Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality (4 page)

I
can’t believe I’m going to do this. It’s not like I haven’t talked to guys before, but I’m used to being the jokester. I can’t believe Benny expects me to flirt with Grant “you want me to take
Lexi
to Homecoming?” Christensen.

“I heard that Grant’s throwing a huge party while his parents are out of town next weekend,” Benny whispers in my ear as we study Grant and Josh at their lockers. “He was bragging about it in class today and invited the usual suspects. So maybe you’ll get invited!”

He’s trying to sound optimistic, but I can see in his eyes that we both know this is going to end in disaster. It’s not like I’m uncomfortable with making a fool of myself — I do it all the time. But being
self-deprecating means that you’re the one poking fun at yourself. It’s others laughing
at
me that’s the problem.

But if I’m going to get Benny to talk to Chris, I need to just suck it up and talk to Grant.

“Okay, I’m going to show you that this is so simple.” I’m sure the quiver in my voice betrays the confidence I’m trying to project to Benny.

I decide to stop avoiding the inevitable. I can feel my heart thumping in my chest as I approach them. I don’t really like Grant, but I figure it’s way better to do this with someone I’m not attracted to, who doesn’t already have a girlfriend.

“Hey, guys, what’s up?” I lean against the locker next to Grant and pretend like it’s the most normal thing in the world for me to be hanging out with him and Josh between classes.

“Ah, what’s up, Lexi?” Grant gives me a little nod and waits for it. “It” is what I usually say — something funny or witty about class or a teacher. But there is nothing remotely funny about what I’m about to do. Actually, it’s pretty hysterical, emphasis on the hysterical.

“Not much,” I say in a hushed tone. I arch my back so my chest sticks out. I smile warmly at them both. “Just so over classes already. Can’t believe we’ve got so much homework to do.” I wrap my finger around an errant strand of hair. Maybe I should bat my eyelashes at him.

Grant nods. “Yeah, did you finish the assign —” He stops and looks at me. “Do you have something in your eye?”

Apparently my attempt at flirting resembles someone who has something in her eye.
Sexy.

“Sorry.” I smile at him, lean in, and touch him on the arm. “What were you saying?” I try to talk in a sexy low voice, but instead it sounds like I have emphysema.

I’m not exactly sure what the look is Grant is giving me, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was along the lines of
you belong in an insane asylum
. “Did you finish the paper for Ms. Adams?”

“Yeah …” I stretch my arms over my head to elongate my body. I see Alyssa do it a lot during pageants when she’s tired. Every guy within a twenty-foot radius can’t help but stare at her, much to the chagrin of the pageant moms. But Grant turns back to Josh to talk about sports.

I decide to up the flirting. I take a piece of paper from my pocket and throw it on the ground. “Oops,” I say as I turn so my back is facing them and bend down to grab it. I do it slowly, so he has time to fully get the effect of my butt.

I pause for a few seconds to make sure he had plenty of time to get a good look. I turn around … to find that Grant and Josh have left.

“Where did they …?” I say to a stunned Benny. “What happened?”

“Yeah, that was real helpful, Lex,” he says dryly. “They left the second your back was turned. Was that even serious?”

“Did you not just see me flirting with him?”

“Is that what that was?” He nudges me playfully.

“Please, he just can’t handle my sweet moves.” I’m refusing to let Benny know how completely horrified I am right now. I grab his hand as we head to class. “I’m sure Grant’s totally picking out an engagement ring right now.”

Or a straitjacket.

I get to thinking on my way to lunch that, yes, I did humiliate myself in front of Grant and Josh, but I survived it. I haven’t really heard any murmurings about my mental health as I’ve walked down the hallways between classes. And so what if they think I’m crazy? What’s the worst thing that could happen?

I see Hannah and Brooke ahead of me.

“Hey, guys!” I say enthusiastically as we enter the cafeteria. I don’t know why I have this rush of confidence, but I want Benny to see me talking to people that I’m not used to hanging out with. Maybe then he’ll have the confidence to simply say hi to Chris. That’s all I’m asking for. One “hi,” no butt-in-the-air required.

“Oh, hey,” Hannah replies before looking away from me.

Hannah’s father works at the SuperStore with my mom. While my mother works the customer-service desk, he’s a senior vice president at the corporate office. Needless to say, they do not run in the same circles.

“Did you have a good weekend?” I ask loudly.

Hannah turns around to make sure that I’m still speaking to her. “Yeah, I guess.”

Brooke sticks her slim hip out and impatiently taps her fingers against her lunch tray, which has a bottle of water and a banana on it.

“Did you have fun at Josh’s party?” I ask.

They both exchange looks, probably forgetting that they mentioned they were going fourteen times while I was waiting on them at The Cellar.

“It was fun. I posted some pictures on my profile if you want to see them,” Hannah offers, probably not sure what else to say.

Brooke looks at me without an ounce of interest. I believe “dead eyes” would be the best description. “Yeah, then you can pretend that you were there.” She turns on her heel.

Hannah opens her mouth, but decides against saying anything else. She gives me a little shrug and heads to the table with the Chosen Ones.

Cam has her eyebrow raised as I approach the table in the corner that she, Benny, and I have sat at every semester. “Why were you talking to Hannah and Brooke?” she asks.

I look at Benny. “To prove that you can talk to someone and it won’t kill you.”

Benny ignores me and continues to eat his fruit salad.

And then I see him. Chris. Walking into the cafeteria.

“There he is.” I motion toward the front of the room.

Benny glances up briefly.

“You have to say hi to him. You promised.”

He hesitates. “Okay, I’ll say hi. But if I do, you have to wear makeup tomorrow to school. And lip balm doesn’t count. I want mascara, eye shadow.”

He’s still on this?

“Fine. But if you want mascara, I want a full-blown conversation. At least two questions.”

“I’ll do three questions if you wear your hair down,” he counters.

Cam keeps looking between the two of us like we’re speaking a foreign language.

“Fine.” I gesture my hand in Chris’s direction. “Go on.”

“Now?” Benny’s eyes are wide with horror.

“Yes, now!”

He shakes his head. “Can’t I at least wait until we’re done with lunch? I don’t want to go over there and interrupt him. As soon as he stands up and leaves for his locker, I’ll do it.”

“Okay.” He has a point. Plus, this way I can walk behind him and make sure he keeps up with his end of the bargain.

“Can someone tell me what’s going on?” Cam finally asks.

We fill Cam in on our negotiations. She stays silent for a little bit afterward. I’ve been secretly hoping she’d take my side in all of this. I don’t really see why I need to put makeup on. It’s not like I’m going to magically become a beauty queen and all my problems will just fade away. At least if Benny talks to Chris, it will be a beacon of hope, something for him to hold on to until we can finally get out of this town.

“Don’t you think Lexi would look hot if she got all dolled up?” Benny asks Cam.

“Did you just say ‘dolled up’?” I tease him.

Cam shrugs her shoulders. “Yeah, I’m sure Lexi would look good with makeup on, but she’s also gorgeous as is.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Benny says defensively. “I’m just saying that she believes this nonsense that she’s not pretty. So she goes out of her way to live up to this stereotype that’s only in her head.”

“I’m right here,”
I feel the need to remind him.

“I know. You’re gorgeous, Lexi, you are. I hate that you’ve let other people’s opinions influence what you think about yourself. Especially when those people are delusional.”

“So you’re basically saying that if I put some lipstick on, I’ll suddenly become this super-happy person who’ll get loads of dates.”
And he thinks other people are delusional?

“No, that’s not …” Benny stammers. “I meant …”

“Let’s just drop it,” I say coldly. “I’ll wear makeup to school tomorrow. The sun will set and we’ll all go on with our lives.”

Silence falls on the table. I know both of them are only trying to help, but when I spend every weekend surrounded by some of the most beautiful girls in the state of Texas, I know better than anyone that a little eye shadow isn’t going to make much of a difference in my life.

I hear a small noise escape Benny’s mouth. I look up to see Chris walking with his empty tray over to the counter, which means he’ll have to walk right by us.

“Just do it,” I encourage him. “Don’t think, do.”

His face has gone completely white. But he stands up warily.

Chris sees Benny as he walks by and gives him a slight smile. “Hey, Benny.”

He knows his name!

“Hey,” Benny says pretty casually (although I know he has to be dying inside).

He walks with Chris, and Cam and I get up to trail behind when I see Taylor Riggins approaching me, waving. I look behind me. Clearly he couldn’t be looking for me.

Unless he’s heard about my hot flirtatious moves and wants a piece.

Yeah, right.

“Just the person I was looking for.” Taylor smiles at me.

I steal a look at Cam, who shrugs her shoulders and takes off after Benny.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“So, my mom wants me to get some new clothes for college visits, and I figured we’d go to The Cellar when you were working to make it less painful on me.”

“Oh.” Of course he wants something from me. Why else would someone like Taylor talk to me? He’s gorgeous with a tall, lean build and emerald-green eyes. He’s popular, on the football team (although in Texas, one of the requirements to being popular is to BE on the football team). He could only be coming to me for help with his wardrobe.

“Great. So when are you working?” He reaches into his bag and pulls out his phone.

“Tomorrow night from six until close, and then all day Sunday.”

“Okay.” He runs his fingers through his shaggy brown hair. “I guess we’ll come tomorrow.”

“Sounds great.” At least I know I’ll have one good sale.

“All right!” He lifts his hand up for me to give him a high five. I oblige and notice Benny in the corner.

“What happened?” I ask when I get over to him.

“Oh, you know, nothing really …” He acts coy. “Chris and I talked and he said he’d save a seat for me in study hall!” He has the biggest grin on his face.

“That’s awesome!”

“I know!” He gives me a hug. “Now what were
you
doing talking to Taylor ‘überhot’ Riggins?”

“Don’t get excited.” Really, Benny should know better. “He wanted to know when I’m working next so he can come get some new clothes. So he’s coming to the store with his mom tomorrow night. No biggy.”

Benny gives me a mischievous look. “I’ve changed my mind — you don’t have to get
dolled up
for school tomorrow.”

“Thank God.”

“Instead, you have to do it for
work
tomorrow.”

“Are you kidding me?” I think this might be even worse. Does Benny expect that I’ll throw on some mascara and suddenly Taylor will fall for me?

“Stop it.
If
you wore more revealing clothing, then maybe you’d feel sexier,” Benny says with a crooked smile.

“
If
Taylor and I were the only people left on earth and the sole hope for survival of the human race was for us to hook up, well, unfortunately it would be the end of humankind as we know it.”

Benny leans in so he’s only inches away from me. “
If
you started to see yourself the way that we see you, you’d know no one could resist you.”

“
If
Taylor had to choose between seven minutes in a closet with me or a gaggle of hungry zombies, I’m sure he’d at least ask me to be the timekeeper for his zombie fight.”

“Ugh,” Benny groans. “Okay, I get it, I get it. So, what are you going to wear tomorrow night?”