Jenni James - Pride and Popularity

“I’m sorry. I can’t say it.” He chuckled. “I just can’t.”

“You already have,” I pointed out. “But if it helps, I personally use the words ‘stupid,’ ‘imbecile,’ ‘jerk’ or ‘egotistical moron’ to describe Taylor.”

“Really? You’re kidding me. There’s actually a girl alive who doesn’t like my cousin? You are so lucky we’re on the phone right now. Because if we weren’t, I’d grab you and kiss you so hard your head would swim.” 

My head swam. I decided to ignore his comment about wanting to kiss me. “You’re Taylor’s cousin?”

“Regrettably, I have to say that is my lot in life—to play second fiddle to the pampered Taylor Anderson,” Blake replied.

“You’re kidding! I had no idea.”

“Yeah, well, not very many people do. I try to keep it secret for as long as possible. That’s why I moved here, though. Lionel Anderson’s my uncle. He offered me a job. I needed one, so I came.”

“But I thought Taylor was surprised to learn your name,” I blurted without thinking.

“Oh, you heard about that?” Blake sighed. “Yeah, that would be Taylor, all right. He was surprised to hear my name was Blake Winter, since he calls me Blake Wilder. Wilder’s my real name. I changed it because I wanted to make a new start with you guys.”

“Well, for the record I like Winter. I think it’s a great name.”

“Thanks. Apparently Taylor doesn’t. I don’t get that kid. He never lets me have a moment to myself, you know? Sometimes I wonder if he’s jealous his dad and I get along so well. For some reason, no matter how nice I am to him, Taylor and I have never gotten along. This isn’t the first job he tried to get me fired from, either.”

“No way.”

“So have you always detested Taylor, or is this a new feeling?” he asked.

“Oh, always, ever since I first moved here three years ago.”

“When do you turn eighteen?”

Huh? “Not till April. Why?”

Blake muttered something under his breath, then said, “You better call me the second you’re eighteen, you hear?”

“Why?” A giggle escaped my throat.

“Because” —his deep voice sent exciting chills down my spine— “then you won’t be jailbait.”

Jailbait? “Oh.” I gulped.

His sexy laugh would’ve caused my knees to buckle if I’d been standing. “Don’t worry—I won’t ravish you before then.” 

“He said what?” Taylor almost bellowed behind me.

I had whispered it to Madison and Alyssa as Taylor walked over to get his art supplies on Monday. But obviously he overheard me when he came back. My girlfriends and I had leaned in to talk over—again—what Blake had said on Saturday. It had been all we had discussed that whole weekend. The fact that Blake was Taylor’s cousin was mind-boggling. But adding in the jealousy between the two was more than any girl could handle, especially when you had to face the fact that Taylor wasn’t as perfect as everybody thought.

I had just finished exclaiming over the “jailbait” comment again, which was definitely the worst thing Taylor could’ve overheard. Why does he always manage to unnerve me?

Taylor dumped his art supplies on the table. He pulled out his chair and loomed over me. “Did you just say that Blake wanted to know when you were eighteen so you wouldn’t be considered jailbait anymore?”

Does he have to say everything so flippin’loud? “Will you sit down?” I hissed.

“Not until you answer me.” His stubborn face reminded me of a two-year-old.

I used my sweet smile. “Well, then stand. I don’t care. Until you learn to treat me with some respect and courtesy, you’re not getting any answers anyway. I don’t care how loud you are about it. If you want to discuss your cousin at all, then I suggest you get on my good side and treat me a little nicer.”

Taylor sat down. “Why do you have to get so defensive about everything?”

“Excuse me?” I turned to face him. “I was under the impression the only one having defensive issues about anything was you. I’m just here to make sure you behave like a decent human being when you voice them, because obviously you’re going to voice them whether I want you to or not.”

He was clearly agitated. “Okay, look. I don’t know what Blake has told you. Obviously, you know we’re cousins, which is more than he usually divulges. But just get off your high horse for a moment. Simmer down—”

“Taylor,” I interrupted, “for a smart guy, you really know how to get on a girl’s nerves. High horse? Simmer down? As if I’m upset or something?”

“—and listen to me,” he finished. “Please?”

Fine. I huffed. “What?”

“No matter what you may think right now, Blake is not a good guy. Okay? Just promise me you’ll stay away from him.” His blue eyes pleaded into mine.

I turned away so I wouldn’t be affected by them. “Thanks for caring,” I said sarcastically, “but I’m a big girl and can handle myself. I’ll decide when and where I’ll end my relationship with Blake. If I do, that is.” I turned and smiled at him.

Taylor nearly lost it. “No! I absolutely forbid you to see Blake again!” I’d never seen Taylor so upset.

“You forbid me?” I challenged. The nerve. I would’ve laughed except it wasn’t funny. Comical, yes. Funny, no.

Any hope Taylor had to get me to listen to him was over with that rash statement, and I could tell he knew it. With one word, he had completely painted himself as the black-hearted villain I had suspected he was. There was nothing he could say that would deter me from Blake now. I was through being troubled by what Taylor thought. Just because the rest of the world danced to his tune didn’t mean I was going to. I refused to even look at him again, and we spent the rest of art class in frustrated silence.

Later that evening Madison, Alyssa, and I were on a threeway call discussing the day’s events, and more importantly, Taylor’s odd behavior.

“Are you sure?” Alyssa asked. “It really sounded like he was upset today. I mean worried for you. To me it just seems that he can’t be all that bad.”

“What? Of course he can be that bad,” I insisted. “This is Taylor Anderson we’re talking about here—one of the biggest jerks in our school.”

“Jerk or not, Chloe,” Madison said, “Taylor is still the most popular guy around. And whether he is worried about you or not, you shouldn’t turn him away like you do. Think of it. If Taylor paid as much attention to me as he pays to you, I would definitely be using that to my advantage. I would make him think I liked him.”

“Are you kidding me?” I gasped.

“No, I’m not. By pushing Taylor back like you do, you are totally throwing away a chance of at least being friends with the most popular guy in school. I’m not sure it’s a smart idea to throw that away. I do understand that you have different views than the rest of us when it comes to Taylor, and I have always respected that. I just think that maybe now that it’s becoming more and more obvious that he may like you, you should give him some credit.”