“I need two volunteers for peer tutoring,” Mrs. Mathewson asks the class.
I really don’t want to do it. Between cheerleading, Keith, and my own homework, I don’t have any extra time. Then I remember how much I need more volunteering on my transcripts. Getting into college should not be this hard.
“Anyone?” she asks again.
Then her eyes meet mine, and the look says it all. I’m being voluntold. “Fine, Mrs. Mathewson, I’ll do it,” I say with reluctance.
Just one more thing on my plate.
Keith laughs and elbows one of his idiot friends. “She won’t do my homework for me, but she’ll help someone else.”
“Come on, Tea, you should help your man out.”
I roll my eyes. “I help him out plenty.”
Keith nods. “Yeah, you do, babe.”
“Thank you, Ms. Berkeley. Your student will be waiting for you today.”
She hands me a paper and I could cry. The peer tutoring happens during my study hall, but maybe I can still use some of the block for getting my own work done.
The bell rings and I head to the cafeteria, where during class hours it’s meant to look cozy for studying. It doesn’t. It looks—and smells—like the cafeteria.
Keith tosses his arm over my shoulder. “You coming over tonight?”
“Maybe.”
“I miss you.”
I let out a small giggle. “You can’t miss me if you’re with me right now.”
He stops, pulling me into his arms. “You know what I mean.”
And I do. He means he wants to fool around again. I’ve been trying to come up with reasons as to why I don’t really want to do it, but Keith is relentless.
Keith’s the most popular boy in school and a god on the football field. He’s funny, can be nice when he wants something, and everyone loves him.
The whole town basically falls at his feet.
And he expects my panties to do the same.
“I’m not ready for more, Keith.”
“I didn’t say we have to have sex, Tea. But you can at least give me a blow job before the big game.”
“Oh, I can?” I say as I push against his chest.
“Look, it helps me relax. After the last time I threw the most touchdown passes I’ve ever had in a game. I think that’s because of you.”
A small part of me likes to think I had something to do with it, but then I remember he only wants what he wants.
“Well, since I’m all about statistics,” I say with a coy smile. “How about we test that theory?”
He nods, thinking he’s got me. “Hell, yeah.”
I run my fingers around the captain patch on his chest. “Tonight, you don’t get one, and if you outdo your last passing yards, we’ll really know.” Before he can respond, I lean up and kiss his lips, drop back down, and run off. “Good luck!”
“You’re so cold, Teagan!” he yells after me, but I’m already down the hall.
When I turn the corner, I run smack into Nina Banks. My books fall to the ground, papers go flying. “Ugh!” I groan. “Watch where you’re going!”
“Sorry,” Nina says, bending down, trying to help me. “I didn’t see you.”
“Obviously.”
“Look, I said I was sorry,” she says and her lip trembles.
I didn’t mean to make her cry. Damn it. “I was in a rush—” I start to explain that I was in a hurry and didn’t mean to snap, when two pairs of shoes appear on either side of me.
I look up and see my two best friends, Lori and Kelly, standing there, glowering at Nina.
This is so not going to be good.
“Did Stanks knock you down?” Lori asks, using the horrible name they’ve given her to let her know how much she smells.
“No, I turned the corner and lost my footing. Nina was helping me pick up my stuff.”
I’ve known Kelly and Lori my whole life, and they can be cruel beyond belief. However, the three of us do everything together and it’s been that way since we were in kindergarten.
“Still,” Kelly huffs, picking at her nails. “She should…shower…or something.”
I look at Nina, who is clearly on the verge of tears. I want to say something, tell them to stop, but I don’t. I never do. I hate myself for it. I don’t want to be this way, unwilling to speak up for those who can’t, but I don’t want to be on the other side of their friend-card either.
A year ago, Lauren Evans was our fourth best friend. She was by far the nicest one of all of us. Whenever Kelly and Lori got mean, Lauren would never join in and was always uncomfortable around them. Then, she decided she didn’t want to do cheerleading anymore, and she was booted from the group because she was “too busy” for us. You would think that Lori and Kelly would want her to be happy, but they don’t. In fact, they make fun of her more than anyone else in the school. Lauren can’t fight back either because they know some of her secrets. Which makes me terrified to be like her, because they know all of mine.
The bell rings and I jump up. “Shit! We have to go. Thanks for helping, Nina.”
Kelly and Lori scoff. “Shower, Stanks.”
“Guys,” I say with frustration. “She didn’t do anything.”
“She exists.”
“And she’s gross,” Lori tacks on.
There’s no stopping them, and if I push back, it’ll make it worse for Nina.
“We’ll see you after school?” Kelly questions.
“Yup! See you later.”
I rush off and enter the cafeteria before the bell rings. I head over to the teacher who is stuck chaperoning the group and he points out the table where my peer student is.
Derek Hartz? Really? It has to be the one kid who seems to think I’m the biggest bitch?
“Hey,” I say as I sit.
“Oh, come on. You?”
“I’m not any happier about this than you are,” I assure him.
Derek is…odd. When we were younger, it was fine, but he never changed. He still wears out-of-style clothes and never talks to anyone.
“I just need help with a few math problems.”
“Okay. Show me where you’re stuck.”
We go over them, and I show him a few tricks I’ve learned when it comes to equations. The next twenty minutes fly by as he starts to master the steps a little more.
We chat a little about his father and the wild horses that he found wounded on the island. I can’t imagine seeing them hurt. They always seem so mystical to me whenever we do see them.
“They’re cool,” he says. “I like the fact that they’re wild, but the more people who come around, the less the horses will be willing to show up.”
“Really? I feel like this island was built for the wild horses.”
“I agree, I’m hoping more land gets preserved to protect them.”
I nod. “Me too.” We both sit here, looking at each other and I wonder why I’ve thought he was so weird. He’s not. He’s actually pretty normal and funny. I’m having an off day if I’m thinking of Derek Hartz this way. I need to get back to the math so I can get my head on straight. “Okay, let’s try this problem.”