Game 6

Chapter Fourteen

       Over the next few days at school, I avoided Carrie and Elle like they were the plague. They came through one end of the hallway, I'd run the opposite direction. They tried horribly hard to contact me (calling me at all hours of the night, even getting Jake to get me to talk to them!) but I just did not want to talk to them.

       I mean; peer pressure? Really? Peer pressure is literally the first thing you learn not to do in seventh grade health. Were they really that desperate to get me to drink or were they just stupid? I guess we'll never find out.

       While I was avoiding Carrie and Elle, Jack seemed to be doing the same to me. Ever since I caught him that night with that blonde girl, he's just been invisible to mr. He didn't show up the first day of school, and when he finally came to classes yesterday he would not look at me. Eye contact was not an option. 

       And I think I finally found out who that blonde girl was; Madison Baker. She's in my French class. The face from that night is still pretty blurry in my memory, but from what I can remember, the face definitely looks like Madison's. Plus, the scared glances she gives me every other minute in class did help me make that educated guess. 

       Matt usually had meetings for his many clubs (he's a pretty social guy) during lunch, so he couldn't sit with me, which I usually desperately wanted. He's great company and I love talking to him honestly. I really can't wait for our Doctor Who date this weekend.

       Eric's actually been sitting with me at lunch. Since Carrie and Elle and I weren't speaking, I couldn't sit with them. And if it wasn't for Eric, I'd look like a bigger loser and loner than I already always do. 

       "This food sucks," Eric complained, his fork poking into what looked like a rock with old gravy poured over it.

       I sighed. "Tell me about it," The clump of noodles and the weirdest sauce I've ever seen didn't really look too yummy, either. "Your parents really should put money into this school to get better food."

       Eric dropped his fork and smirked at me. "Are you using me for my money?" He cried, throwing a hand to his heart. He mocked crying, all while I was watching him with eyebrows raised.

       "Duh," I answered. "Why else would I talk to you? You're not that good looking and your personality sucks. I'm a gold digger, Eric. At least one of you have finally realized it."

       Eric shook his head. "You bitch." He replied, throwing a fry at me.

       I laughed and two people to my right caught my attention. I stopped laughing and instead watched Carrie and Elle from across the cafetria. They were sitting next to each other between three guys I don't know and these twins that reside in my Math and English class; both are dumb as bricks.

       What are Carrie and Elle doing with them? Sure, they're all dumbies. But really? That's their replacements for me? How low of them.

       Eric followed my gaze and sighed. "Why don't you just go talk to them?" He asked.

       I frowned at him. "No," I said sternly. "I'm not talking to them first. They forced me into drinking when they both were fully aware of how I felt about alcohol. But they pressured to me drink; I'm a huge pushover, Eric. And then when I do drink, they leave me alone! I could've got seriously hurt! The nerve of them," I shook my head angrily. "No freaking way. If they want to talk to me, they have to come up and own up to what they did. They have to apologize first."

       "How are they supposed to apologize if you keep running away from them?" Eric asked, raising an eyebrow.

       I glared at him. "Shut up, Eric."

       "No, but seriously Dianna." Eric leaned over the table and looked at me seriously. "I know you want to come across as this strong, independent young girl but in all honestly, you are falling apart inside without them. You'd never admit to it, but you are." Eric raised a finger when I opened my mouth to disagree, and I fell silent. "You all need to talk. What they did was really stupid and inconsiderate and down right shitty, but you need to explain how you feel to each other. Don't be such a teenager girl and go talk to them!"

       I glared even harder at Eric, this time adding a scowl. "Shut up, Eric." I repeated. Although, I knew he was right. The three of us do need to talk. And soon. I was never good at the silent treatment anyways and I'm way too lazy to keep up this whole avoiding thing.

       "Anyways, to change the subject; what are your plans for this weekend?" 

       I grinned at the memory of Matt and Doctor Who this weekend. "Matt's coming over to my house and we're having a Doctor Who marathon."

       Eric sighed dramatically. "Stupid Matt and his freaking Doctor Who. I swear to god he never stops watching that show. He was raised watching Christopher Eccleston hit on that flower girl with a horrible sense of humor and really long words."

       I laughed and bit my lip. "Yeah, the ninth doctor was a good one. I prefer the next two, but whatever."

       "That show is so confusing. Like how on earth do you all watch it and actually keep track?" Eric cried with a slight shine of insanity in his eyes. I had a feeling he said this rant a lot in his head. "So many characters and places and words. I just can't! You have to have a college degree to even watch and understand the first two episodes. God, I hate you all."

       I grinned and shrugged. "Guess you just gotta be smart to watch it."

       Eric frowned, tipping his head to the side. "What are you trying to say?"

       "You're stupid?" I suggested, trying to control my laughter.

       Eric's mouth dropped and he threw another fry at me. "Keep saying things like that, and you'll be eating lunch alone, you little shit." He pushed some hair out of his eyes. "You're all a bunch of nerds, anyways. Every single one of you."

       I couldn't respond; I just kept laughing. 

       "Well, whenever you're free, me and you are hanging out." Eric told me sternly, his eyes glued on mine. "Maybe you're not such a little brat outside of school."

       I giggled, nodding my head. "Of course we can hang out sometime; next week? But I can't promise I won't be a little brat. I think I'm always like this, actually."

       He rolled his eyes. "Anyways," Eric said, straightening his sweater. "Just be careful this weekend. I heard Matt can be quite the animal when he's alone with a girl."

       I stared at him. "Where did you hear that?" I asked.

       Eric shrugged. "I didn't," He said. "I'm just assuming."

       "That's a weird thing to assume."

       "Sue me."

// author's note //

just a slow chapter for you, decided to let you really meet eric :)

// author's note //