Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore Page B

just skip it today? I can take you back home—if I’ve got to come late, it’s not that big of a deal.”
    Lily strikes me as the kind of girl who isn’t normally tardy. Or
ever
tardy. Except, of course, when I make her late and land her in detention. I shake my head.
    â€œNo, it’s fine. I need to face him eventually. At least if it’s here, I won’t kill him.”
    I give her a rueful smile before she pulls the door open.
    â€œWell, at least you’re not a sobbing mess like at the theater,” she remarks.
    I glare at her and she shrugs.
    â€œHey, just trying to point out the positives.”
    I’m actually starting to feel a little better. Chatting with Lily gives me something to think about other than the elephant named Betrayal that’s stomping around in my head, just to remind me it’s there.
    Of course, any relief or distraction I was feeling evaporates when I walk to first period and see Tommy leaning on the lockers outside my classroom door. When our eyes meet, I suck in a breath, but I refuse to look away. His blue eyes look somewhere between frustrated and annoyed.
    That lights a fire right under my anger. What right does
he
have to be mad at
me
?
    I jut out my chin and attempt to walk past him without a word, but he’s faster than I am. Moments later, he’sstanding in front of me with his arms crossed, totally blocking my path before I can dodge around him.
    â€œWhat the hell, Marijke?”
    I glare up at him, trying to ignore how sexy he looks right now. His hair is a little rumpled, like he’s been pulling a hand through it in irritation. He didn’t shave this morning, and he’s rocking that shadowy scruff I love. He’s wearing the navy-blue button down that I bought him last Christmas. I steel myself against the onslaught of a lust/love one-two punch.
    â€œI have nothing to say to you,” I bite out. “Just let me go to class.”
    â€œNo way—not until you tell me why you stood me up this morning. I sat in your driveway for almost fifteen minutes until your dad finally came out and told me you’d already left. What the hell is up with that?”
    I stare at him. “Seriously? You’re pissed because I went to school early? How about I start listing all the reasons I am absolutely, totally
furious
with you?”
    â€œBring it on, baby. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
    I cross my arms now too. “So leaving your house last night with some random girl to go to Jimmy’s—you think that should just be okay with me?”
    His brows furrow in confusion. “Wha—?”
    â€œYeah,” I interrupt, feeling a sick satisfaction at showing him up. “Didn’t think I’d find out, did you?”
    And then he does something that absolutely infuriates me—he laughs. Out loud, wide-mouthed guffawing kind of laughing. I could deck him.
    â€œBabe,” he says, shaking his head, “it wasn’t a random girl. It was Shelley. Shelley Lipmann.”
    Now I’m the one with a furrowed brow. “Jimmy’s sister?”
    Tommy nods. “She and her husband are staying with Jimmy’s family for a week with their kids. Jimmy had her come pick me up because I couldn’t get the General to start.”
    â€œBut—but your mom said . . .”
    He cocks his head. “When did you talk to my mom?”
    â€œI—I was—last night I—”
    I stutter and stumble over everything I’m thinking. Tommy’s mom could have easily gotten her information wrong . . .
    â€œMarijke, look at me.”
    Tommy curls a finger under my chin and tilts my face up until our eyes meet. I can feel the awkward embarrassment from mine meet the concern in his.
    â€œBabe, you’ve
got
to find a way to trust me. Seriously, I feel like a broken record here. I’m sorry if you got the wrong idea or whatever. I spent the night at Jimmy’s because