The Cupid Screw Up

Chapter 1

I was never much one for sappy public displays of affection. So when I saw my best friend cooing over her new boyfriend at the lunch table, I took a sharp turn to the left and slammed my tray onto a completely foreign table. There was no one sitting there so I was safe from having to make awkward small talk, something I absolutely hate.

I sighed and squeezed some ketchup onto what was supposed to be a hotdog. It might have actually resembled one. I mean, it had the shape and everything, except that it was gray with random pink splotches. Deciding that it was best to just eat it and not ponder over what the thing was actually made of, I took a large bite and grimaced. It tasted as bad as it looked. Shaking my head in disgust, I plopped the “hotdog” back onto my tray and shoved the whole thing away from me before banging my face onto the tabletop. It just wasn’t my lucky day.

It all started out regularly enough. I got up and got ready for school. I almost missed the bus. That’s all completely normal. What wasn’t completely normal was when I walked into first period this morning and Mina wasn’t waiting for me with a big smile to tell me all about her latest scheme on how to ruin the principal’s life. No, instead she was making eyes at Jesse Loret.

I should have seen it coming, I really should have. Mina’s really pretty and a lot of guys are after her, but it was still a shock to my system.

The guy that I had been crushing on since freshman year was sitting there flirting with my best friend—my ex best friend. And the worst part was, she was flirting back.

I don’t know what made me sicker, the “hotdog” or the fact that my own best friend stabbed me in the back.

There was the slight rustle of clothes as someone else sat at the table with me.

“Go away Mina. I don’t want to hear your shitty excuses.” I grumbled, my face still pressed against the artificial wood.

There was a pause and I could hear whoever it was clearing their throat.

“I’m not Mina.”

I don’t think I could have shot up faster even if someone had slipped an ice cube down my back. Sitting in front of me was my new English teacher. He was the replacement that came a few weeks ago to fill in for Mrs. Meyers as she’s on maternity leave until next school year. He was young and gorgeous and fresh out of college.

“Mr. Greggors!” I squeaked and felt the flush rise to my cheeks. I can’t believe that I was just caught swearing in front of a teacher.

Mr. Greggors didn’t seem to notice, however. His face was drawn in lines of worry and he seemed a little out of place sitting with me in the school cafeteria.

“Frey, I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” he started and leaned forward to place his hand near mine. No ring, I noted absently and cringed at my own audacity. I let the thoughts slip away and glanced back at his face.

“What do you mean, Mr. Greggors?”

Mr. Greggors gave me this calculating look that made me freeze under his stare. “You just seemed a little out of it in class today,” he said slowly before lighting up into an easy smile. “You’re one of my best students and I just wanted you to know that I’m always here if you need to talk.”

He didn’t give me a chance to respond. Before I knew it, my English teacher was halfway across the lunch room and then stalking down the hallway.

“What the hell was that about?” I mumbled to myself and moved to dump my tray. First Mina and Jesse and now Mr. Greggors was acting like a lunatic. What kind of teacher is concerned enough with their students that they actually hunt them down at lunch and offer an ear in case one might “ever need to talk?” I swear, even the attractive people are freaks now.

I glanced up at the clock. I still had fifteen minutes until the end of lunch hour. Thank God, because I really needed to go to the bathroom and the line for them is always insanely long.

I trudged through the crowd that always seemed to accumulate in front of the bathrooms and shoved past some chick trying to discretely stick her hand down her boyfriend’s pants. Like there was any possible way to be discrete about something like that.

Finally, I was standing in front of the bathrooms. I pushed on the door and wedged myself in. The girls’ bathroom was an utter madhouse. There were girls against the back wall smoking, more pressed around the mirrors in some desperate attempt to fix their makeup, and even some having a shrill conversation behind the door.

I could see Jessica, queen bee and biggest bitch of the school, slinking along the edges of the various groups. It was obvious she was making sure that her subjects weren’t doing or saying anything to hurt her reputation as most popular girl at Shepland High.

“Well, well, look who’s shown up.” Jessica’s face curled into a malicious grin. We weren’t exactly on civil terms. It had started when we were both sophomores and I caught her stealing from Help the Needy treasury box. I’d exposed her and put a damper on Miss Imabitch’s good status. She’s been out to get me ever since.

“Get out of my way,” I glared in no mood to argue. “I’ve got to got to the bathroom.”

Jessica sneered and I realized not for the first time that she was rather ugly.

“Make me.”

I really could have cracked her in the nose right then and there, but my bladder was calling and I had to answer. So I calmly turned around and headed back out into the cafeteria and into the door marked men’s. There were a couple startled gasps and I mean, I can’t really blame them. A girl just waltzed right into the boy’s bathroom without any warning. I didn’t really bother with pleasantries. I just walked into a stall, relieved myself, washed my hands, and left. I’m sure I saw a couple guys from my classes, but I was too tired to care.

Mr. Greggor’s offer to listen to me complain about my day was beginning to sound like a grand idea.

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Quick Note: I'm not quite sure if I even want to continue this. Let me know if anyone is interested it enough for them to want me to write more! Thanks!