The Best Mistake (Not Just Friends 1)

She was also feeling extra bloated today, and of course the one time she bumped into Toby happened to be on a day she felt like shit.

“You’re in my algebra class, right?”

She shook her head. “No, biology.”

He smiled, all straight white teeth, and a dimple in his cheek. God, how could one guy look so good?

“Toby, are you coming to class?” Marilyn’s voice came through like a crack of a whip. Shoshanna straightened and looked over Toby’s shoulder. He breathed out as if he was annoyed when he turned and faced Marilyn for a second. After a moment he looked at Shoshanna again. Marilyn moved up beside Toby, slipped her arm in the crook of his, and glared at Shoshanna.

She was surprised when Toby moved over a step, disengaging Marilyn from him. The cheerleader huffed out and rolled her eyes.

“We’re going to be late,” Marilyn said in an annoyed voice to Toby, but kept her gaze on Shoshanna.

“I’ll see you around,” Toby said to Shoshanna, and she nodded.

She knew they wouldn’t see each other around, because this was the longest conversation she’d had with him since she knew what his name was. She watched Toby and Marilyn turn and head back to class, but not before she overheard them.

“I don’t know why you’re talking to her, Toby. She’s at the bottom of the totem pole here,” Marilyn said tightly, like maybe she had a pole up her ass and couldn’t form the words correctly.

“Shut the fuck up, Marilyn,” Toby said in a clipped, angry voice.

When they were about to head into the classroom Marilyn turned and flipped Shoshanna off. She had to smile at the fact a snob like Marilyn, with her cheerleading outfit and her perfectly painted-on face, flipped her off like a crude thug. Shoshanna stood there for a moment, still feeling the little tingle where Toby’s fingers had lightly touched hers. She was ridiculous for even allowing herself to feel anything for a guy like him. But there were some things in life that just couldn’t be helped.

2

The bell for the end of the day rang, and Shoshanna grabbed her books and headed out of physics to her locker. The feeling of a cold draft raced up her spine, and she looked over her shoulder to see Marilyn and two of her friends, Bethy and Amber, standing right beside her.

Shoshanna stood there, not sure what to say or why in the hell Marilyn wanted anything to do with her. No, you know why she’s here. She’s pissed because you were talking to Toby. The thing with Marilyn was she was one possessive bitch of the star football player of the school. Although Shoshanna could feel her on that, because if she had a man like Toby, hell, maybe a guy in general, she’d feel the same way.

“What?” Shoshanna asked, grabbed her bag from the locker, and shut it. She stared at the perfect blonde, at the way she had thin curves and perky little breasts. She was the total opposite of Shoshanna in every way, and it was annoying, yet still had Shoshanna jealous.

Marilyn smiled, but it was far from pleasant. “I know you want Toby, know you have for a while now.”

Shoshanna didn’t say anything in response.

“And I don’t even care about that because I know you don’t have a damn chance with him.” Marilyn took a step closer. “But I want to make it clear that playing the nerdy little victim, making him feel sorry for you in any way because you’re so damn pathetic, will only piss me off.” Marilyn leaned just her face in a bit closer, and the scent of her perfume filled Shoshanna’s head. “I can make your last remaining year here hell, Shoshanna, absolute hell, even worse then what it is now.” Marilyn moved back. “Remember that when you want to ‘accidently’ drop your books and want my boyfriend to help you.” Marilyn lifted a hand and picked at the plaid shirt Shoshanna wore. “For all the money your family has, you dress like you live under a bridge.”

Marilyn curled her lip, looked at Shoshanna in the eyes again, then turned and walked out the front doors. The sound of her little posse giggling filled the hallway.

Shoshanna curled her hand around the strap of her bag. She hated that bitch. God, she’d never hated a person before, but Marilyn was an exception. She turned and slammed her locker shut hard enough she felt the vibrations through her arm.

Closing her eyes and bracing her open palm on the cold, hard metal, she breathed in and out. The sound of students moving past her, talking and laughing because the weekend had officially started, filled her head.

Her weekend would be consumed with books, boring, silent dinners with her mother and father, then starting the cycle all over again come Monday.