Page 10 of Giving In

“Go annoy someone else. Jamie has no time for you.”

Jake raises an eyebrow at his friend’s statement. Is Chris really coming to my defense?

“I’m sorry,” he puts his hands together in front of him as if praying and bows slightly. “Miss is toobusyfor me.” He accentuates on ‘busy’ to show his sarcasm. He winks and takes a few steps backwards still looking at me before turning around and walking away. In the background, I can see him join Rose and Luke.

What is actually wrong with this guy?He is so hot and cold.

“Are you okay?” Chris asks.

“Huh?” My eyes move from Jake to focus on Chris. I look up to face him. “Yeah...yeah of course. We were just talking, no harm done.”

Chris gives me a reassuring smile. “He can be really annoying and there’s nothing wrong in admitting his jokes are shit. He met a pretty girl that wasn’t on his radar before and that’s his way of hitting on you.”

Jake White? Hitting on me? Ha. I doubt it.

I let out a chuckle. “His jokes are pretty crap. And feel free to tell him I’m not interested in being on his radar.”

Thankfully, the bell rings signaling the end of the lunch period and I get an excuse to escape this weird situation. A wide smile lightens Chris’s face at my words. “Good then, I’ll see you around Jamie.” He turns around and joins his friends.

Good. Chris said ‘good’ when I said I wasn’t interested in Jake. And he just expects me to not freak out over this.

Luckily, in the afternoon, Jake is neither in my gym, history nor physics classes. By the time I get to the gym lockers for lacrosse practice, I’ve finally stopped overthinking the whole situation. Jake met a new girl he wasn’t aware existed, he had his little fun, it’s over. And Chris...Chris is my friend.

I finish putting my lacrosse kit on and grab my stick. I close my locker and turn around to face Emily who is finishing putting her cheer uniform on.

“He said ‘good’?” She asks for the third time. “You said you weren’t interested in Jake, and he said ‘good’. First of all, why would you say you’re not interested in Jake? That’s a lie and you know it.”

I roll my eyes at her. “Em, I’m just not interested. Stop it.”

“Fine, Fine. Fuck, it’s always so hot in here.” She fans herself with her hand.

Our locker room is always the equivalent of oven temperature.

“Alright, what about Chris?”

I pause for a second.What about Chris?

“I don’t know,” I shrug.

She smiles at me cheekily. “Look I’m going to suggest something. I know you’re going to say no but please think about it. Please.”

“Oh God, what?”

“Friday, there’s a back-to-school party at Camila’s. Everyone is invited. And by everyone, I meaneveryone.Like, every senior in this school and that includes you, baby. It’s going to be our year and all these college people, friends of her brothers. It’s going to be big, fun and, you know,” she shrugs her shoulder and tilts her head to the side, giving me an innocent smile, “Chris is going to be there for sure. He’s always there looking out for the twins.”

I blink at her a couple of times before realizing what she just said.

“You want me to go to Camila Diaz’s party?”

“Damn right I do. ‘Me, her parties are great, and I promise you it’s not what you think. I know you imagine a crowd of bitchy cheerleaders judging other girls, left, right, center. Really, it’s just a bunch of people getting drunk, admitting things they wouldn’t sober, and making out with their crush in the heat of the moment. I want my best friend to make out with her crush! And if her crush doesn’t want her, trust me those college boys will want that bod.”

Of course that’s what she thinks because she is part of the cheerleaders and doesn’t realize that not all of them are as sweet as her.

I let out a long huff. “I don’t know, Em.” I start biting the inside of my cheek, a nasty habit I have when I start stressing out.

She notices and adds, “Look I’m not saying decide now. We can talk about it later, just saying think about it, please. It’s our senior year and I really don’t want you to go off to college having never attended a party. You deserve to have fun”

I nod but I’m not sure. Camila and I have never been friends. I’m a small person in her kingdom and the only times she ever addressed herself to me were in elementary school when she would make fun of me. Now she simply does it behind my back. My only friend there will be Emily and she’s got her own girls she usually hangs out with at parties. I know I won’t be comfortable there.

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