Books, Boys, and BFF's: Sophomore Year

Deaf Ears

I'm in relationship hell. Drew and I are back together, but I kind of got used to it being just the two of us, and now we're back to dating other people. Only, I don't want to. I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to this, except I washoping he'd be so opposed to me seeing someone else, he'd opt to remain exclusive. Now I'm stuck.

It bothers me when I see him with other girls now. I mean, it bothered me before, but now it's on a whole new level.

When it was just the two of us, I felt special, but now... now I feel insignificant. Expendable. He's affectionate and I'm still his number one, but it's just not the same. I want to be his ONLY one, and now I'm back to guarding my heart. My latest quarrel with Drew opened my eyes to the fact that he can still hurt me if he wants to. As much as I love him, I have to put the walls back up surrounding my heart, and the only way I know how to do that is not to care. So, I shut it all off.

I shut off my feelings for Drew, tuck every desire pertaining to him neatly in the back of my mind, and I abandon love. It's easier that way and there's less room for confusion. I'm back to just having fun.

For extra credit, I signed up to tutor with Em and Josh. My plan is to keep myself so busy that I won't have time to harp on anything Drew is doing. He's been spending a lot of time with both Courtney and Annette, and he still has yet to take me out on a real date.

I emailed my first student, and we made plans to meet up at their house for my first official tutoring session. Whoever it is, they live in a more uppity part of Elk Grove. It isn't too far away from my house though, so getting there isn't hard.

I ring the doorbell and a bubbly girl in a Consumnes cheerleading outfit answers, "Sidney, hi! Glad you could make it,come on in," she practically drags me into her house. She's one of our cheerleaders, and I'm sure I've seen her somewhere before, but I can't quite place her face. "Come this way, we're all in my parents' study."

"We?"

"Yes, my twin brother and I, and one of his friends," she explains.

"Which one of you needs the help?"

"That would be me, my name is Skylar, but people call me Sky."

I shake Sky's hand and she smiles.

Where do I know that smile...?

It hits me even before I walk into the room and set eyes on him. Quincy. Sky is Quincy's twin sister, and I'm at his house, alone, with no one to rescue me.

"Hey Sid," Quincy smiles as I enter the room.

Someone, please save me...

"Hey," I flash him a quick smile.

"Do you two know each other?" Sky asks.

"Yeah, she's Drew's girlfriend."

Understanding spread across Sky's face. Her mouth drops open, "OMG, you're THEE Sidney," she smiles.

"I'm not sure I know exactly what that means," I frown.

"Every girl on campus is talking about your skills on and off the basketball court."

"Again, what?"

"Sky is on the school's leadership committee," Quincy offers an explanation. "There isn't much that happens on campus she doesn't know about."

"If you're on the leadership committee, shouldn't you be like... I don't know smart? Why do you need a tutor?"

"Because Honors Algebra is the bane of my existence and principal Keaton said you and your sister were the top students in the school."