Want Me (Extracurricular Activities, #1)

by Neve Wilder

Someone dropped a piece of silverware against Grandma Barbara’s china. I didn’t know who because my vision had gone blurry, even the turkey centerpiece swimming in a sludge of brown feathers. I literally felt the sweat break over my forehead and saliva pooling in the back of my mouth. Mrs. Finley’s smile dimmed, then brightened again. Maybe I imagined it. For a second I thought I was going to puke. My eyes darted over faces, locking onto my parents—both of whom had their heads tilted to opposite sides in an eerie reflection of each other. Eric’s gaze burned into the side of my face, and I knew if I looked, I’d see surprise. So I didn’t look. “That’s kinda hot. So who⁠—” “Lexi,” Mrs. Rosen hissed, and Eric cracked up, his hand sliding over my thigh again, his thumb making that sweeping arc like he’d done on several occasions before. It floored me how much that tiny bit of motion soothed me. Not completely; I was still sweating like a fool, my heart sprinting like it was on a mission to break free of my chest, but the nausea ebbed. I didn’t dare look at my parents again, certain I’d shocked the hell out of them. They’d never given me any sign or inkling whatsoever that they were homophobic, but then again I didn’t think I’d ever given them any sign that I was anything other than a Grade A skirt chaser.