A Promise Gone Wrong

Chapter Ten: Welcome to the Neighborhood

IMAGE OF: BRIELLE WATSON

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~~~Rebecca~~~
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The final bell rings and soon the halls flood with a rush of students. Some clump together in their cliques to talk, others head to the main doors for sport practices or to leave, a few make a stops at vending machines before rushing to classrooms to participate in clubs, and I can't keep myself from jumping up and down when Cody and Brielle join me at my locker.

"Guess what?" I exclaim, and they both pause with wide eyes taken aback by my excitement.

"Coach McKenna is going to let you dance afterall?" Brielle puts out a guess, and although that would be great, it's not my big news so I shake my head.

"You decided to take singing lessons?" Cody pitches, twisting a finger in one of his ears. I drop my jaw, punching him hard on his chest but it just makes him laugh.

I can dance, I don't need to be a fantastic singer, too.

"No," I scowl, and then dramatically flip my hair back over each shoulder. "I got a job interview scheduled this weekend, and if I get it I will be working at the coffee shop down the street next week."

Brielle shifts her gym bag in her arms to free a hand for a high-five.

"Congrats!" she grins, but Cody pouts.

"I'm a little disappointed it's not vocal lessons but--" he abandons the rest of his sentence when Brielle and I glare at him, then follows us to a pair of exit doors by the gym trying to make up for it.

"Cody, you should apply to work with me," I suggest, since he has nothing other than soccer and girls to keep him busy.

"Why would I want to do that?" he frowns, slipping his hands into the pockets of his sports shorts.

"To protect me from Paxton," I explain. "And to keep me company. It could be fun."

He thinks about it a moment and then decides he will do it for the benefit of unlimited free coffee which he could use to convince girls to meet up with him and bang after shifts.

Brielle starts shouting at him, so I scan the crowds around us for Cameron, spotting Paxton and some church friends by a vending machine in the same moment the soccer players come out of the cafeteria. Paxton's eyes follow us as we approach their team and I suddenly wish I had the power of invisibility.

He can't know that I'm dating because then my parents will find out.

"You guys off to dance practice?" Cameron's voice invades my thoughts, and I turn to find him right in front of me with curiosity swirling in his alluring blue eyes.

"Yeah," I force an answer, slightly holding my breath because I see we've got the attention of my church companions when Brielle waves at them. "Soccer for you?" I ask, and when Cameron glances over his shoulder at Paxton I feel my heart beat pound.

"Every day this week," he replies, eyebrows furrowing when his gaze returns to me. "Is that douche giving you problems again?"

I open my mouth to answer but stop when Patrick suddenly appears beside his friend.

"Did someone say douche and problem?" Patrick leans on one of Cody's shoulders. "Who are we fighting?" he turns to Cameron, who then gestures at Paxton, who then narrows his eyes at me.

Not good.

"No, there is no problem," I speak up, and they either quirk their eyebrows or purse their lips into lines, not convinced. "I just don't want us to be late. Let's go," I tell everyone and rush outside, grateful when they follow.