Chapter 25 Chapter 25When I got to school the next morning there was a giant pair of panties duct taped to my locker. They were designed for someone roughly the size of a Volkswagen. I peeled them off with a loud ripping sound. My locker was sticky from the tape residue. If a small freshman leaned against it, he’d be stuck there like it was a giant piece of flypaper. This was exactly the kind of thing that would have upset me a day ago. Post–Nate kissing, the situation seemed juvenile. He’d driven me to school this morning, and we parked in the back row where we engaged in some pre-school making out. He was better than a double espresso; I was practically humming with energy. We’d decided to play things cool at school. Everyone didn’t need to know our business. There was plenty for people to be talking about already.
“Where were you yesterday?” Sam asked, coming up behind me.
“I left.” I handed Sam the fat panties and started to fish through my locker to find my copy of The Crucible for English class. Sam realized what she was holding and dropped them on the floor. I kicked them in the general direction of the trash can.
“Eww. Whose panties are those?” Sam wiped her hand on her sweater.
“No idea.”
“I should warn you, Nicole’s a bit ticked,” Sam said, shifting her books to her other hip.
“She’s ticked at me?”
“Even though you’re an alternate, you were still supposed to go down to the ferry terminal to see the team off.”
I slammed my locker door and looked at Sam. “Are you kidding me? Did she honestly expect me to be standing down there like nothing happened?”
Sam shrugged like the whole conversation was entirely too complicated for her. It was a really good thing Sam was pretty, because she did not have “college bound” written all over her.
“I’m quitting cheerleading,” I said.
Sam’s mouth dropped open like I had confessed to sleeping with Principal Hoffman. “You can’t quit.”
“I already did.” I’d dropped off my uniform, or at least the few parts of it I was provided, at Ms. Lancaster’s room that morning. “Let’s be honest, Sam, cheering was never really my thing.”
“Why? What does it matter to her?” I started walking toward class. Sam followed behind me.
“She’s sort of used to people doing what she wants.”
“Well, it’s a brand-new day.”
Sam grabbed my arm to make me slow down. “Nicole isn’t the kind of person you want to have ticked at you.”
“What are you trying to say? Should I watch my back?”
Sam chewed her bottom lip. “I’m not trying to sound dramatic. It’s just that Nicole can be kinda harsh. Like once, there was a girl that used to go to school here who kissed Nicole’s ex-boyfriend. Only, Nicole was really mad because she and this guy had only broken up a few days before, and Nicole thought she was being a total bitch for moving in so fast.”
“So what happened? Did Nicole do away with her and bury her under the football field by the light of the full moon?”
“I’m not joking. Nicole made her life miserable. Debra couldn’t take it. Then, because people wanted to get on Nicole’s good side, they all joined in. Debra was crying all the time, and then her parents decided to homeschool her.” Sam whispered the last part like we were CIA spies exchanging information in hostile territory.
“If there is anyone who has a right to be mad, it’s me. Nicole left me up there shaking what my mother gave me in a pair of polka-dot underwear. She can say it was a joke, but I’m smart enough to know when the joke is on me. If I can forgive, forget, and move on, then so can she. I’m dropping cheering. If that means Nicole doesn’t want to be my friend anymore, then that’s fine. If I’m really honest, I’m not even sure it would be any big loss. She might be the biggest thing going on this island, but there is life off this island. I’m not scared of her.”
I started walking again. I didn’t want to be late for class. I’d sounded confident when I talked to Sam, but when I saw Nicole leaning outside the doorway of my first class, I stopped suddenly. Sam ran into me, nearly knocking me to the floor. Nicole was smiling, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Her eyes had more of that Charles Manson look to them. Sam took one look at her and mumbled something about being late and took off in the other direction.
“I stopped by Ms. Lancaster’s room this morning and she said you quit the squad.” Nicole’s voice had the “I’m very disappointed in your behavior” parent tone to it.
“Yep.” I held my books in front of my chest like a shield.
“You’re not going to quit over a silly joke, are you?”
“No.”
Nicole’s smile grew wider.
“I’m quitting because I never should have let you talk me into joining.”
Nicole’s smile froze in place. “I put myself out to get you on the squad. Do you know how many girls in this school would kill for a chance to be a part of the team?”
“Great. Then you won’t have a problem filling the spot.” I moved past Nicole and into the room. I plunked down in my desk and let myself take a deep breath.
“Hey, Izzy,” Nicole called out from the hallway. “We’ll finish this conversation later, okay?” She didn’t wait for me to say anything before walking away.