That Stupid Little L-Word:

Chapter Forty:

When I wake up the next morning, the first thing that I notice is that I'd forgotten to take my makeup off. The smeared darkness of my eye shadow and tanned bronzer stained my pillowcase. The second thing that I notice is that I'm sore. My whole lower body protests as I ease toward the edge of my bed. I squint at the window and try to remember what happened last night. 

There was the dance, and the alcohol. 

And then the motel...

My cheeks burned a bright cherry red as the memories flood through my mind. The second Blue-Eyes pulled into the motel parking lot, I knew what was going to happen. I mean, why else would you take your girlfriend to a motel after a school dance? I bury my face into the mattress and press my lips together. The tangled sheets, our naked bodies; the whole idea of it was just too much. I honestly have no clue how he managed to get me dressed, cleaned up, and back home before eleven. 

But he did, and my mother didn't suspect a thing. 

The day goes about pretty quickly, with nothing of utmost importance happening. I spend most of it just studying, and focusing on the packets that my teachers have collected so that I can catch up. Blue-Eyes doesn't text me. It's just a lazy Sunday. 

After school on Monday, an unknown number calls my cell phone. At first I am wary about answering; unknown numbers always give me the creeps for some reason. You never know who is on the other side, and whether or not they plan to use your phone's GPS co-ordinations to track you down and kidnap you. But it could be Blue-Eyes. He'd mentioned that he'd be getting a new cellphone soon --that was why he hadn't been able to call Sunday. 

I slide my finger across the screen and press the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Hola chica," a familiar voice floats through the speaker. Amanda sounds about as cheerful as a child frolicking through Disney World. "It's me, the one and only, Amanda."

"Hey!" I can't help but smile. "What's up?"

"I have decided to save your butt, that's what's up." Amanda laughs, "I was skimming through some of Ms. Henry's classwork, because I'm a student aid, in case you didn't know, and I noticed that you weren't doing so hot. I wanted to see if you would like to study together. That, and I wanted to ask how you were. I saw you at Homecoming but didn't get a chance to say hi. Your boy-toy has been pretty clingy lately." 

My lips twist into a frown, and I fiddle with the frayed edge of my textbook. "I didn't mean for it to come across that way. I just wasn't feeling well last night, so I made him take me home. I'm sorry. I would love to study with you though! Did you want to do it tonight?" 

Amanda pauses for a few seconds. "Are you alright?" 

My eyes widen, and I'm extremely glad that she can't see my facial expression through the phone. "I'm fine," I chirp. "Just tired." And sore, and cranky because my first time was in a supid motel room, and there were no flowers. 

Amanda harrumphs in response, and it's obvious that she doesn't believe me. She doesn't press it however. "Alright. Do you want to come here to study? Or do you want me to come over there? It doesn't matter either way." 

I rush down the staircase and get a second opinion from my mother. Something in my gut tells me that she'd prefer to have Amanda over here --just so she can make sure that Amanda doesn't have blue eyes, black hair, and male parts, and that we really do plan to study. My mother is immediately suspicious, but when Amanda's beat up, garnet colored mini-van pulls into my drive way, I can instantly see the tension evaporate. 

I show Amanda to my room, and hesitantly shut the door behind us. I watch as she plops down onto the bed and begins to rummage through her backpack. Then she pulls out our textbook and a notebook.