Prove It

Chapter II

The familiar cafeteria noise and smell assults my senses before I even reach the doors. "Where have you been?" I turn around to see my best friend, Sofia walking quickly towards me.

"What do you mean where have I been? I wasn't the one who was late to school this morning."

"Whatever. Let's go, we're eating outside."

I don't have the energy to argue with her, so I simply follow her out the doors into the courtyard. It's hot. The last couple weeks going from August to September is always brutal. The humidity makes you want to suffocate, and there isn't a breeze to take away the scorching heat.

I sit down in the middle of a conversation, Lexi speaking making it perfectly clear to the rest of the table that Skyler is a bitch.

"Yeah, she always gets away with everything at home. She literally starts every argument, but my parents always take her side. I swear my life would be better without her." She huffs and crosses her arms over her chest.

In an instant Alicia and Vanessa are all over her, cooing their apologies. I don't even try and suppress my eye roll, and I don't think anyone around me will care. They all know how I feel about her, and how she feels about me.

"Amanda, haven't seen you since last year" she comments, pulling my attentino away from my lunch.

I give her a sickly sweet smile. "Yeah, I know it's been some time."

Nobody knew what to say next; you could feel the awkward tension in the air. This is what always happens when we're around each other, there's no escaping her no matter how hard I try.

"So, did you get the text from Miligan, Amanda?" Lexi asks and I nod my head curtly at her knowing she's asking to get on my nerves. We both know I got the text. For God's sake the text was sent in a group message!

"Yep, I got the message" I say shortly.

"I can't wait to lead the team with you!" she says with a triumphant smile on her face that I want nothing more than to wipe right off. Lexi isn't dumb, she knows what she's doing, and she knows how really push your buttons like she is right now. I just wish she wasn't so damn good at it.

But by the look on her face it looks like she got exactly what she wanted from me.

"Marcus what took you so long?" Aaron says out of the blue. I look up and see Marcus sitting down next to him.

"Guidance counselor busting my ass" he answers, slinging his backpack off his shoulders and taking his lunch bag out.

"Why are you still going there?"

"I don't know, my mom called in and asked to set up a meeting" he grumbles through a full mouth of roast beef. "Wanted me to talk to her about which school is the 'best fit for me'" he says with air quotes.

When he's no longer speaking I turn to face Sofia who has an ear-splitting grin on her face. I scrunch my face at her and lift my hand in question.

"What are you smiling at?"

Her smile gets bigger and she lifts her eyebrows in a comical manner and flicks her eyes towards Marcus' direction. I roll my eyes.

"No"

"You were looking at him!"

"Because he was the only person speaking at the table!" I shout in a hushed tone. There's no way I want him to hear this conversation-or have any suspition that we're talking about him.

"I don't know Amanda" she says.

"Whatever" I reply, giving up on trying to argue with her. There's no way I can win, and I'm not going to even try. 12:00 arrives and the loudspeakers outside the building call everyone outside back into the school.

I reach the door hold the door, reaching behind me for as long as possible before letting it go. I feel someone come up behind me, crowding my personal space to my right.

"Hey Amanda, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out this weekend". I don't eve have to look to the person to know it's Marcus. I know he's taken the hint, he's smart enough, and is pretty keen on dropping these same excuses on girls all the time.

"I don't think I can. I've got a lot of things to do" I answer. In truth I don't have that much going on, but I'm sure I can find something to occupy my time with.

"Aure you sure? Your brother told me that you're completely free this weekend" he retaliates.

Damn Holden. I tell him all the time to not tell Marcus anything about me. Guess I need a better incentive for him to actually do what I ask of him, instead of relying on him to be nice to me because I'm his sister.

"Some more stuff came up. I'm sorry, but I'll see you some other time?"

Before he even answers I walk faster into my next class- off-limit territory unless he wanted to look like an idiot.

"Amanda!" I look in the direction of the voice and spot Mindy who is already sitting with CJ and Nolan which I am so excited about. Nolan is always the greatest person to be around when I'm cranky.

I sit down next to CJ who is looking at Mindy with the longing look he always has around her.

"Amanda you only texted me twice a month over the summer, I'm severely wounded!" Nolan exclaims and musses my hair with a smile.

I give him my own noogie and pinch his nose. "I'm sorry honey, I'll be sure to pay more attention to you."

"You'd better. I need my daily dose of Amanda" he jokes and I shove his shoulder.

"Seriously Amanda, I just saw you walking with Marcus" Mindy says.

"Marcus waling with me, actually. I wish he would back off. You would think after twelve years that he would have taken the hint and move on" I say irritated, yanking my laptop out of my bag.

"He's not that bad" CJ defends his friend.

"I know he's not a bad guy. I know he's a great person, but I don't like him like that. He needs to move on with someone else. Peyton's always like him" I suggest.

"Look Amanda, I've known Marcus all his life-"

"So have I" I interrupt.

"I've known him longer, just let me finish. The guy's desperate. He wants you, and until you give in, nothings gonna change" he puts his hands up. "That's all I'm going to say."

"So you're telling me I have to go out with him in order to have him get over me?" Seems unlikely, but I don't know anything about how guys work.

"It's a thought. But seriously Amanda, would it kill you to go on one date with him?"

"We'll see" I say cryptically. I probably shouldn't enjoy keeping them on edge as much as I do.

"Great! I'll tell him at practice" he says and I almost break my neck turning to him

"Don't. I don't need you getting his hopes up".

"His spirits are low. Come one Mand" he pleads.

"I'm starting to think you want him to go on a date more than he does."

"Do you know how long I've been hearing him go on about you? Since first grade! Please stop being a meanie and spare us all!"

"I don't think so" I say and turn back in my chair.