***
I wasn’t prepared to have both Jen and Jeremy in the front foyer when I walked in. So much for slipping in unnoticed.
“Oh my gosh!” Jen rushed toward me. “Wow, Samantha, I hardly recognized you. Your hair is—” She left the ugly unsaid.
“Hi Jen.” My gaze darted to Jeremy. The last time I’d seen him, I hadn’t been in my right mind. I hadn’t cared about throwing away our relationship. But now? How many times had I twirled that black hair between my fingers? I peered up into his dark blue eyes.
“You cut your hair. It’s dark too, looks good.” Jeremy smiled at me, his teeth white and straight.
I licked my lips. “Thanks.” I assumed he’d ignore me, maybe even yell, but be nice?
Jen grabbed my arm. “It hasn’t been the same without you.” Put together like usual, her blonde, spiral curls bounced on her shoulders. Her words felt sincere. And why wouldn’t they be? These are my closest friends. Speaking of which, where’s Mack? I searched the passing students, hoping to see spiky hair. He’d been calling himself Mack from the old eighties rap, ‘Daddy Mack will make you wanna jump, jump,’ for so long, I sometimes forgot his real name was Warren. Even his teachers called him Mack. Part of me wondered why I hadn’t at least called him to let him know I was coming back to school today. I’ve been lost in my own world.
Right on cue, Mack beelined for me, glasses askew, bright green eyes bulging, and a huge grin splitting his face.
“Sammy, Sammy, is that my beautiful friend returned?” He pulled me into a bear hug and being taller than he was, I easily caught Jeremy’s eye roll. He always hated our ‘thing’ as he put it.
Afraid I’d have no air left, I squeaked out, “Hey, Mack!” For such a small guy, he sure is strong.
He released me. “About time you’re back.” His eyes were wide, studying my face. And then he grinned. “Ooh, I likie.” His hand made its way to my hair.
I playfully swatted it away. “Yep, it’s almost as crazy as yours now.”
“Almost, baby, almost. So what’s your schedule? Do I get the pleasure of your company in any classes?”
Jeremy shifted his weight. “Hey, see you around, Samantha.”
“What? Oh, yeah. See you, Jeremy.” I watched him sulk away.
Mack whispered something to Jen, and she giggled. Once Jeremy was gone, she slapped Mack’s arm, saying, “Looks like Jeremy’s already annoyed with you.”
“He’s lame. Glad you cut those ties, Sammy,” Mack said.
Jen shot a glance at me. “Wait, you did?”
Doesn’t she know Jeremy ended it? “Well, Jeremy—” My words were drowned by the bell shrilling.
“Shoot, I’m late! I’ve got to go. Talk at lunch?” Jen scampered away, not waiting for a response.
“Oh Jen.” Mack sighed dramatically. “You’re so lovely.” He’d had a crush on Jen for as long as I could remember. So things are back to normal; Jeremy leaving in a huff over Mack, Mack pining over Jen, and Jen giggling, clueless about how Mack feels.
That was the only comforting thing about my day. Three classes later, I felt another pair of eyes gawk at me. Part of me wanted to scream, Yeah, I’m the weird girl now, and the other wanted nothing more than to run and hide. Was it him? Was he watching me as I darted to and from class? Or worse, was he in one of my classes, biding his time? I shuddered. Someone touched my arm, and I jumped.
“Looks like I lucked out.” I glanced up to see Blake sitting down next to me. “We have Government together.”
“Goodie for me.” I meant every word. “I haven’t seen you at all today. What classes do you have?”
“Well, English for one. And Jen just told me I’m to give her my answer by lunch.” He looked at me expectedly, but the bell rang and on cue, Mr. Giles stood up from his desk.
Stroking his scruffy, gray beard, he began, “Please open your books to page ninety-three. Let’s talk congress. Matt, can you start reading the first paragraph?”
I found the right page, already dreading my turn to read, I usually stumbled on the words. My palms were sweating when I noticed movement in my peripheral. I glanced over. Blake sat with his book unopened, staring back at me. I raised an eyebrow at him. What? His hand hovered in the space between us, down low. I bit my cheek to keep from laughing. Was that a note in his hand? What are we, in third grade now? Still, I subtly retrieved it. Gee whiz! Why’d you fold it ten times!
Finally, I read:
Are you going with me or not? I’m not going with Jen.
I stared at the paper. Should I just write, I can’t because Jen likes you? In the past, I always felt like I let my friends down when it came to things like this. I wrote two words and handed it back to him.
He opened it and rolled his eyes. Mr. Giles, oblivious to our little game, called on Blake. My stomach dropped for him. He hadn’t been following along in his textbook, but he answered the question anyway. Wish school came so easy for me. Forty-five minutes later, class ended, and Blake’s hand landed on my arm. I glanced up from stuffing my books into my bag.
“What am I to make of this?” He held out the paper.
“Just what it says, I can’t.”
“And why not?” We exited the classroom, entering the crowded locker hall. “And don’t say someone else asked you first, because this is a girl’s choice. Besides, I asked you before you even knew about it.”
“It’s complicated.”
“Complicated? Dancing with Jen’s going to be complicated!”
I smiled in spite of myself. At least I knew Blake wasn’t interested in Jen. Too bad she hadn’t picked up on that yet. “Blake, Jen’s my friend, and I’ve learned long ago not to come between a friend and her—”
“I’m not her man, if that’s what you’re going to say,” he cut in.
“So why don’t you just tell her no then?” Why make me be the bad guy here?
“Okay, I will. And then you have to be my date.”
“No, wait.” I sighed. “That won’t work. She likes you. That means she’ll hate me either way.”
“Are all girls this ridiculous?” I peeked over to see he was grinning. “Why’s everything got to be so difficult?”
I glanced around, feeling the gawking eyes.
“You don’t even know about difficult,” I muttered.
Blake halted, and a student collided with him from behind. He ignored the cuss words thrown his way, pulling me to the side. Once against the lockers, I stared back at him. Concern filled his eyes, confusing me.
“I’m so sorry, Sam. Here I’m being coy with you—how are you holding up?”
“I, uh, I’m fine.”
“Has today been,” he hesitated, “weird?”
You win the weird prize, I wanted to say. One minute, I’m ready to slug you, then the next, I want to kiss you madly in some dark corner. “It’s been good and bad.” My stomach rumbled, and we both heard it.
My face flushed, and he grinned. “You hungry?” he asked.
“Starving.” Lately, I couldn’t get enough food in. Blake continued walking, and I followed. The cafeteria wasn’t far.
“So what’s been bad about today?” he asked.
I glanced over at him and sighed. “Well, for one, I’m not sure what to think of Jeremy.”
He made a sour face back at me.
“What was that for?” I asked.
“You’re talking about the Jeremy that sits with Jen at lunch, right?”
“Yeah?”
“And he was your boyfriend, right?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, nothing. He’s a total tool, that’s all.”
I made tsking sound. “He’s not that bad.”
Blake glanced at me and shrugged. Entering the lunchroom, we parted ways to get food and met up at Jen’s table. I plopped down next to her, and Blake sat across from us. Seeing how Jen beamed back at him, I knew I did the right thing telling him no, as much as it pained me.
“
So? Are you going to be in town or what, Blake?” Jen asked, her lips shining with pink gloss.
I caught eyes with Blake. There’s your excuse! He ignored my accusing glare and instead made eye contact with Mack, who sat down next to us. I could have sworn something passed between them, and Blake shook his head ever so slightly. Okay, that was weird.
Blake cleared his throat. “No Jen, I’m not leaving. I can go with you.”
This is the right thing to do, I reminded myself, trying to ignore the hollowness I felt.
“Shoot, Sammy.” Mack sighed heavily. “I know you wanted to ask me and all, but I’m already taken.”
“You are?” I was sort of surprised.
Mack opened his mouth, but Jeremy brushed against me as he filled the open seat on my right.
“I know its girl’s choice, but if you don’t have a date, Samantha, I’m free,” Jeremy said.