Ice on the Outside, Screaming Love on the Inside Chapter 05

Ice on the Outside, Screaming Love on the Inside Chapter 05

Joren said Marnie sometimes spoke without thinking, so if she’d said something hurtful, I shouldn’t take it personally.

Then he went on about how we were all friends and shouldn’t let something small ruin that.

He sounded so protective of Marnie that every sentence felt like he was taking her side.

The bell rang, and I went back to my seat with my head down.

Sometimes God really had a sense of humor.

Our teacher said too many students’ grades had slipped lately, so she split us into study groups and had the top students tutor the rest of us.

And of course, Marnie and I ended up in Joren’s group.

Marnie elbowed me.

“Well, now we can get Joren to tutor us without even feeling guilty.”

“As if I care.”

Joren happened to glance over. The second our eyes met, he looked away.

[Heh. This is great. She and I really are meant to be. Cupid’s helping me out.]

[Now if only this could turn into a study session for two. Just me and her.]

Hearing his thoughts, I still couldn’t help feeling hurt.

To him, I was just the third wheel. Did he really dislike me that much?

Study hall became group tutoring time.

The three of us sat together.

I couldn’t sit still. I felt like the odd one out.

Whenever Joren explained a problem, he kept looking at Marnie.

But if his eyes landed on me, he’d immediately look away.

Marnie asked a question, and he answered smoothly. I asked one, and suddenly he stumbled over every other word.

And after explaining it, he’d turn around and hit me with an even harder question.

Why was he like two completely different people?

Was he trying to make things so uncomfortable that I’d back off on my own?

That thought pissed me off.

Marnie already liked someone else. I wasn’t about to let Joren mess up my best friend’s love life.

So for the rest of study hall, I bombarded him with one question after another.

Marnie couldn’t get a word in.

Joren was too busy answering me to think about anything else. Even his thoughts went quiet.

When the bell rang, I felt pretty smug.

I’d learned something and protected my best friend’s love life at the same time.

It finally clicked.

Joren wanted to get Marnie alone, right?

Fine. Then I’d stick to Marnie like glue.