Prove It

Chapter I

"Holden let's go!" I shout up the stairs. "If you're not down in two minutes you are walking to school!"

I march across the glossy, dark wood floors out the front door and to the car as I hear Holden scrambling behind me.

I hear him stop when I get to the car. "Emma I called the front!" he whines, still fixing his hair.

"Should've been out here first, then. Get in" I snap. I'm in no mood for his immaturity right now.

He pouts, but obeys, scrunching himself into the back seat while I back up the car into the road.

"Manda I don't know why you wanted this car. I hate it!" I just roll my eyes at his reflection. I don't even bother to respond anymore with him.

"Well good thing it's not your car, dumbass" Emma mutters.

"Oh you think I'm a dumbass? What about that algebra test I did better than you?"

"Holden, I didn't take algebra last year."

"You're so annoying Emma! Why can't you just let me be right?"

"Oh my God, Holden's PMS'ing!" This time I can't help but laugh just as hard as her. With two girls against one boy, Holden's always been teased by the two of us.

"Shut up!" I look in my rearview mirror and see that his face looks like a tomato.

"Okay, okay."

"Amanda, why do you even care if you're on time? You're a senior." Now we're back to this.

"I just do. And also, I don't need mom being mad at me for something stupid like that, so we're gonna be there on time, comprende?"

"Whatever" he grumbles as we pull into the already croweded parking lot. Groups are still standing next to their cars, enjoying the early morning temperature before it becomes 90 degrees and humid.

I park my car in the closest available spot. When I step out of my car I see a group of my friends walking over towards me.

"Amanda it's been a while, girl!" I awkwardly accept the hug from Peyton, lightly putting my arms around her waist and curling my hands into fists.

"It's only been a week" I counter when she finally pulls away, running hair hand through the ends of her freshly cut blonde hair, bringing it forward over her left shoulder.

She lets out a forced giggle and waves her hand at me. "Still. A day without my bestie is one I shouldn't have to go through." I fight the urge to scrunch my nose at her. As she babbles on I try and look around the lot for my real best friend. Of course the girl has to show up late, though.

Fortunately Jamison senses the uncomfortable atmosphere and starts rambling about the party Alicia threw Saturday, which catches her attention, and she begins telling us about an encounter she had with a guy from a nearby town. I give Jamison a grateful look as the bell sounds from the loudspeakers, signaling us all summer has ended.

On the way inside I walk beside Georgia and we talk about the upcoming cheer season. We converse in low voices, for the subjects of our discussion were to our front and back. But it's not anything we're not used to; this has been a daily occurance for us since the beginning of high school.

"I don't know what Miligan is thinking having you and Lexi be co-captains this year. Either she's blind, or she thinks she make the two of you 'make up' by having you work with her. Either way, it's going to be a disaster." I only sigh and shake my head.

"I don't know, maybe it will be a good thing. She's always fighting against me anyway, I guess it won't be any different than all the other years" I try and be optimistic about it when really I just want to throw something across the hall.