The Cliche Gone Wrong

Chapter Forty

I try to act casual as I wait outside my first period, leaning against the row of lockers as I stare toward the doors that exit into the parking lot. A group my friends chat around me, talking about what they want to do this weekend. I struggle to pay attention to Connor's animated retelling of what happened at his house last night when but my eyes keep drifting to those doors every time they open.

"Hey Jude," a girl flirts as she sidles up beside me.

I turn to face her completely, grateful that I don't have to crane my neck anymore to look at the door. Instead I just stare at the doors that are in the background behind her, hoping I come off as aloof instead of just an asshole.

"Oh hey uhh...." I draw a blank on her name.I know I've seen her hovering around the edges of our group. I think its like Ashley or Michelle or Tami with an I. "...Uhh what's up?"

"I heard about what happened during lacrosse practice yesterday." I barely stop myself from rolling my eyes as she bats her overly made-up lashes at me. She should go more natural like Kille—I mean Kenedi.

Like Kenedi. Wow, I'm really going to need to get used to saying that.

A touch on my arm pulls me back to the one-sided conversation I'm engaged in. "Are you afraid your coach is going to bench you?"

"I'm the fucking captain, he's not going to bench me!" I snap at her, suddenly giving her all of my attention. "Where the hell did you even hear that from?"

Before she can respond the bell rings, signaling for everyone to start making their way to their classes. Quite a few people from our large group break off to head toward different parts of the school. The few remaining reluctantly make their way into Mrs. Baez's layer, preparing themselves for an hour of torture.

Connor purposefully bumps into my shoulder as he pauses outside of the door, catching my attention. "You coming in or what?"

"Yeah..." I trail off, my eyes flickering to the doors at the end of the hall but not seeing the person I'm looking for. "Just give me a minute."

He looks at me curiously but doesn't push it, following the rest of our friends in with loud laughs from another one of their many inside jokes. I move to the side as more people stream down the hallway toward the classrooms, the echoes of doors slamming closed repeatedly throughout the hall making my nerves start to fray.

She's always late. Why would today be any different? I shouldn't be nervous. Maybe I should text her.

I pull out my phone as the one-minute warning bell rings, drawing up her contact information to send her a quick text. But what should I say? I stare at the last message she sent me yesterday when we hung out during lunch. Before I can even draft a text my phone is yanked out of my hands. 

"What the fuck?" I question looking up furiously only to see Alan in front of me, scrolling through my conversation. "Dude, what the hell are you doing?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing." He murmurs distractedly as he squints at the screen. "Why are you texting Killer? I thought you were staying away from her."

"I never said I was going to do that." I spit as snatch my phone out of his hand and tuck it into my pocket, all thoughts of texting Kil—Kenedi out of my mind.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Alan groans loudly, drawing the attention of the few students that are scrambling to make it to their classes on time. "Why do you insist on fucking yourself over?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about, man!" I hiss.

"I know more than you fucking do!" Alan yells right back, not bothering to keep his voice down.