Ozz; Deceptive Cadence

This is an excerpt from my new MS Deceptive Cadence. Cadence, the MC is reliving her high school years to try to do them better. But, while she no longer dates her original boyfriends, one of the bad boys from her school begins to pursue her. In this scene, she unintentionally went on a double date with a boy, and the bad boy, James, shows up to try to win her over, but he doesn't count on her overprotective father showing up.

*****

I found Geri and dragged her out as fast as I could. We hurried to pull off our skates, and on our way to return them James intercepted us. “Cadence, you’re going to talk to me.”

“Are you insane?” Geri hissed as we shoved past.

“I don’t have sex with those girls!” he yelled.

All eyes turned our direction and Geri and I lifted our skates to cover our faces.

“I’m serious Cadence! That’s Robbie’s thing.” he continued to yell after us.

I spun on him. “Would you shut up?”

“No. Not until you hear me out.”

I smirked as I dumped my skates on the counter. “Then you’ll be yelling for the rest of your life.”

Geri and I hurried out.

“When’s your Dad coming to get us?’ she whispered.

“Not for another half hour.”

“See? This is why we need phones.”

I chuckled, knowing that in about five years every kid our age would have a phone. We sat against the side of the building to wait. She shuffled and pulled my money out of the pocket of her jeans. “Here, I don’t need it. You’ve had a rough day. I guess it’s not that great having guys into you.”

I smiled and pushed her hand back. “No really, keep it. I don’t wanna feel like I owe Brian any favors.”

“I saw what he did,” she muttered. “I was trying to get over to you but Sean kept me back. You were lucky James came along when he did. I can’t believe he would do that.”

“Who? Brian or James?”

She paused and tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Both actually.”

“Cadence!” James burst out and fell to his knees in front of me. I pulled back in shock as he scrambled closer. “Just thank me.”

“You’re crazy!” I answered in a voice that was much too high.

“Fine then let me kiss you.”

“How is that any more likely than me thanking you?” His breath smelled rank, like he’d just smoked a box of cigarettes.

“I keep saving you and you never thank me!”

“Get away from me!”

“But you’re so beautiful.”

My heart skipped and I paused. Not hot? Not cute? I met his eye. “What?”

“You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

I held his gaze, completely stunned. Then Geri smacked him across the face. “Get lost and leave my friend alone!”

My daze was broken and I snapped back to reality. “Coming from a guy who’s probably high on something, that’s not very flattering.”

His eyebrows lowered in frustration. “I’m not high–”

“Hey!” We all jumped at my dad’s booming voice. He leaped out of the car, his eyes fixed on James. “You stay away from my daughter!”

James backed away as my dad towered over him.

“Cadence, Geri, get in the car.”

Geri and I scurried to the car as Dad backed toward it, his eyes never leaving James.

~ Deceptive Cadence, WIP by Katie Teller