Chapter 10

The next day, I was not ready to face all the laughter
again; I just wanted to skip the whole day. And you
know what? I did…in the principal's office.

Cindy and I were caught skipping the day before and
sent there in the middle of 1st period.
We basically sat outside his office the whole day,
waiting for our punishment.

"Have you talked to Nick?" Cindy asked.

"No…he was being a jerk yesterday!" I said
folding my arms.

"Oh okay. You can be such a dork
sometimes!" Cindy said laughing.

"Thanks a lot."

"J I didn't mean it, it was a joke! So word around here says
your brother is coming into town," she said as I looked
in shock.

"How did you know that?" I asked curiously.

"Everyone knows…" she said shrugging.

Nick and his big mouth…

"Jessica? Cindy?" Principal Lucia asked us.

We looked at each other nervously and nodded.

"That's me…I mean us," Cindy said nodding.

"Come on in," he said opening his office door.

The bell rang for 6th period as soon as we walked in.

"Have a seat," he said pointing to the chairs in front of his
wide desk.

"Thanks," I said politely sitting down aside Cindy.

"Girls, now I know this is your first time, so
I won't punish you terribly," he said looking
for some papers on his desk.

"Oh good," Cindy said holding onto her chest.

"But, I have a paper for your parents to sign saying
they know you skipped and you have detention with
Mr. King this Thursday after school till 5.
Is that okay with you guys?" He asked finding
his papers in his bottom drawer.

"Yes sir!" We both said happily. Even though the
thought of having my parents see that note and 3 hours
after school of detention wasn't pleasant, it was
better than what I thought would happen.

"Good, you girls won't do this again will you?" He
asked handing us our papers.

"Of course no sir," I said firmly.

"We wouldn't dream of it," Cindy said folding her
paper down the middle.

"Great. You girls go to your next class, though you only
have a few minutes," he said as we got up.

We nodded and walked out.

"Wow, he's a cool guy," I said as we walked out into
the main hallway.

"Hey since we only have a few minutes and I know
you don't want to see him…"

"See who?" Eddie asked going down the hall.

"No one," I said as he kissed my cheek.

"I tried calling you last night but no one picked
up," he said confirming how much I didn't want to talk
to him.

"Yeah I know, I've been real busy lately, I'll call you
if I can okay?" I said as he walked the opposite
direction of the way we were going.

"Okay!" He said as he walked into his classroom.

I sighed and went to my locker.

Cindy leaned on Nick's and talked to me.

"So what's the plan for tonight?" She asked as my
locker door hit her arm.

"Sorry…um, wanna go walking? I gained a lot of
calories last night when we pigged out on all that stuff,"
I said stuffing my books in my locker.

"Yeah I need to do that. Oh did I tell you who
asked me to the prom? Jimmy!" She said smiling
content.

"Really? Haven't you had a crush on him forever?" I
asked as I shut my locker door.

"Yeah! And he asked me to the prom…cool isn't it?
Is Ashley going with Kyle?" She asked as we
walked down the hall toward the front doors.

"I think, I haven't talked to her since Sunday," I said
opening the front door. "She was the one who
got me into thinking this way about Nick…it kinda
upset me," I said as we walked down the steps.

"Hmm…" Cindy said thinking of something.

"What hmm?" I asked as I opened the passenger's
side of Cindy's car.

"Well…maybe you're so upset because she's so
right…" she said as her voice trailed off.

"Come on Cindy don't start with me too," I said as she
started the car. I could hear the school bell ring from
the speakers outside.

"Let's sit and watch Nicky come out," she said playfully.

"No Cindy come on…let's go huh?"

"Nah…I want to see Nicky poo," she said laughing.

"Fine!" I said smiling big. I wanted to see him too.

He came out about 3 minutes later, looking cute as
ever. He was wearing a Miami dolphin's jersey and
khaki pants. His hair was slicked back today, making
me smile a little wider.

"Awww, Jess is in love!" Cindy said laughing as I
smacked her arm.

"Oh shut up!" I said as we pulled out of the
parking lot. I looked at him in the rear view mirror and
smiled, he was my dream…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That night I was ready to run…hard running no jogging
or walking. I wore a white halter tank top and Nike
windbreakers.

"Hey girl you ready for some serious running?" I asked
as Cindy came in.

"Sure! I really need it."

"Well then let's go!" I said as I ran out the door. We
ran passed Nick's house, the guys were out and Nick
and Brian were playing basketball.

We ran at least 3 and a half miles that day.
Luckily Cindy was in shape and kept up with me.
I loved to run…it was something I could do for a long
time without giving up.

"Look Jess…they're still out there," Cindy said
breathing heavily.

"Let's start walking now," I said wiping the sweat
from my forehead. We stopped running and started
power walking passed Nick's house. Nick and Brian
were still playing basketball.

"Hey Jess!" Aaron yelled to me as Kevin, A.J., and
Howie looked over at us.

"Hey Aaron! Who's winning?" I asked curious.

"Nick by 2 points," Aaron said looking over at Cindy.

The guys walked over to introduce themselves,
Brian too. Nick decided to follow…he looked angry.

"Guys, this is my friend Cindy. Cindy this is Brian,
Howie, A.J., Kevin, Aaron, and you know Nick," I said
pointing to everybody.

"I would shake your hands but I doubt you want to
smell like nasty sweat," Cindy said as the guys shook
their heads.

"Brian can we go back to our game now?" Nick asked
angrily. Brian nodded and ran back over to the goal
with Nick.

"What's wrong with him?" Cindy asked for me.

"Something at school…he won't tell anybody," Kevin
said sighing.

"J! Come on in!" Vicki yelled from across the street.
I sighed and wiped my head.

"Well I'll see you guys later?" I asked as Cindy as I
walked over to my house.

"Bye Jess!" They said as we walked into my lawn.

"God Brian is adorable!" Cindy said low and quiet.

"They all are!" I said as we walked inside.

"Sweetie is Cindy staying for dinner?" Dad asked.

"Want to?" I asked.

"Nah I gotta go, have a date with Jimmy," she said
hugging me lightly, hoping not to get sweat on each
other. "See ya," Cindy said shutting the door.
I sighed and wiped my face again.

"I'm going to take a shower, rain check on dinner k?"
I said walking down the stairs. I looked out the
window, curious onto what they were doing.

What was he so mad about? I closed the blinds
and got ready for my shower.

As I stood in the hot water I thought about Nick…
he was all I ever thought about…except this
time the question kept running through my head…

What could he be mad about?

Index

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