The girl next door

Chapter 6

James-
I wasn't at school all last week, but I go back today and get my phone and dance back. The bruises on my face have healed. But I swear to god if I see Lucas, they might come back.

Me and Riley walk to school together. It feels nice getting back to normal. Hearing her laugh again, seeing her in math, and just spending time with her. The boys won't stop mocking me though. "Bro Lucas is a piece of shit I don't know what he could've done to her." I tell them. "Yeah cause you likkkkkkeeee heerrrrrr." They tease. "I would've done it for anyone it's called being a good person dipwad." I tell them. "Her sisters kinda fine though. Think I could get with her?" Hunter asks the table. "Dude you can get anyone. If she lives next door to James she's probably rich too. Total package." West responds. They laugh. The houses on our block were pretty big so I get where they're coming from. The conversation ends as the bell rings and I head off to math.

"Riley!" I whisper. "Riley!" "Stop!" She mouths. I throw a pen at her. "James its a test stop or you'll get us both in trouble!" She whispers. "Miss Raymond put your eyes on your paper please." The teacher says in the quiet awkward classroom. Riley rolls her eyes after mouthing "see?" And turns her attention back to her paper. I didn't understand anything on the test. I tried to remember what Riley told me. But then I would just get distracted. Riley's voice, her hair, her eyes, her lips. I snap back into reality when I see there's 2 minutes left of class and I have 6 questions done out of 50. "I'm not passing this class anytime soon." I say to myself as I put my paper in the pile on the teachers desk and walk to my next class.

At lunch was pretty much the same. Except Amanda, the varsity cheer captain came over to our table and started flirting with me. This happens a lot but I never really give in. "Why don't you two hang out sometime." West suggests bumping my shoulder and smirking. My eyes widen. Before I could respond Amanda agreed, wrote her number on my arm and went back to her table. "Ayyy nice you got yourself the varsity cheer captain." West says in between bites of his lunch. "Oh boy!" I say to myself sarcastically. I could never tolerate Amanda. But if I back out of this date I'd never hear the end of it from west and Eldon.

Riley-
At lunch we're sitting at our usual table in the cafeteria. This time Stephanie's friends Chloe and Tiffany join us. It feels good to have more people in our group. Everyday there's less and less people thinking I'm a dork. Chloe also dances with Stephanie and James. She backs Steph up all the time agreeing with her opinion on him. It really rubs me the wrong way. He's been nothing but sweet to me.

I glance at James's table every once and a while. It's kind of a habit. But one specific time I look over there Amanda's practically sitting in James's lap. She's twirling her hair in her finger and batting her eyelashes. I look away in disgust. And honestly in jealousy. It really bothers me to see him with Amanda but I don't know why. The girls finish eating and request to go to the bathroom. We all pack up our stuff and leave the cafeteria, passing James's table. Hunter nods at Emily and Em starts blushing. Everyone is freaking out about it to her. Then my eyes catch James. Amanda's drooling over him but he's not looking at her. He's looking at me.

"So is that Amanda's?" I ask pointing to the phone number drawn on his hand in marker while me and James walk home. "Uhh yeah it is. But it's not what you think." "It's exactly what I think." I tell him. "the head cheerleader going out with the quarterback, it's a no brainer." I say faking enthusiasm. I don't want him knowing how I think about the person he's going out with. It could ruin our friendship. "Wanna study?" He asks me. I hesitate before saying responding. "Um sorry my mom wants me home." I tell him as I go to my house. He slows his walking and I can feel his eyes on me, watching me go into my house. I don't think it would be good to spend to much one on one time with him. Amanda wouldn't like it. She's someone I don't want to mess with.