"Hey, Jerry?" I called out.
"Huh?" he turned around in his gym clothes and looked at me.
"Have you seen Nick?"
"Nah, why, are you looking for him? Aren't you guys like rival enemies or something?"
"Exactly! So...have you?"
"Have I what?"
"Goodness! Have you seen Nick?"
"Oh yeah! But he went in the boys locker room. Geesh," he said glaring at me, "you don't have to be so impatient!"
"Or whiney," one of his ignorant friends said.
"Thanks but I didn't ask for your lame comment. But if I ever need someone to laugh at, I'll know where to come." I smiled and walked away as I heard a bunch of guys laugh at him. Serves him right for being in my business.
"Oh yeah! Amanda?" I turned around and looked at Jerry.
"What are you planning to do to him this time? Shorten his athletic cup size?"
"No, not this time. Have a one on one talk with my old pal. Maybe make him think."
"Yeah, you should try it sometime brainiac." I chuckled and headed to the locker room. It was just about empty because everyone was playing basketball or some dumb sport.
I looked around and I saw a blonde head facing away from me. Perfect I thought.
I quietly walked over to his area of the bench and sat down. I placed my two hands on his shoulders just so I could scare him, and feel his body jump. It always made me snicker to see him scared.
"Hey Nicky boy. Whatcha doin'? Beign a pervert in here?"
"Huh? What are you talking about Amanda?" He stood up and closed his locker, then faced me eye to eye.
"You know what I'm talking about. Courtney saw you scoping me out yesterday. You can admit it."
"Admiting is only acknowleging the fact that you have done something. I didn't do jack."
"Ohhhh, harsh tone Nicky boy. You're getting smarter and smarter each day! Is your pee brain finally growing after that Chia-pet incident?" I laughed and he scrunched his face into an even tighter position.
"Don't get upset now Nicky boy, you might give yourself a headache!" I went to touch his shoulders but he pushed my arms away.
"Will you stop calling me that! I'm 15 and frankly I can't stand you! Why do you keep following me! If anyone has a crush on anyone it's you on me!"
"Ohhhh Nicky boy! How come you don't like me? Nicky boy! Now no one said anything about a crush on anyone! What made you bring it up? Unless....uh! No...it couldn't be!" I pushed a lock of his hair away from his face. In responce he only turned and walked away.
"What are you doing in the boys' locker room. You know I could snitch easily. Mr. Rewald is right out there."
"Oooh Nicky boy! Now you wouldn't wanna go and snitch! It'll just show everyone the wuss that you really are!"
"Ooooh Amanda! Have I told you you're a slut? And I'm sorry if you or Ms. Valley girl, Courtney think I have it going for either one of you, but to end the story now, I can't stand either one of you! You two are so stuck on yourselves! You both are so vain that you can't see anyone else but yourselves in this world you have yourself falling into! And I know your mother may be rich and you can afford nice clothes, but who wears that crap to school?"
"You're just jealous."
"I'd rather be jealous of a dog." I was a little bit upset about his insults, but I didn't let it show. But now that last line hit me like a rock. I watched in awe as he left the locker room to resume in his activites. Then I ran his lines over in my head about a million times, there, while I sat on the boys' bench.
"Ms. Petri?"
"Yes?" I finally snapped out of my daze and looked up at Mr. Rewald.
"What is this?"
"What's what?"
"Can you explain why you're here on the boys' bench, by yourself?"
"Uhhhh.....is this the boys' locker room? No wonder I couldn't open my locker! Thanks Mr. Rewald! You're a lifesaver!" I acted like a ditz and hurried up out of there before he could protest. I knew my face was red and I wasn't watching where I was going when I ran into Courtney.
"Hey girl!" she said to me. "What's your rush?"
"Nothing." I lied and practically ran her over to reach the girls' room. I soon found out she followed me.
"What's wrong? Did someone cut down on your shoes again? I told you they look great! You think you could buy me a pair for m...."
"Courtney shut-up!" and before I knew it, I slapped her right across her cheek. For some reason I didn't feel any regret.
"You better start explaing what that was for in five seconds or else I'm gonna hit you back. One.......two.....th..."
"I....I can't stand it anymore. I'm ditching school to go shopping. Wanna come?"
"Ha! You're kidding!"
"Look! I'll buy you a new pair of shoes to make up for that hit."
"Okay.....only because I know you're sorry for it. It was some girl that made you do it...huh? They upset you? Whoever it was...I'll kill her! Just for you, my best-friend."
"Yeah, it was some girl..." I lied and we both changed our clothes to hit the mall.
I wasn't sorry at all for that one brief moment of relief I got from that slap. Ever since I met Courtney I've wanted to slap her!
Nick's words continued echoing in my head. I knew he was right, I knew that there was more in his head about me, and how I am. I'm a conceited, too-big-for-her-britches-teenager, and half of the reason is from Courtney.
Yeah I've always thought I was pretty. Yeah I always had a rich mom. And yeah I always had interest in clothes. But not until I met her did I start treating people that way. Not until I met her did I start lieing more and more. And not until I met her did I start losing friends. I lost all of my old friends, as I gained just one.
The hole left in my heart as each one of my friends left my life grew bigger each day. I was really popular, lots of friends, lots of parties and teenager stuff was in my life. I loved doing normal things, and being a kid, dating kids my age, and just hanging out. But once Courtney showed me the "valley" ways I acted snobbish to everyone, and they all learned that. I just shoved it aside and thought about the future and let Courtney convince me they were jealous of me. Now I can see the truth. That slap let me know just how superficial my life was...and maybe I'd be able to change it all.
