She shrugged. "Maybe I want to be friends."
"Friends are overrated."
"Not if you've got good ones."
"And you're going to be a good one?"
"Better than those two. Jessica Larsen's been jealous of you since sixth grade when Forrest Adams thought you were cute and Lydia Thompson doesn't have the backbone to be a good friend. She always does what Jessica tells her. Everyone knows that. I've always wondered why you didn't know that."
I sighed. "He hasn't asked, but the word is that he's going to."
"Are you going to say yes?"
The bell rang and I scooted my chair back. "Why don't you say yes for me?"
She hurried to catch up as I started to shoulder my way out the door and to my locker. The day had been long and I was in need of a good tiring run.
Panting, she tried to mop back her hair again. "Do you really want me to? I'll go find him right now."
"Sure."
When she stopped and headed one way, I kept going. The girl was a freak. But then a different freak planted herself in my path.
I groaned on the inside while I couldn't hold back a snarl. "Jill."
She tilted her chin up and her blue eyes flashed. As she flipped her bleach blonde hair over her shoulder, she responded, "Samantha."
I started to move around.
She blocked me.
"What do you want?"
"I'm dating Jeff."
Nothing surprised me anymore. "That was quick. You two been scooting and booting for awhile?" Then I gave her a smile. "Are you my homewrecker?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Jeff asked me out last night. I've decided to date him."
"And you're going to make him change?"
The bottom of her uniform top started to ride up her waist. She reached down to pull it down, but stopped. A satisfied grin came to her and she let it up even further. One of her hands moved to the bottom of her skirt. She pulled it down an inch so her hipbones showed, along with the black thong she wore.
"Look at you," I purred. "You wanna be Britney Spears? Wear the pigtails tomorrow. I'm sure Jeff would love it."
She moved closer. "Only when I give him head."
"That's the spirit."
Her smug smile slipped a bit. I knew she was a cheerleader, she'd forgotten that.
"You do know he cheated on me with my best friend for two years, right?"
"He won't with me."
I laughed. "He won't cheat with you or he won't cheat on you? I'm sure both will happen."
"Jessica Larsen won't be sleeping with him anymore. She only did it to get back at you and from what I've heard; she's close to getting Logan Kade to date her."
"Yeah." I threw my head back and laughed. "You'll be luckier thinking Jeff won't cheat on you."
"He's wanted me for years." She pulled the other side of her skirt down as well, readjusted her hold on her books, and arched her back slightly. Her br**sts were on display as people went past; the guys had stopped awhile ago and were watching. I heard the whispers and knew this'd be all over school, probably already was.
"And you're the Mecca for his dating daydreams?" I caught sight of Becky on the sidelines. Her cheeks were inflamed and she pointed to the corner. When I looked over, I saw a confused Adam Quinn against the wall with some of his football teammates. He pushed some of his blonde hair out of his eyes and scratched his forehead.
Then Ashley DeCortts pushed through the crowd. She sidled next to Jill and touched her on the arm. "What are you doing, Jill?"
"I'm making my stand." Her eyes drilled into me.
I rolled my eyes and snorted. "Are you kidding me? You can have Jeff. I don't want him back." Then I thought about it again. "I haven't wanted Jeff for a couple years now."
Someone gasped. Someone laughed. And I turned to leave, but I stopped when I saw him right behind me. A look was hurt was evident when he met my gaze for a second.
My jaw hardened and I pushed through the crowd.
When I saw the men's locker room door was open and no one was inside, I went without thinking. My dad's office was in the back and his door was open. I paused in the doorway. I'd rarely come to his office because of where it was, but I took a deep breath. I was there now.
The small bathroom that attached to his office had the door closed. The toilet flushed and a moment later he came out, drying his hands.
He froze for a brief moment. "Samantha."
"Hi." I glanced over my shoulder. Male voices carried through the room and I heard them coming closer so I closed the door and sat in one of his chairs.
"What are you doing here?"
I hugged my books on my lap. "I haven't seen you since we moved out."
"Yeah…I know." He sounded tired as he sat behind his desk. His body was tense and his finger started to tap on his chair. I watched as it continued to tap, a habit I knew he did whenever he was nervous.
"How are you?"
A small grin appeared. "I'm okay. I'm the one who's supposed to ask you how you are."
One of my shoulders shrugged. "I'm not the one who's getting a divorce."
"Yeah, there's that."
"Jeff and I broke up."
"Oh?"
"He was cheating on me."
My dad's face remained void of any reaction.