Alli's POV

Outside of math, I wasn't talking. It was lunch time and I got out before any of my friends. I was outside under a dark tree, alone. Then Jenna walks up.

"Bhandari, this is my table where I need to be alone,"

"You'd sit with the cheerleaders, find another lie." I said darkly.

"I'll stick to my first one, because I'm loyal and don't ditch people." She snarled and crossed her arms.

"You stole Clare's first boyfriend!" I said, as if she was accusing me and Clare.

I do the words and Clare's good with making her feel guilty with facial expressions and her silence. Jenna wants Clare to do anything, scream, yell, punch, kick, insult… but Clare's too mature for that. And since Jenna isn't as mature, it scares her. I read her like a book, and she's a pretty open one.

Jenna sat down. She clanged her lunch down, looking at a table far behind us.

"Huh? Not you two, you guys had every right, I'm talking about KC."

My eyebrows shot up. "Really…"

"He was supposed to eat lunch with me but he decided he rather eat with Dave, Connor, and Wesley."

"My ex-boyfriend is a jerk who used me for my smarts,"

Jenna took a bite of her fries. "That's rough, why?"

Jenna wasn't judging me. See, this is why I liked her. She knew mistakes, she made them. St. Clare never did. So she could almost never see my point, if it wasn't for her sister. Jenna did and she didn't say 'I told you so' unless I ask for it, like I do with Clare sometimes.

"His grades needed to be pulled up to uh… stay on the football team." I look down and growl the last part. Stupid football, throwing a ball through a Y shaped thing is not that hard. I hope Drew gets tackled into next week.

Jenna pats my arm. "KC's on the football team too,"

She bit her fry. "It takes up his whole life,"

I looked at her. Her relationship with him is not a bed of roses, and it doesn't seem like it will ever be led to one.

"Boys suck," I said. "Clare was right; when they were all younger they had cooties to give them the ability to break girl's hearts,"

"Rolled into stupidity," Jenna added, breaking her fry.

"Injected with lies," I murmured as I stabbed my chicken.

"And coated in jealousy," She thought of a new one.

I shrugged. "It's kind of hot when a guy's jealous sometimes."

"Maybe," Jenna looked thoughtful.

"Alli!" Clare said. She had Eli in one hand and a boy who had some girlish features in another. "We were looking for you because I want you to meet my new friend Adam!"

Jenna was silent. "Hi Jenna, I like your hair, it's all fluffy and blonde," Clare rushed.

Jenna smiled. "HI Clare, I like your hair too."

I looked at Jenna then at Clare, Eli, and Adam. "Where are you sitting, we're gonna sit with Wesley, Connor, Dave, we just wanted to look for you first."

"Actually, I was dragged." Adam revealed. "I feel a little third wheel-ish," Clare rolled her eyes at him.

Eli whispered something that made her blush.

Jenna raised her eyebrows. "Clare you might not want to sit there."

"Why not, I know, but with Wesley it's not that awkward anymore."

It really wasn't. He did have a whole summer to get over it. And Clare was so much more out of his league that he'd given up... for the most part anyway.

"No, KC, is sitting there."

Clare sagged next to me. "Oh…" she said quietly. She let go of both their hands. Eli sat on the other side of me.

Adam sat next to Jenna. "Oooh, who's KC?"

"Ex-boyfriend," Eli and Clare said at the same time.

Jenna nudged Adam. "He's my boyfriend now. They're kind of friends."

"Clare, Clare, Clare, you need to look your problem square in the eye and not hide in the shady trees." Adam advised her. He crossed his arms.

Clare shrugged. "The breeze is nice," she admired the breeze.

"Look, I, Adam Torres, will not let you stay here and wallow. Wallowing is for wimps, Clare."

Did. He. Just. Say. Torres? My heart felt like it was in one of those blood pressure things... when will it end!

Adam grabbed her hand again and started jerking her towards the table while I hyperventilated. Clare was friends with the enemy! Or the enemy's stepbrother! Whatever!

"Wait, wait, and wait a second Adam." She said, pleading.

He let go momentarily and allowed her to go back.

She looked at us hopefully. "You want to come?"

I looked at Jenna. "We're wimps, that table is near the football table,"

Jenna smiled. Oddly, I didn't mind it actually.