Chapter 7: Grayson: She Has a Boyfriend

"Isabelle," I say politely. "I see we've ditched the nicknames already."

"Wait, you two know each other?" the guy asks, looking back and forth between us. The rest of the guys sitting at the table stop eating and watch our exchange.

"We have a couple classes together," I say.

"This is the maniac who tried to run me over this morning," Isabelle says to the guy.

He shifts closer and puts his arm around her shoulders. "So, you're the one who almost killed my girlfriend."

Girlfriend? Isabelle's dating that guy? I should have known she has a boyfriend. "Yeah, she embellished the truth a little." I slice a look in her direction. "I didn't almost kill her. I didn't even come close to her."

She opens her mouth to speak, but the guy cuts her off. "I'm Cam, by the way."

I don't miss the nasty glare she shoots my way.

"And that's Hannah," Vick says, nodding at the girl sitting next to Isabelle. "That's Jake, Kyle, and Nolan."

"Hey." I nod at each of them and then return my gaze to Cam, who is now pressing his lips to Isabelle's temple. Well, any ideas I had about pursuing her are out of the question now.

"Oh, Grayson, honey. Didn't we already have this talk?" Brittany stops behind me. I twist around to look at her, and she shakes her head. "Don't sit with the Jesus freaks. It's social suicide."

"Go suck on a cactus, Brit," Vick says.

From the corner of my eye, I see Isabelle pull away from Cam and straighten. She's staring daggers at Brit. Then, she lowers her gaze to me. "What's it going to be, Grayson? You going to sit with us Bible thumpers? Or are you going to join Brittany's harem?"

Hannah tries to stifle a laugh, but she ends up spitting out a mouthful of water.

"Isabelle," Cam scolds.

"Doesn't your big, bad, all-knowing God say jealousy is a sin?" Brittany asks in a mocking tone. "Really, Belly. It's not my fault Grayson likes me more."

"Pity isn't friendship."

"Isabelle!" Cam says again, this time more sternly. His face is red - with anger or embarrassment, I'm not sure.

I watch the exchange with morbid curiosity, wondering why there's so much animosity between Isabelle and Brittany.

Isabelle's gaze meets mine again, challenging me. "Well?" she asks, lifting a single brow.

"Well what?" I ask innocently. At this point, I can't help but tease her. Call me a sucker, but I'm eager to see the same fiery snark I saw this morning in the hallway.

"Who're you sitting with? Us or her?" Isabelle slices a quick, dirty look at Brittany.

I fight to hide my smile. "Be careful, Isabelle. I'm starting to think you might actually like me."

She laughs, surprised, and then quickly scowls. "Do whatever you want. I don't care." She turns her attention back to Cam.

I take a deep breath, knowing whatever choice I make, I'm drawing a line in the sand that will be impossible to cross. Organized religion and I don't get along, and I swore to myself I'd never get wrapped up in church again - not after what happened with my mom. But if keeping that personal vow means turning my back on Isabelle and the sort-of friendship we have...

"I think I'm going to sit here today, Brit. Thanks, though," I say.

Brit looks at me with disbelief, huffs, and then storms away.

"Why did you do that?" Cam asks Isabelle as soon as Brittany is gone. "You're above that level of pettiness."

"I know." Isabelle sighs and hangs her head as if she's ashamed of her behavior. "She just gets under my skin. I hate how she's always making fun of us for our beliefs. And the way she calls me Belly. Ugh."

"I understand." Cam strokes her hand. "But stooping to her level like that isn't going to change anything. You just have to pray about it."

Vick, Hannah, and the others are silent witnesses, eating their lunches as if this is a normal, everyday occurrence. Maybe it is.

"Personally, I think you did the right thing." I open my bottle of water and swallow a mouthful.

Isabelle looks up at me. "You do?"

"Yup." I twist the top back onto my water and set it on my tray. "If you don't speak up, she'll just keep doing it. There's nothing wrong with standing up for yourself."

"Thanks," she whispers. There's a hint of a smile on her lips, but she looks down again.

Cam drapes his arm across the back of her chair. "There are ways to stand up for yourself without name calling and hurling insults."

The tips of my ears burn with growing anger, and I clench my jaw. "And I'm sure there are ways to stand up for your girlfriend without letting someone make fun of her while you sit there and do nothing." I stand and grab my tray. "Thanks for letting me sit with you, Vick. I think I'll try the inside scene for a bit."

What kind of guy allows someone to say such mean things to his girlfriend? Why didn't Cam speak up? Instead of telling Brittany to knock it off, he yells at Isabelle for trying to defend herself? I dump my uneaten food into the trash, drop the tray onto a stack of trays, and head for my locker.

And why does Isabelle let him tell her what to do like that? Why doesn't she tell him to shut up? I know she's got it in her - I've seen her wrath firsthand. Maybe she saves that snark and fire for people she doesn't like.

I shrug off thoughts of Isabelle. It doesn't matter how I feel or what she does or doesn't do. She's got a boyfriend, and that means she's off limits. I will not follow in my mother's footsteps.