First Day (01)

Who enters the class and strolls to Fee's table to sit with her? Why does it freak Soph out?

I try not to let my jaw tighten when Soph mentions college again. She keeps talking like it's going to happen, and I still haven't convinced her that it's not for me. Who would have guessed that SOPH would be the one I'd struggle with and my dad would be cool about it?

Before I can figure out how to respond, Soph tenses first. I wonder why until I turn to see Skylar Pascoe enter the room. He ignores the open seat with Chloe or Rosalia and heads right over to join JS. Soph freaked out when she caught JS texting with him over the summer. I guess it's protective mom stuff. I always assumed the whole thing was pretty one-sided, but now that I see Skylar heading toward JS I'm not so sure. I frown a bit.

"Kind of makes me miss Leo," I say softly.

Soph says through gritted teeth, "I will murder that frelling pendejo, Jay. Look at him, with his estupida tattoos and his thin little smile. I hate that boy. But she thinks he's funny. I wish she was home-schooled."

Cute, but troubled, Bijou Gallaraga comes into class and quickly moves to sit by Rosalia. Bijou starts babbling away in Spanish, but you can tell Rosalia isn't fluent because she seems like she is only following half of what Bijou says. Axel seems friendly with Elena and the two play with some of the utensils on their counter and make jokes.

Just before the bell rings, Will Kalani opens the door and comes in. He sees the only open seat is by Chloe (who is very excited about that fact) and he walks right by you to the seat. The final classroom:

I can't help but chuckle softly at Soph's vehemence over Skylar. "You're talking to the girl who dated Kace frelling Black, tattoos and thin little smiles are definitely not a bad thing in my book." I touch her arm. "But hey, better to have her here than Olympus, right? Gods know what she'd be getting up to there."

I'm about to ask Soph if she can hear what Bijou is going on about across the room when Will enters and the words stick in my throat. I can't help but feel a mix of anger over the party with the same longing sadness from before when I see Ares in his face. I steal a glance toward Elena to see if she's reacting to his presence at all, grateful that she's got Axel with her. He seems like a good guy to have around when you're going through it, plus he's into her, so win-win.

When Elena sees you, she gives you a quick polite smile - she hasn't forgotten that you promised her some revenge. The moment she sees Will, her whole demeanor changes. Her shoulders slump and she turns away from Axel to try and hide her face from everyone. It's such a drastic shift. Over in the corner, Fee giggles at something Skylar says and he seems very pleased with himself.

I frown at Elena's reaction to Will. I mean, I get it, but it also makes me feel worse about knowing that I can't help her get revenge now like I thought I could. Now I have to...I don't know, help him. Befriend him. Something that doesn't involve just making his life a special kind of hell.

I pull out my phone and shoot her a quick text:
Keep your head up, girl. He's just a stupid boy. You got this.

Then I take a breath and text Will - maybe Elena will notice us texting and think I'm defending her:
I think you have something of mine.

I roll my eyes, hard, and text back:
I'm talking about my necklace, genius

I wanted to call him a zokhole at first, but deleted it. Because he's part Ares.

I press my lips together, and I'm halfway through texting back an absolutely-frelling-not when I remember how Ares and I began. He was so crass and crude, delighting in my foibles, and he claimed me as his own, in his tent. It's the place I first saw the glimmers of change in him. The place he read Shakespeare to me while I lounged in the furs on his bed. The place where, instead of having sex, we eventually made love together. Maybe Will's room is also the place I need to be to see change in him too.

I text back:
Yes and yes.

As Mrs. Korsgren brings class to order, Will turns to look at you and smirks before nodding like "oh sure, I'll get you that necklace, no problem." Chloe sees this and gives you a hateful look - you're a threat now.

Mrs. Korsgren begins class by carefully and thoroughly discussing every item on your counter, the proper use of the stove on your counter, the ovens on the wall, even the sink on the side of the room closest to you. It feels like it might be the whole first class. How do you handle it?

It's all I can do to not roll my eyes when Will gives me that look. Instead, I just nod, once, like I'm accepting this whole deal. When I catch Chloe's look, I return her gaze, raising an eyebrow like What are you gonna do about it? It's not like I even want Will...I just need her to know that she's not going to scare me away and she's not a threat. Even if she can somehow avoid my magic...whatever.

When Mrs. Korsgren explains about the stoves and ovens, that makes sense, but then she starts in on the sink and the spatulas and dren...like we're six and have never seen a kitchen before. It's so pedantic and it doesn't feel like it's going to end. Luckily, I'm sitting with Soph, so I lean over to her and whisper, "Is she actually warning us that hot water is going to be hot and reminding us to hold a spatula by the handle?"

Soph grins, then pretends to be "very serious" when she whispers back, "I'm hoping we can ace this class. This might be on the test, Juliet." Then, she winks at you, making sure you are let in on the joke.

I stifle a snicker, but Soph does have a point. This class might be the easy-A I need to keep my GPA respectable. It's not like I really need a good GPA since I don't plan on college anyway, but having something good will help keep my dad and teachers off my back at least.

"You don't think Skylar's actually into Fee, right? I mean, don't get me wrong, I love her to death, but...well, look at him. They come from different planets, you know? It's probably nothing to worry about."

"He's like all the other boys. She's sweet and thoughtful, as pretty as me, too," Soph replies without looking at her daughter. "He wants to corrupt her. Be her first. Then, he'll move on. He's nothing like my Booker."

I inhale a short breath, thinking about my early interactions with Booker, picking up drugs in his bedroom. Him offering a trade of sex instead of cash for them. Our makeout sesh where he grinded up on me and felt me up, and where I kissed him back to be fair, my tongue in his mouth and hand on his bare shoulder and chest.

Then I think about Laureline's party, seeing Booker with...with others. Soph has no idea. Soph can't ever know.

"Well, I can talk to her. Make sure she's seeing straight past all those tattoos."

Soph reaches a hand over to squeeze yours. "Thanks, Jay. She listens to you about that stuff. When I try to tell her... how the world works, she just sighs and ignores me."

Jules,

What nickname did you give Bijou that stuck? Does she like it or hate it? Who do you know who's crushing on Bijou?

I give Soph a reassuring nod even though I'm not sure JS will necessarily listen to me either. I mean, Skylar's a pretty enticing treat to overcome in my eyes, but I'll try. Maybe I just need to figure out how he sees this whole thing first.

I sort of unintentionally gave Bijou the nickname Juju after she had a string of bad luck at a party at the park this summer. A bunch of people gathered for frisbee and picnics and whatever, and she kept tripping on things, then she got hit in the head with a Nerf football gone wild, then she dropped her plate of food and a bee stung her. I commented that she had some bad juju, and it just stuck. I don't think she likes being reminded of her clumsiness.

Oliver Green, however, is totally into it. I think everyone except her knows he likes her. I'm just not sure what's holding him back from making a move.