Attention Runner-Up

Chapter 10

I went to school, just to see her again. We do have classes together, after all, how much space can she give me really? I'm not going to let her get away that easy. So I got off my butt and went to school. I was a little late, being as I didn't set an alarm and only woke up at 8:30, but even though the first class was nearly over, I still have her in a bunch of other classes so she can't avoid me.

Unless she doesn't come to school, which I discovered by showing up. The tables have turned.

"Where have you been? Were you sick, dude don't get me sick." Archer says at lunch.

"I'm fine now, hey, have any of you seen Skylar today?" I ask.

Wini gives me a knowing look.

"She's not here," Jade says as she plops down at our table. Cassidy, Terry, and Sam by her side. Ugh, I forgot about those hags until now.

"Why not?" I ask.

Jade just shrugs and avoids my gaze, picking at her food. I can't help but glare at her.

"Who cares, it's not like you don't have a bunch of other friends to hang out with." Cassidy wraps her arm around Jade.

Jade glares at her before shrugging her off.

I sigh and look away, which is when I catch sight of Aphrodite sitting alone and reading a book, or pretending to read. She was staring at me and when I looked at her she went back to pretending to read.

I looked back at my own food, but suddenly I wasn't so hungry. I was mostly tuned out to whatever conversations were happening at the table until,

"Fuck off Cassidy," Jade snapped at her before getting up from the table and stomping off.

I looked up.

"Meow," Terry commented.

"I told you to stop picking on her," Sam sighed.

"I was just teasing; she should learn to take a joke."

"You should learn to tell one," I muttered.

Wini snorted and tried to hide her smile.

"Excuse you, but who asked you?" She raised her brow at me.

"Oh grow up Cassidy, what are we in kindergarten? Teasing isn't funny or cute, it just makes you look like a bitch."

"Ouch, shots fired," Terry said.

"Guys come on, let's not fight." Demarcus tried.

"You would know all about looking like a bitch, right Darleen?" with that she shoved her tray at me and got up and left, her posy following close behind.

I rolled my eyes and pushed the tray back.

"Someone's in a mood," Parece said to me.

"I'm just so tired of all the drama, especially unnecessary and easily avoided drama," I grumble.

"Amen to that," Archer said.

"You okay?" Wini asked me.

I just shrugged and poked at my food. I wish Skylar were here.

After school, I was walking to the parking lot when I bumped into Aphrodite again. I wasn't looking where I was going because I was sending my millionth text to Skylar, asking her if she was okay.

"Oh, sorry," I said before I looked up and we locked eyes.

For a moment we just stood there in awkward silence.

"Hey," I finally said.

She purses her lips and narrows her eyes,

"Hey." She said in a snappy voice.