The Kissing Game

Chapter 11

The day after I told everyone the deal was completely different from the recent days I'd been through. No one gave me dirty looks. No one shouted nasty words at me. Everyone seemed to leave me alone, except for a few guys who shot me curious glances in English.

I stared at those boys, wondering what they would do. By now I knew my peers were unpredictable, so I wondered what the guys would do to get me to fall for them. I hoped I would be safe at very least.

   "Good luck to them," Hannah said, snorting. "No one could possibly win your heart."

   "What makes you say that?" I asked, curious.

   "Because..." She frowned, seeming confused. "You're... You."

  Even with that vague answer, I knew exactly what she meant. I was me. I was the girl who wouldn't date until university. The very girl who would wait at least a year to kiss her own boyfriend. That girl wasn't someone who could fall for anyone easily, so I understood Hannah's view. But still, I found my eyes wandering to an empty seat and thus turning disappointed.

   "You know," Hannah said, bringing my attention back to her. "I think I'm over Axel."

   "What?" My jaw dropped. "You're over Axel?"

   "Yup."

   I blinked. "The boy you claimed you loved? The one you wouldn't shut up about? What happened?"

   "I see someone else in his future." She shrugged. "And I'm happy with that."

  I stared at her, amazed. Hannah was the type to seek revenge if anyone "stole her man" and she liked to lash out at the guys who broke her heart. Seeing her so calm when talking about her old love and some supposed girl was amazing.

   But before I could question it, someone said, "Hey, Zoey."

My head whipped to my right and I saw a boy, Xavier, staring at me. He looked nervous and I couldn't help but smile. Xavier was one of the shyer kids in our class and I was touched by the fact that he had approached me. Although, I knew why he did.

"Hey," I replied, staring at him.

"I heard about what you said yesterday," he said, twiddling his fingers nervously. "And I'm sorry to hear about how our peers treated you. It's horrible. But, I have a question."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Um." He blushed. "Would... Would you like to go out with me?"

I stared at him, surprised by his question. He was one of the kids who feared speaking up in class, so I was surprised by his sudden guts. Touched too by how shy he seemed, but yet I had to give him an answer he wouldn't like. All due to my morals.

   "I'm sorry," I said. "But it's a no. I don't date."

   "What do you mean you don't date?" he asked, frowning. "You said you were going to open your heart."

   "Yeah, but-"

   "She doesn't date geeks like you," a low voice cut in, bringing our attention to the owner. "She wants a man like me."