Free Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson Page A

eyes, slump in my chair and try to ignore everything.
    “What an asshole!” I hear someone say in an abnormally loud voice.
    Looking up, I find the curly-haired girl from class making herself comfortable in the seat across from me. “I’m Ro, by the way.”
    “April.”
    “Well, April, I think Jockhead is just jealous because Mr. Dreamy is hotter than he will ever be in that ruggedly, I-will-stain-your-deck-and-then-ravish-you-on-it kind of way.”
    “Is that all you think about!” I somehow get out in between giggles.
    “What are you, a virgin?” she gasps, as if I had told her I killed her mother.
    “No, but I don’t feel the need to flaunt it.”
    “Honey, I don’t flaunt it… on purpose. I can’t help it if I exude confidence and sex appeal!”
    We pause, meeting the other’s eyes, sizing each other up like some kind of ancient act of dominance. We stare for what feels like minutes, but turns out to be only seconds before we break into a fit of laughter.
    “Exude, huh?”
    “I just speak the truth!” She shrugs comically, “So what’s your story? I mean besides what I’ve heard!”
    “Don’t believe everything you hear,” I mutter, taking a tiny bite of my chicken wrap. I don’t really have an appetite after my interaction with Hunter.
    “Well, I know you used to screw Hunter. I know he’s now screwing Veronica and there are a ton of rumors swirling around about you and your Neighbor .”
    She gave her a name; she called her Veronica—V. A name I will never forget for the rest of my life. Veronica. So original and different, so sexy—it’s everything I am not. I feel the tears begin to well up behind my eyes.
    “Nevermind then, you got me all figured out,” I whisper behind my sandwich, blinking rapidly to hold back tears. I will not cry again, especially not in the middle of the cafeteria. I will not give Hunter that satisfaction.
    “Whoa, it’s worse than I thought.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “If that’s what your entire life is all about, you need help, girlfriend.” She glances around the cafeteria for a second before leaning in closer to me. “See, my life doesn’t revolve around men. Men revolve around my life. Think about it.”
    I’m speechless, staring at her. Is this hoochie trying to tell me how to live my life? I stare at her for a few seconds longer than normal before I glance down at my plate. Maybe she’s right. Men shouldn’t determine my life.
    “What are you doing later? Let’s go out?”
    “It’s Monday!” I roll my eyes; this girl is crazy.
    “Perfect! It’s Margarita Mondays at the Bar!”
    I’m staring again, and this time she stares me right back and wiggles her eyebrows, waiting for my answer. I know she’s not going to take no for an answer and part of me is grateful. I could use some girl time… actually, I could use a girlfriend, period.
    “Okay, Margarita Monday it is.” I finally force a smile.
    “Good girl, cuz we need to get you out.”
    I laugh finally, for the first time today, and it feels good. This girl Ro is okay in my book.
    We sit there at the table, talking about everything and nothing until I notice I’m late for my next class.

 
     
     
     
    FINALLY WALKING OUT of the building, I take a deep breath of the fresh air. Man, that class was draining. Today we learned how to solve problems with infinity in them, something I can’t quite get a handle on yet. I sigh, shaking the thoughts of math out of my head. I reach into my book bag for my keys when I finally come to the realization— I don’t have my car. Crap, I didn’t think this through . I pull my phone out of my back pocket and search for local cab numbers. That’s when I hear it, the exhaust. Jared pulls up in the same spot where he dropped me off this morning and kicks down his kickstand. Pulling his helmet off his head, he places it down between his legs and scans the hill. I didn’t notice anyone beside me because I was slightly distracted, but I hear someone at my