Quynn’ll catch me up, if I can find her.”
Tanner raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t say anything. Even though he’s one of my best friends, he doesn’t know about the inner crap I deal with when it comes to my brother’s ex. For one, Tanner is one of those people who would instantly start going off about her tits. And yeah, I’m not innocent in this area either, but I’d rather not talk about it openly.
“Hey, you’re still coming over though, right?” He tosses his backpack on his shoulder and shuts his locker.
Whoops. Forgot about that. “Yeah, but it won’t be till later.”
“Bring Doritos.”
I laugh. “Got it.”
“Tanner!”
He whips around with a huge smile on his face. Girlfriend closing in. Time for me to go. Not that I don’t like Dani, but I’d rather not be witness to the PDA, which I know is coming. I don’t want to be the perv friend who likes to watch.
“Catch ya later,” I say.
Tanner gives me a fist bump then turns to close the distance between him and the girl he hasn’t seen for a whole two periods.
I pick up the pace down the hall when I hear the slurping behind my back. By the time I reach the front office—Quynn was office aide today—my stomach has planted itself firmly in my throat. Brody, just don’t puke on her.
Sucking in a breath—hoping my stomach decides to move back where it’s supposed to—I open the door and step into the semi-dark room.
“Uh, Quy—” She’s not there.
I get to her desk, searching for her keys or her purse or something, but nothin’.
Not sure if I’m relieved or not. My stomach makes its way back behind my bellybutton, but I guess a part of me hoped she’d be here and we’d spend some time together.
Ah well. My signing isn’t exactly the best way to impress her.
My phone buzzes in my pocket , and my stomach leaps back into my throat. I texted Hayles every period today, but hadn’t got a response. I do a pretty good impression of a twelve-year-old girl when I dig the cell out.
Boo. It’s Mom. I mean, Mom’s cool and all, but yeah …
“Hey.”
“Hi honey,” she whispers. I can picture her hovering her hand over the receiver. “I wanted to let you know Quynn is here. I know you see her every other day at school, but still. I know you miss spending time with her.”
Hell yeah! “Thanks. I’m on my way home.”
I do another impression of a twelve-year-old girl skipping toward the car, and my phone buzzes again.
Hayley.
Hey sry. Been sleepin off the headache. I’m better now tho. R u with Quynn?
No, but I will be. I don’t feel like telling her that though. Not sure why.
Nah. She left b4 I could catch her.
That’s honest. Instead of startin’ the car and heading home, I wait for her response. I don’t have to wait long. She’s fast .
Feel like going 2 the library again? I gotta get outta my house.
Yes. I want to spend time with Hayles too. But how often does Quynn come over for a visit?
Never.
But she’ll be there for a while. Probably stay for dinner.
And I ’ll be at Tanner’s. Shoot, what do I do?
Hmm… Quynn’ll be talkin’ with Mom. They need time alone and stuff. And Hayles was pretty messed up yesterday. Better see if she’s okay.
My stomach twists as I stop talking to myself and type in my reply.
How abt a game night at Tanner’s house. U up 4 it?
Reason 8: You slaughter me at Ghost Recon
“Wow. I think it’s been way too long since I’ve bought Doritos. Look how many different kinds there are!” Hayley taps her thighs to the music playing over the intercom as we walk down the chip aisle.
“Really?”
“MmmHmm.” She picks up a bag. “What the fart is Late Night All Nighter Cheeseburger?”
“One of the best kinds.” I take the bag and she raises an eyebrow . “What? Not a cheeseburger fan?”
She makes a face. Dude, that eyebrow crinkle gets me every time. “I eat cheeseburgers, just not in powder form on corn chips.”
“You’re missin’
Tanner raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t say anything. Even though he’s one of my best friends, he doesn’t know about the inner crap I deal with when it comes to my brother’s ex. For one, Tanner is one of those people who would instantly start going off about her tits. And yeah, I’m not innocent in this area either, but I’d rather not talk about it openly.
“Hey, you’re still coming over though, right?” He tosses his backpack on his shoulder and shuts his locker.
Whoops. Forgot about that. “Yeah, but it won’t be till later.”
“Bring Doritos.”
I laugh. “Got it.”
“Tanner!”
He whips around with a huge smile on his face. Girlfriend closing in. Time for me to go. Not that I don’t like Dani, but I’d rather not be witness to the PDA, which I know is coming. I don’t want to be the perv friend who likes to watch.
“Catch ya later,” I say.
Tanner gives me a fist bump then turns to close the distance between him and the girl he hasn’t seen for a whole two periods.
I pick up the pace down the hall when I hear the slurping behind my back. By the time I reach the front office—Quynn was office aide today—my stomach has planted itself firmly in my throat. Brody, just don’t puke on her.
Sucking in a breath—hoping my stomach decides to move back where it’s supposed to—I open the door and step into the semi-dark room.
“Uh, Quy—” She’s not there.
I get to her desk, searching for her keys or her purse or something, but nothin’.
Not sure if I’m relieved or not. My stomach makes its way back behind my bellybutton, but I guess a part of me hoped she’d be here and we’d spend some time together.
Ah well. My signing isn’t exactly the best way to impress her.
My phone buzzes in my pocket , and my stomach leaps back into my throat. I texted Hayles every period today, but hadn’t got a response. I do a pretty good impression of a twelve-year-old girl when I dig the cell out.
Boo. It’s Mom. I mean, Mom’s cool and all, but yeah …
“Hey.”
“Hi honey,” she whispers. I can picture her hovering her hand over the receiver. “I wanted to let you know Quynn is here. I know you see her every other day at school, but still. I know you miss spending time with her.”
Hell yeah! “Thanks. I’m on my way home.”
I do another impression of a twelve-year-old girl skipping toward the car, and my phone buzzes again.
Hayley.
Hey sry. Been sleepin off the headache. I’m better now tho. R u with Quynn?
No, but I will be. I don’t feel like telling her that though. Not sure why.
Nah. She left b4 I could catch her.
That’s honest. Instead of startin’ the car and heading home, I wait for her response. I don’t have to wait long. She’s fast .
Feel like going 2 the library again? I gotta get outta my house.
Yes. I want to spend time with Hayles too. But how often does Quynn come over for a visit?
Never.
But she’ll be there for a while. Probably stay for dinner.
And I ’ll be at Tanner’s. Shoot, what do I do?
Hmm… Quynn’ll be talkin’ with Mom. They need time alone and stuff. And Hayles was pretty messed up yesterday. Better see if she’s okay.
My stomach twists as I stop talking to myself and type in my reply.
How abt a game night at Tanner’s house. U up 4 it?
Reason 8: You slaughter me at Ghost Recon
“Wow. I think it’s been way too long since I’ve bought Doritos. Look how many different kinds there are!” Hayley taps her thighs to the music playing over the intercom as we walk down the chip aisle.
“Really?”
“MmmHmm.” She picks up a bag. “What the fart is Late Night All Nighter Cheeseburger?”
“One of the best kinds.” I take the bag and she raises an eyebrow . “What? Not a cheeseburger fan?”
She makes a face. Dude, that eyebrow crinkle gets me every time. “I eat cheeseburgers, just not in powder form on corn chips.”
“You’re missin’
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