when I said something about him at the
bonfire?” Okay, so Jake wasn’t really an old friend from home, but
did Lance really need to know that tidbit?
Lance merely nodded, and we finished the
game a little more quietly than before.
***
The Wednesday before the Fall Festival
started out bad and only got worse. Annie had had an early meeting
for the school newspaper, so she hadn’t been around to throw a
pillow at me when my alarm blasted. Therefore I was late getting
out of bed. I had skipped breakfast, which was not a good thing for
someone like me, and ran out of the dorm in a flurry to reach my
first class before the final bell. I had a pop quiz in Government
which I was totally unprepared for, and Lance hadn’t shown up at
all for Calculus. I hadn’t seen him all day until he shouted for me
as I was hurrying to make it in time for my last class.
“ Bella, wait up,” he
shouted. My heart flipped and all worries about tardy slips left my
mind. He reached my side with an uneasy smile.
“ Hey, where have you been?”
I asked as he took my arm and hurried me toward the English
building.
“ I need to talk to
you.”
I shrugged, a little concerned about the
anxious tone of his voice and the way he avoided my eyes.
“ Umm, Krysti and I talked
this morning. I think we might get back together.” My heart sank to
my toes and tears prickled the back of my eyes. I managed to keep
my composure as I nodded. I didn’t know what to say. “She wants us
to go to the dance Saturday.”
“ All of us?” I blurted.
Stupid, stupid me.
“ Umm, no. Just her and I. I
told her I would. I’m really sorry, Bella, but you understand,
right?”
I swallowed the huge lump in my throat.
“Sure, Lance. That’s fine. I understand. Don’t worry about it. I
really need to go, though. I’m already late for class.”
I managed some kind of smile as I turned
before heading in the opposite direction. I heard him call out to
me, but I ignored him as I made my way blindly to my dorm. I
slammed the door and dropped my book bag to the floor. Of course
Annie wasn’t there – she was in class, as was Cammy.
The tears fell from my eyes and hysteria
loomed nearby, but I wasn’t about to give in to it. I would be
strong. I paced the small room, taking deep, steadying breaths. My
eyes fell on the hoodie sitting on top of my dresser. I’d pulled it
out that morning, intending on throwing it over my school shirt,
but I was in such a hurry, I’d forgotten it. It was Jake’s hoodie.
Jake.
I grabbed my phone and hit his number. He
surprised me when he answered immediately.
“ Hey, Iz. Need help with
your homework?” His cheerful tone released the pain in my
heart.
“ Jake,” I croaked as the
tears increased.
“ Iz,” he said, startled.
“What’s the matter? Are you hurt?”
Sniffing, I took a few more breaths, trying
to calm my tears so I would be able to speak. He waited patiently
until I was able to pour the whole pathetic story out to him.
“ That…” I cringed at the
rather colorful names he came up with for Lance. He paused, and I
thought he must have run out of insults and needed a second to
think up a few more. But he didn’t. “I’ll take you.”
I blinked, stupidly thinking that would
clear my hearing. “What?”
“ I said I’ll take you to
the dance. What do we have to do to get me in that fancy school of
yours?”
I sank to my bed as I cleared my mind. “Um,
well, I have to have my dad sign a permission form saying it’s okay
for me to have a guest. Do you really want to do this? I mean, it’s
not necessary. I could always use the time to do homework or
something.”
“ I want to take you, Iz.
It’ll be fun. I’ll spend the weekend down there and take you for
that Big ‘Un I owe you. Maybe we could do that Friday
night.”
My heart lifted at the thought of spending
an entire weekend with Jake. I missed him sorely and really wanted
to see him. But I was a little worried about him coming to
bonfire?” Okay, so Jake wasn’t really an old friend from home, but
did Lance really need to know that tidbit?
Lance merely nodded, and we finished the
game a little more quietly than before.
***
The Wednesday before the Fall Festival
started out bad and only got worse. Annie had had an early meeting
for the school newspaper, so she hadn’t been around to throw a
pillow at me when my alarm blasted. Therefore I was late getting
out of bed. I had skipped breakfast, which was not a good thing for
someone like me, and ran out of the dorm in a flurry to reach my
first class before the final bell. I had a pop quiz in Government
which I was totally unprepared for, and Lance hadn’t shown up at
all for Calculus. I hadn’t seen him all day until he shouted for me
as I was hurrying to make it in time for my last class.
“ Bella, wait up,” he
shouted. My heart flipped and all worries about tardy slips left my
mind. He reached my side with an uneasy smile.
“ Hey, where have you been?”
I asked as he took my arm and hurried me toward the English
building.
“ I need to talk to
you.”
I shrugged, a little concerned about the
anxious tone of his voice and the way he avoided my eyes.
“ Umm, Krysti and I talked
this morning. I think we might get back together.” My heart sank to
my toes and tears prickled the back of my eyes. I managed to keep
my composure as I nodded. I didn’t know what to say. “She wants us
to go to the dance Saturday.”
“ All of us?” I blurted.
Stupid, stupid me.
“ Umm, no. Just her and I. I
told her I would. I’m really sorry, Bella, but you understand,
right?”
I swallowed the huge lump in my throat.
“Sure, Lance. That’s fine. I understand. Don’t worry about it. I
really need to go, though. I’m already late for class.”
I managed some kind of smile as I turned
before heading in the opposite direction. I heard him call out to
me, but I ignored him as I made my way blindly to my dorm. I
slammed the door and dropped my book bag to the floor. Of course
Annie wasn’t there – she was in class, as was Cammy.
The tears fell from my eyes and hysteria
loomed nearby, but I wasn’t about to give in to it. I would be
strong. I paced the small room, taking deep, steadying breaths. My
eyes fell on the hoodie sitting on top of my dresser. I’d pulled it
out that morning, intending on throwing it over my school shirt,
but I was in such a hurry, I’d forgotten it. It was Jake’s hoodie.
Jake.
I grabbed my phone and hit his number. He
surprised me when he answered immediately.
“ Hey, Iz. Need help with
your homework?” His cheerful tone released the pain in my
heart.
“ Jake,” I croaked as the
tears increased.
“ Iz,” he said, startled.
“What’s the matter? Are you hurt?”
Sniffing, I took a few more breaths, trying
to calm my tears so I would be able to speak. He waited patiently
until I was able to pour the whole pathetic story out to him.
“ That…” I cringed at the
rather colorful names he came up with for Lance. He paused, and I
thought he must have run out of insults and needed a second to
think up a few more. But he didn’t. “I’ll take you.”
I blinked, stupidly thinking that would
clear my hearing. “What?”
“ I said I’ll take you to
the dance. What do we have to do to get me in that fancy school of
yours?”
I sank to my bed as I cleared my mind. “Um,
well, I have to have my dad sign a permission form saying it’s okay
for me to have a guest. Do you really want to do this? I mean, it’s
not necessary. I could always use the time to do homework or
something.”
“ I want to take you, Iz.
It’ll be fun. I’ll spend the weekend down there and take you for
that Big ‘Un I owe you. Maybe we could do that Friday
night.”
My heart lifted at the thought of spending
an entire weekend with Jake. I missed him sorely and really wanted
to see him. But I was a little worried about him coming to
Similar Books
