Not Another High School Love Story

2. How Things Work

Now that third period's over I'm hoping for something a little more normal. It's finally lunch time and I head to the cafeteria, ready to meet up with Grace. She'll have the best advice, and I know she's going to flip when she hears what happened. It's all I've been able to think about for the last half hour, even though I was supposed to be concentrating on my math. The feeling of dread I've had since Ms. Montgomery asked me to tutor Brent Fox has only gotten worse, and I keep running it through my mind. I have no lack of imagination when it comes to envisioning all the ways he's about to ruin my life.

He's luckier than me, it doesn't seem to faze him at all. When I turn the corner I see him up ahead in the hall, joining up with his buddies and his girlfriend. Even the smile he gives her seems fake and pretentious, but she doesn't notice as he throws his arm around her shoulders. I doubt she'd care one way or another, all that matters is social status, that's all Brent's worth to her. Madison Locke is the head cheerleader, shocker, so it only makes sense for them to date. They're our school's power couple, and the world parts down the middle for them. That's not an exaggeration, I mean our classmates literally cling to the sides of the hall to avoid stepping in their path.

Life is easy for them, they're Populars, but not everyone can be so fortunate. I've been doing alright until now, but I continue to wonder about his threat. Not that it changes anything for me, I've never been one of the sheep who averts their eyes as they pass. Brent might not scare me, but I'd be lying if I said Madison doesn't intimidate me a little. He's a lax kind of bully, but evil sure takes form in her. Madison Locke comes from a rich family, and she thinks that means she can get away with whatever she wants. It doesn't help that she's gorgeous too, of course.

Her blue eyes are brighter than Brent's, the same with her platinum blonde hair, and it's almost like they're cleaved from the same cloth—Ken and Barbie. She's got a body that could stop a truck, and all those free weights at the gym have done him some good. Girls like her like boys with muscles like his, and boys like him, well, they like girls who put out. I guess they're perfect for each other in that way, even if their sense of the world is skewed and woefully misguided. They can have each other, as long as they stay out of my way. I may be average and scrawny, but I won't be shoved around.

Brent and Madison hurry into the cafeteria, mixing with the rest of the student body as they become lost to me. Good, I'm tired of looking at them. I give it a second before I go in too, pausing to read some of the postings hung up outside the doors to make sure I won't bump into them. When that second is over I make my way in and grab a tray, getting in line to wait for my lunch. It won't be anything too great but that's okay, I just want the day to hurry up and be over with.

"Oh my god, I'm starving." A familiar voice sounds, and I check beside me to find Grace cutting in. I smile at her, but she's too busy looking at the food. That's my Grace, she's fucking beautiful. In fact, if you ask me, I think she's way prettier than Madison. Grace is tall, dark skinned, with the most killer sense of fashion I've ever seen. We should be the real power couple—she's black and I'm gay, nobody could possibly be cooler than us. She notices my adoration, finally returning my gesture with a sly grin. "You'll never believe what Tiffany Howard did in gym."

"Did she try to run the mile without a bra again?" I joke.

"Worse, she got caught giving Ryan Miller a handjob! She's so nasty." Grace laughs, pushing me along when I take too long in front of her. "She'll probably get suspended, serves her right. What about you, how's your day been?"

"Funny you should ask. I got called in to see Ms. Montgomery today," I note the already incredulous look my best friend wears. No doubt she's just as mystified as I'd been. "Yeah, apparently Brent Fox is about to flunk out of football, so she asked me to tutor him."