Star Bright

Six: Tryouts

   Monday came and was slowly dying as school was coming to an end. Everyone was tired and exhausted, wanting to go home and watch television, everyone except Gabe, who was tapping his feet excitedly on the floor as he watched the clock tick. Dani, who always sat beside him in most classes she had with him, smiled a bit as she watched his eyes run back to the clock in front of the class every few seconds. He was twirling his pen frantically.

  "Any special occasion today?" She whispered cautiously. Mrs Williams, the English teacher, could be very strict to offenders in her class.

  "Yeah," Gabe said, not taking his eyes off the clock, "today's—"

  The bell rang out and he jumped from his seat with a giant smile on his face and roared, "—TRYOUTS, BABY! WHOO!" Gabe scooped all his books at once, cramming them into his bag before he rushed out; everyone else was still packing up.

  "Okay, I'll see you on the field." Dani called but she was pretty sure Gabe was long gone. Sighing with a silly smile on her face, she begun to pack up too.

  "Miss Chamberman?" Miss Williams called when everyone else had left the room.

  "Yes, ma'am?" Dani swung her bag over her shoulder and walked to the front desk.

  Miss Williams walked round the table to Dani's side. She had shiny red hair tied in a bun, wore a blue suit and expensive gold bracelets on her wrists. She looked like she should have been hired as a CEO. "Dani, word is you're tutoring Jeremy Tonnes, your best friend's brother."

  Dani put a lock of her brown hair behind her ear. "Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I am."

  Miss Williams kept her green sharp eyes on Dani's black ones. "And has he been doing well?"

  "There will be an improvement; we've only just started."

  "Good, good," she nodded. "I've heard he's quite the player, a total ladies magnet. You think you can handle that?"

  "I've been his friend for years, miss Williams." Dani said, smiling a bit. "Have I thought of killing him sometimes? Yeah. Have I? No. I think I'm good."

  Miss Williams smiled, but in a way that made Dani uncomfortable. "So, has he invited you... to go out...?"

  Dani half-squeezed her face. What was going on here? "What do you mean?"

  "I'm just saying that, as one of your long time friend, he might have invited you to go somewhere secret, somewhere to have fun...?"

  Dani shook her head slowly. "Uh, no, he hasn't. And if he did, I would say no," (or so she thought), "I tutor him, not go to parties with him." That last part only happened in her dreams.

  Miss Williams smiled again, this time more genuinely. "You're a good girl; You may go. Oh, and tell your friend, Gabe, not to behave so abnormal in my class again or he's getting detention." She walked back round the desk and begun to organise some papers.

  Dani strode out casually. On the way to the field, turning a corner, she nearly bumped into the janitor's closet door as it swung open. A blonde girl stepped out, looking ruffled, hair sticking out in places. She was wearing a light pink dress and brown belt, finished with leather boots. She was no other than Sandy Baker, principal's daughter and lead cheerleader. She had the history of most boys dated in Hawks high, all of them being athletic or rich. From the closet came Jeremy, buckling his belt. He was wearing a brown leather jacket and blue jean.

  "Oh. Hey, Dani. What are you doing here?" He said slowly, eyeing her like she had been listening to what had been going on in the closet.

  "Eavesdrop much?" Sandy said in a tone you use to say "really? That's what you're wearing?"