Tanya doesn’t even budge. She leaves her leg straddled over him. Jackson’s lips tug upward, wearing an expression of pure arrogance. He kisses Tanya on her forehead, and she snuggles against him. The seed he’s planted is in full blossom. My sister is now Team Jackson. He was right when he’d taunted that if I told, it wouldn’t work in my favor. If my own sister refused to believe me, then who would? Unable to stomach any more, I rush from the media room.
* * *
Tanya and I have been on the outs since I confided in her, only to have her call me a liar. What takes the cake was finding her entangled in Jackson’s arms. It isn’t the fact of them messing around, more power to them. I’d dated the other twin, and maybe they started fooling around before I confessed. That still doesn’t change the fact she messed with him after I told her about Jackson. I don’t think I can ever forgive her.
Some days I hitch a ride with Justin. When he has morning practice, I’m stuck riding the yellow bus. I won’t dare ask Tanya for a ride—not that she’d even let me get in her car. The few times we’ve made eye contact, she’d given me death glares.
* * *
Lately, no matter what amount of sleep I get, I always feel exhausted. All week, I’ve slept like the dead. Thankfully, no bad dreams, but I’m still tired.
By 6th period, I conk out. A tickling-tingle moves across my ear. With my head lying on top of my history desk, drool and all, my eyes flutter open. Coach Schroder is ticking my earlobe to wake me up.
“Rise and shine, sleepyhead. You must have stayed up late partying last night?” Coach jokes, cracking a smile.
The entire class erupts in laughter. Lifting my head, I use my sleeve to wipe my mouth, blinking in a daze. Coach Schroder is the nicest teacher I’ve ever had. Caught napping in another class might’ve gotten me detention. Coach only gives hand taps in History. I hear he is a different character when it comes to coaching the team.
I feel my cheeks flush. “Sorry.”
“You okay?” he asks, his expression turning serious.
“I’m fine. Just didn’t sleep well, definitely no parties.”
“Yeah, because she thinks she’s a goodie-two shoes,” a chick shoots venom.
Coach wrinkles his nose at her. “That’s enough. Number one rule in my class is that we respect each other.”
The chick shrinks in her chair, but not before shooting a glare in my direction. Coach Schroder continues our lesson. At least I hadn’t jolted awake screaming like I did some nights. That would’ve been more than embarrassing.
* * *
The talk of Taylor is the upcoming game tonight. Gathering my purse, I’m about to leave. Justin left me his keys. Frankly, I’m surprised he trusts me to drive his sleek Aviator. I’ve only driven it a time or two. Justin stayed after school in preparation for the game and let me drive his SUV home. Maybe he wants to ensure that I come. I’m his ride home. The thought makes me smile. He still cares. That fact causes warmth to fill me and tears at my heart simultaneously. I, too, still care for him deeply. My life has just changed dramatically—no longer the same person. I was never a social butterfly. I had started to bloom into my own, only to turn into a paranoid hermit. Sick of allowing fear to rule over me, this is the first step. Getting back out there, trying to gain some form of normalcy, and then maybe I can forget. Jackson hasn’t approached me in over a month. With Tanya as his new plaything, maybe he’ll leave me alone for good.
My cell vibrates—a text from Amber. R u still going tonite?
Yeah, about 2 leave in a minute.
K. Text me when u arrive. I’ll save u a seat.
Lately, Amber and I seem friendlier than her and Tanya. We chat often. Since Tanya started hooking up with Mr. Schizo, she’s tossed her friends to the side. All her attention is focused on him, and she hangs out with another crowd, the girlfriends of Jackson’s buddies. I’d gotten the info from Amber. I don’t know much about what’s happening in Tanya’s life. We haven’t spoken a word to each other since our showdown—doing our best to avoid one another.
After I start the engine, my phone rings, lighting up Lina’s number on the screen. “Hi,” I answer. “I’m on my way to pick you up.”
“Bad news. My mom’s tripping. She found my progress report and grounded me for my grades. Now she won’t let me go to the game.”
“Yikes, Lina, sorry. That sucks.”
Lina blows out her breath. “I wish my mom was laid-back like yours seems to be. I never hear you complaining about her.”
That’s because she’s so into her new fiancé to even ask how I am, or what’s going on in my life. “Probably because she doesn’t care much.”
“Huh? What makes you say that?”
Definitely don’t want to get into Charlotte Guillory and her non-nurturing ways. “My Mama’s really self-absorbed. Always has been, let’s leave it at that.”
“I had no clue.”
“It is what it is.”
“I was so psyched about you picking me up in Justin’s Aviator—looking forward to chicks being green with envy. Especially since you and your boy are patching things up.”
She’s far off the mark—if Lina only had a clue. “We’re only friends.”
“Yeah, sure. Must be the good kind. I seriously doubt Justin would let any girl drive his truck.” I don’t comment. “It’s probably better if you guys take it slow. You know, it seemed like y’all had a hard break-up. Keep playing the friend card, it’ll keep him in line.”
Lina’s careful spirit reminds me of Dari. It makes me laugh. “Whatever you say, Lina.” No sense of arguing. Once she got something in her head, it stuck.
“Will you be okay going alone?”
“Amber’s still going. I’ll sit with her.”
“Oh, okay.” Lina’s voice is filled with such disappointment. “Well, I better get off the phone before I get in more trouble.”
“All right. See you tomorrow.”
“Text me if any good gossip happens.”
I can’t help rolling my eyes, grinning at the same time.
The Taylor/Hastings game is more packed than the last one I attended. The crowd is rowdy. Justin, the varsity’s point guard, is already letting loose on the other team. Watching Justin play feels like watching a pro-basketball game. He’s that great. Cara and I text, hoping to find each other in the huge throng of folks. So far, no luck. Amber arrives shortly before me, right as the game begins. We barely snag a seat.
The first two quarters fly by. For half time we’re both hungry, so we head to the concession stand. In the long line, I ask, “How are things with Santiago? I’ve seen you guys together a few times in school.”
Amber grins from ear-to-ear. “We’re kinda in the hang-out-still-getting-to-know-each-other stage. Santiago’s real shy. It took him forever to even ask me out on a first date.”
“Well, there’s nothing wrong with taking things slow.”
“Yeah, I really like him.”
“He seems into you, too.”
“I’m ready to at least make it to second base.”
“Maybe you need to make it clear how you feel.” My advice is almost comical. In my current situation, who am I to be giving it? Amber has always been kind to me, though, so I want to offer any I can give.
Amber smirks. “I might have to. I think a turtle moves faster than Santiago.” I burst out laughing. “Finally got a smile outta you. You’ve been down in the dumps lately.”
I shift uncomfortably. “There’s been a lot going on.”
“Figured as much. You wanna talk about it? I kinda got a feeling what it’s about.”
Amber would piss her pants if she knew the gist of it. “Not at the moment,” I reply as politely as I can.
“I wish this line would hurry up,” Amber complains. “I’m starving.”
“Me, too. I’m going to go to the restroom. Do you mind getting me popcorn and a hotdog if you make it to the front before I return?”
“Sure thing.”
I hand her some money, then dart off toward the restroom. As I veer a corner, I see someone coming in through the glass doors from the parking lot. The person is about to head down another hall. My chest constricts at the second glance, realizing who it is. Just keep going, just keep going. My luck seems to get worse and worse. Jackson halts in his tracks, does a double-take, and then starts coming toward me.