Page 56 of Crew Princess
“Um... I was with you last night and since you arrived at school today,” Taz noted. “I know you didn’t get arrested, so my question for you: what’d you do to get into trouble?”
I snorted, adjusting my backpack strap over my shoulder. “Who the hell knows? Breathing, maybe?” I jerked my head toward the school. “I’m gonna head in, stash my things first.”
“We’ll come with you.” Tabatha moved to my other side. “The bell’s going to ring soon anyway.” She looked back for Sunday, but she was gone.
Sunday was halfway across the lot to where her other friends were still standing and laughing, draped over the guys. Cross was watching us, and he tilted his head in question.
I shrugged in response, mouthing, “Principal.”
He frowned, but I motioned to Taz.
He nodded.
“Do me a favor?” I asked her as we went inside. “Tell your brother where I was summoned? He’s wondering.”
“Oh yeah. Oh hey!” She touched my arm.
Tabatha stopped, but Taz tucked her chin down. “Um… Can we, uh…” She motioned between us, then rushed out, “It’s about my brother.”
“Oh!” Tabatha moved back, hands up. “Yeah. I get it. I’ll see you guys in class.”
Taz and I continued down the hallway. People noticed me and moved aside, clearing a path all the way to my locker. Taz didn’t move to open hers. She fiddled with her backpack, looking down.
Finally, she sighed. “Fuck it. My dad called and left me a message. He’s been trying to get in touch with Cross, too. He…” She looked up, biting her lip. “He and his girlfriend, Marie.” Her nose wrinkled. “But whatever. They invited Cross and me to dinner.”
“When?”
“The first dinner was a few weeks ago. Cross didn’t show up, and you never said anything...” She shrugged. “Anyway, Dad wants to try again. This time, he thinks he has a better chance at having Cross show up if I invite you. He asked Race too.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Are you asking me to go behind Cross’ back?”
“What?” Her eyes widened. “No! God, no! I’m—I don’t know.” She shook her head. “Look, Cross is handling this whole thing how he’s handling it, but I have to show up. You know me. I can’t not show up if my parents ask me for something. Cross, on the other hand, can literally say ‘fuck you’ to them, and he’s still their favorite.” She groaned. “But whatever. That’s beside the point. If Cross doesn’t go, can you still come? For me? I need support. Race, though I love him dearly, is still a boy, and he’s clueless sometimes. He adores his mom and hates his dad, so he doesn’t get the in-between right now. I could just do with another person there to support me, you know?”
Crew code was clear in a situation like this. I couldn’t say or do anything except report to Cross. Girlfriend code...a bit different.
I sighed. “Look, I can’t guarantee Cross will come, but I can come asyourfriend.”
“You will?!” She shot forward, her hands latching onto my arms. She shook me in excitement. “Are you serious?”
I already knew this was a bad idea. My gut was already backing away. “Yeah. Sure, I will,” I said anyway. “When’s the dinner thing?”
“Oh my God! I’m so happy you’ll come, and it’s next Sunday. They wanted to wait till after prom.”
“Ahem.” A throat got cleared, sounded like it was cleared on the regular too. We looked up. A teacher had been watching us from an opened classroom. “I believe your presence has been requested elsewhere, Miss Monroe.”
Taz and I shared a look. Since when did a random teacher know about my principal visits?
But stowing my bag, I grabbed a pen and shut the locker.
“You don’t want your first class’ textbook?” the teacher asked.
Taz now opened her locker, acting as if she suddenly wasn’t paying attention.
She was.
“Nah. You never know how long I’ll be there. Thanks for the concern, Mr. Ortega. Means a lot that you care.”
He huffed, going back inside his classroom.
