anyway.

She leans in so close I can smell her strawberry body spray as she whispers. "You have to tell me which one you like, Olly or Hunter."

"I like them both." I nearly laugh at her dumb question. "They're my best friends."

"I meant, which one do you like, like?" She prods.

"I have no idea what you mean." I play dumb hoping she'll drop it, I don't trust her for a second.