Slugger

9: It's Not Stalking, It's Necessary Research

Once again, Stacy is upset and nobody knows why. Our teachers can't figure it out, Nicole doesn't want to figure it out and everyone is coming to me for the latest gossip as if I've ever been in the loop before.

"Can we like, pig out tonight?"

These are the first words that come out of her mouth at lunch. Nicole and I have been fighting over the true ownership of my grapes for twenty minutes and the two of us pause to look at her.

"Tonight?" I ask, thinking about how free I am because Dante has practice for the game tonight and might be working. I was just gonna hang out with him at the theatre but if Stacy wants to do something, then hell, we might as well.

"Yeah, I heard the Spring Carnival is in town this weekend and next," she rubs at her eyes, smudging her eyeliner slightly. I have to shuffle over and fix it for her before we progress. "Are you two free?"

Nicole picks a grape off my plate with her long slender fingers. "I have plans with the beau but I'll cancel for you," She says, sounding like she really doesn't want to cancel.

"I was just gonna piss of Dante, but yeah, I'll go with you tonight,"

She frowns. "We don't have to go tonight if it's a big deal, Nic. Ken and I can pig out at my place and you and Max can do whatever couples do these days."

She says it as if she wasn't a staple part of a couple this time last month.

"Really? Great, let's carnival on Sunday," Nicole picks up her phone and starts tap tapping away in her calendar. "What time do you want to group up?"

Stacy's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Sunday?"

"There's a game tomorrow and our boyfriends want us to be there,"

"He's not my boyfriend," I remind, somewhat bitterly. The two of them brush me off as if the reminder of my wonky relationship status means nothing to them. It probably does. "Anyway, I promised to be there and I don't know, my sister wants to come along too,"

"Your sister? McKinley?" The disgust on Stacy's face is understandable. For some odd reason, they both hate each other even though they've never ever sat down and spoken a (civil) word to one another. I don't get it but whatever.

"Yep, she's friends with Dante's sister and heard we were sort of a thing," I waft Nicole away from my grapes and send her a warning glare that she totally ignores. "She said she wants to see if he's worthy enough for me,"

Tyler comes jogging over from his table, holding a plate filled with cookies. "I come bearing peace offerings," He says before any of us can say anything.

Some girls a table down from ours start batting their eyelashes at him as he sits down across from me.

"What do you want?" Stacy takes a few cookies from the plate he's holding and stuffs them in her mouth. My guess is the pigging out has already begun.

"I'm here for Kennedy," He eyes her carefully and then gives me a whack ass smile that really creeps me out. "KFJ, will you grant lowly Tyler Barrett an audience?"

"I'll pass, thanks," I say, noticing that my grapes are all finished. Nicole takes one of the cookies from the plate and tears a chunk off it. She throws it at Stacy who catches it in her mouth and then releases a chuckle that directs all attention towards her.

"I just realised Kenny's initials are JFK backwards," She comments, showing a wide smile. "And if she marries Dante, her initials would be KFC."

Tyler and Stacy starts laughing, attracting attention to our normally chill table. All the baseball guys are staring at us. I catch eyes with Chad and he winks at me, making me feel all awkward inside.