Page 7 of 3rd and 4
And then there’s practice. Jenna is an amazing coach, and I have learned quite a bit from her already. She’s patient but pushes us. The dynamic is different from high school and not just because of the boys. It’s friendlier, welcoming, encouraging. Except for Shaye and her evil sidekicks. Eva made me watchMean Girls,so I knew what to expect and how to counteract their evilness. So far, it’s been irritating, but nothing I can’t handle. Snide remarks, bumping into me when they pass, and I know one of them threw away my water bottle, but I can’t prove it. Shaye is especially nasty when she catches Addy talking to me, us laughing, or horsing around. A few of our squadmates have started an impromptu “skill club” at the end of practices. It’s like fight club, but a) sadly, Edward Norton is not here, b) we talk about it, and c) it’s everyone against me. I normally don’t enjoy being singled out, but it’s all in fun and we have a good time, often laughing so hard that none of us can do a back handspring let alone anything difficult.
I’m meeting Addy, Eva, Ty, and Lyndell for lunch today. After, we’ll workout with the squad while Ty and Lyndell head home. I haven’t met them yet, they were visiting family, I think. I’m nervous though. Ty is important to Addy, so I want him to like me. Addy and I are only friends but…I can’t help being a stupid little girl with a crush. And if his best friend doesn’t like me, I probably don’t stand a good chance of remaining Addy’s friend. From everything I’ve heard though, I don’t think I have anything to worry about, but my stomach is in knots anyway.
I shower, dress quickly, and pull my hair up on the top of my head. We’ll be working out later, so I’m not taking time to fixmy hair. I grab my bag, open the doors to the locker room, and walk down the hall as I pull my cell phone out to text my brother. I start typing out a message, but when I’m about to round the corner, I hear Addy’s voice and glance up.
“Shaye, not now.” Text message forgotten, I slow my steps and pocket my phone.
“Come on, come back to my place. I’ll give you a full body massage. You’ve got to be sore from practice.”
“Lay off it, Shaye.”
“I’ll make you feel good. You know I can.” I step around, the two of them in full view about 20 feet away. I stand frozen as she gets up on her toes and presses her lips to his. Her hand snakes between them and Addy makes a noise of what I hope is protest. His wide eyes meet mine over her head and he pushes her back forcefully. It was only a few seconds but long enough for me to feel sick to my stomach. I spin around to run to the nearest bathroom, but smack into Eva. I look up at her, hoping my expression is pleading enough for her to help me. My mouth won’t open, my tongue too big for my mouth. If I try to speak, I’m gonna puke or cry. She glares at the two of them, grabs my shaking hand, and pulls me through the halls and out of the complex.
“Daya!” Addy yells, his voice pained, but I don’t wait. I’m being stupid. So stupid. He’s not mine. We’re friends. He can kiss whoever he wants. I just want him to want it to be me. Which is ridiculous.
“Motherfucking trollopy bottom-feeding leprous whore.” Eva spits under her breath, her face red, but she doesn’t slow down. In fact, she’s moving quite fast, and I’m struggling to keep up, but I’m grateful she was there to help me. She drags me downunfamiliar paths, yet somehow, we manage to make it to my dorm.
She taps her foot impatiently while I scan my card. She rips open the main doors when they unlock and I follow behind her. She’s like a charging bull, mean-mugging anyone unfortunate enough to get in her way. She’s awesome. And I’m an idiot.
Inside my dorm room, Eva slams the door behind us and scowls at me. “It’s not his fault.” Her eyes blaze so I keep talking. “I’m being dumb, a naïve little girl. I’ve never been around boys. I mean, I went to school with them, but I didn’t interact much with them. I spent a lot of time training and studying. I have no experience navigating what I’m feeling…which is mostly confused and hurt. He’d never go for me, and that’s fine. Well, not fine, but not his fault. Like how some people like avocados and some don’t. He just isn’t attracted to me.”
She holds up her hand to stop my word vomit. Better than actual vomit. I wrap my arms around my middle as I slump on my bed.
“Oh, honey, you are naïve.” She chuckles which irritates me, but then she sits next to me and hugs me on my bed. It’s comforting. “It’ll be ok. Everything will work out like it’s supposed to.” I don’t know how she can be so positive right now, then again, it isn’t her heart that’s been fed through a wood-chipper.
I twist in her hold when I hear someone yelling outside. It’s loud. “What’s that?” Eva laughs while I rise and look out my window. My jaw drops when I find Addy screaming up at the windows. His phone is at his ear. He pulls it away angrily, types something, then lifts it again. Eva laughs harder, standing next to me at the window.
She pats my shoulder. “Told you it’d be ok.” She nods down at Addy. “You might want to get him before campus security hauls him off.”
“Oh!” I rush through my door, down the hall, and take the stairs to the main floor. I don’t want him to get in trouble.
Eva shouts after me, “I’ll see myself out, have fun!”
Addy 6.
I think I’m gonna be sick. My stomach is twisting painfully, and my mouth is that weird dry and overfilled with saliva at the same time. The human body is weird.
Now’s not the time.
I have never liked Shaye, she’s a bitch. But today…I fucking HATE her. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced this level of anger before. She crossed a line. Leapt right over it without regard for anyone else but herself. I don’t give a fuck about her feelings, her daddy issues, or her self-worth. They aren’t my problem.
Daya is my only concern. I keep replaying the look on her face…utter devastation. It crippled me momentarily, kept my feet frozen to the floor, even as she bolted with Eva’s help. Then I took off like a rocket, calling her repeatedly, growling and cursing and scaring anyone in my way as I ran across campus to Daya’s dorm. Her phone keeps going to voicemail. My frantic texts unanswered, they aren’t even read. I can’t get a hold of her, and I hate myself that I’m not there to hold her. I don’t care that I’m the reason she’s upset, I still want to be the person she turns to for comfort, even if I’m the one who pisses her off.
Outside her dorm, I shoot off a quick text to Ty, telling him we need to cancel. I was so excited to see Ty and Lyndell, but I really wanted to introduce them to my girl. They were visiting Ty’s middle school guidance counselor turned pseudo adoptedparents for the last two weeks, so I haven’t seen them. They’re back for the start of the school year, and Ty has meetings and practices as the school mascot. I felt a little bad that I haven’t made time for Ty since Daya came into my life, though I know my best friend doesn’t mind. He’s happy for me and he’s excited to welcome Daya into our little “school family”.
Ty:It’s been like a month; how did you piss her off already?
Addy:Not me…Shaye.
Ty:Bitch. What’d she do?
Addy:Ambushed me with a kiss in front of Daya.
Ty:Damn. I kinda want to knee you in the nuts.
Addy:What? Why? I didn’t do anything! What part of ambush do you not understand?
Ty:The part where you allowed yourself to be that close to a viper.
