Are we going to kiss?
“Shit,” Karen says. “Here comes Zach.”
“Where?” I ask.
But then she’s kissing me.
And there’s nothing else. Just her lips. On mine.
I pull away. Her lips were cold, but my face is hot.
“You are not using me to make Zach jealous.”
She smirks. “No, I was just using you.”
“What do you mean, ‘using me?’”
“You’re a comfort,” she says. “Like comfort food, you know?”
“What am I, a hamburger and fries?”
“I was thinking more, a Whopper and a Coke. What’s the matter, you didn’t like it?”
“Yeah,” I say. “As long as I’m not rebound boy.”
“Not at all,” she says. “Anyway, he was too far away to see... I think.”
“You think?”
“You can never be sure with Zach. He always comes along when you least expect it. I bet he has those stupid vitamin supplements with him, too.”
“Vitamins?”
“You’ll see,” she says with a sigh.
How did she spot him so far away? But I can see him now, too, walking up to us. His golden blond hair and toothy leer are unmistakable.
“Stanley.”
“Uh, hi, Zach. How’s it going?”
/> “It’s been a while.”
“You’ve been busy.”
“Yeah,” he says. “I have. The cross-country team misses you, you know that?”
“Don’t start, Zach,” Karen says.
“No, it’s okay,” I say. “I mean, I miss the team, too, I guess. I just have some issues to take care of.”
“Issues? That’s just what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What could he know about it?” Karen says. “Don’t listen to him.”
“I’ve got some stuff I need to tell you, Stanley.” He glances at Karen. “But keep the meat eater away from me, okay?”
“I won’t touch you again, Zach,” Karen says. “Even if you beg me.”