06
A chorus of “boos” filled the classroom.
This was a white lily with green tea leaves.
Alex laughed. “I don’t think all girls are like
that. Except for you, of course.”
Even Crystal couldn’t take it anymore.
Her face was beet red, and she ran back to
her seat and started crying.
Г
But no one felt sorry for her, they were all
laughing at her.
“Talk about delusional. He rejected her so
hard, and she just kept crawling back for
more.”
“Right? She really thought she had a shot
with Alex Sterling? She says girls are
scheming, but she’s the most scheming
person in school.”
“Alex seems so laid–back, but I guess he can.
see right through fakes.”
After enjoying the show, I smiled at Alex and
asked, “I didn’t know you could be so mean.”
He opened my thermos and handed it to me,
<
“I’m never going to like someone you don’t
like.”
I took a sip of water and giggled. “Liar. You
said you didn’t like her.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Oops. You caught
me.”
I batted my eyelashes. “Seriously, though, why
don’t you like her?”
He squinted, thinking. “She’s not as innocent
as she looks. You can see the greed in her
eyes.”
Looks like choosing my own brother worked
く
out a lot better than letting fate pick one for
- me.
…
Crystal was ostracized.
No one wanted to talk to her.
Even if she tried to start a conversation,
people would just ignore her.
Some people would say in a snarky tone, “I’m
a girl, I’m too much drama. Go find some
guys to hang out with.”
The guys would chuckle. “We’re not in Alex
Sterling’s league. Go talk to him.”
Most people would just give up at that point.
But she just kept at it.
During a basketball game, she went up to
Alex to give him water. “You played great.”
The whole school was watching, and the guys
in the other class started to heckle him.
She was trying to force his hand, or maybe
get everyone to feel sorry for her, since they
didn’t know what she was really like.
Alex scowled. “I wasn’t playing for you. Stop
looking at me, it’s messing with my head.”
He walked a few steps, then turned back. “I
don’t know how many “brothers” you got, but
I’m not one of them. Don’t call me that again.”
Then he walked straight over to me, saw me
watching him, snatched my water, and gulped
it down.
Then he handed me the empty bottle. “You
looking at her or me?”
I took the bottle, amused. “Why can’t you fall
for her act?”
Alex snorted. “You think all men are that
dumb? It’s so obvious that she wants
something. Nobody’s gonna fall for it.”
A lot of people did, including my brother, my
mom, and my dad.
They were so experienced with people, how
could they not see through her?
Oh yeah, because they thought she was more
<
could they not see through her?
Oh yeah, because they thought she was more
important than me.
