The Downfall of the 'It Girl'

'It Girl' Gone Dumb

“Where do you usually sit at lunch?” I asked, sliding my untouched lunch to the side. 

“Wherever I can find a seat, I guess,” he said, spreading ketchup on his fries. 

“That’s quite the lunch you have there,” I said, motioning to his pile up of fries, two cheese pizzas, and two Pepsis. 

“Eh,” he replied, squeezing the last drops of ketchup from the packet. 

“So, um, what classes do you have after lunch?” I asked, fiddling with the straw sticking out of my Diet Coke.

“Actually, I take off after lunch,” he said after swallowing a mouthful of pizza.

“Oh? Skipping? That’s very bad boy-ish of you,” I said with a smile.

“Not really,” he replied, laughing, “I head over to the community college for a couple classes over there.” 

“Oh.” Tossing his words around in my mind, I decided that he must be incredibly smart to already be taking college courses across town. “So, who do you usually hang out with?” I asked, glancing around the cafeteria, trying to pick out a group that I thought he might belong to.

“Not really anyone. Not here, anyway,” he replied. He had devoured half of his lunch already. 

“Who do you hang out with then?” I asked, my curiosity rising. 

“Just some guys from my old school, some from the college. No one that you would know, I’m sure,” he said, taking a few long gulps from one of the sodas.

“What’s that supposed to mean, exactly?” I asked, feeling my defenses going up instantly. 

“Nothing, really,” he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. I tried to distract myself away from his lips that looked so inviting. I was maybe partially successful. “Just that you didn’t even notice that we’ve had first hour together until this morning, and I’ve been there all  year. You were pretty wrapped up in your own little world. There’s nothing wrong with all of that, I guess, I’m just saying,” he explained, finishing off the can of soda and opening the other. 

“Oh, uh, sorry,” I mumbled, absently picking at my fingernails underneath the tabletop. 

“It’s alright,” he said with a small laugh. “Look, I gotta get going. I’ll catch ya later?” he asked, standing up next to the booth we had been sharing.

“I, uh, yeah,” I replied, glancing up at him. 

“Great,” he answered. After a moment’s pause, he added, “How are you getting home today? I know that wasn’t the great Jenna Matthews I saw getting a ride on the school bus this morning,” he flashed a knowing wink. 

“I, ugh,” I sighed, hanging my head dramatically. “Thanks for that, yeah, I was riding the bus this morning,” I replied, looking up at him again. “And I guess I’ll be riding it home, too. Why?”

“I have a break between classes. I can swing by and give you a ride home, if you want. I mean, unless you prefer riding the bus home,” he smiled devilishly and I found myself more and more attracted to him. I wasn’t sure what it was about him that I found so enticing, but I knew that I definitely wanted to find out. 

“Sure, I guess. I mean, if you want to. If it’s not too much trouble or anything,” I answered finally, feeling my cheeks warm. 

“No, no trouble at all. I wouldn’t have offered if it were any trouble,” he smiled that boyish little smile I was growing so fond of once more. “Well, I really need to get going now. I’ll pick you up at the back entrance, if that’s alright?”