Just Friends

by Tiffany Pitcock

  “I’m not the holdup,” she pointed out.

  He grinned, taking her by the elbow like any old-fashioned gentleman would. “Come now, we hath class to partake in.”

  She busted out laughing, pulling her arm away. “Why, my lord, you move so fast. I do fear I have a case of the vapors coming on. I may swoon.”

  He gestured for her to go ahead. “After you.”

  She took off toward the aging building, quickly gaining a lead on him. He hung back, watching the way her hips shook when she walked.

  “Hurry up!” she called over her shoulder. “I should be halfway done with Chemistry by now!”

  “You’re welcome, then.” He jogged the distance between them. “I saved you from ninety minutes of boring.”

  The lobby was empty when they walked in, the cool air stuffy and unsettling. There was something about school offices that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Jenny bit her lip, looking around nervously as Chance pushed past her, taking the lead.

  Mrs. Carroll sat at the receptionist desk, strumming her maroon nails on the tabletop, looking bored as hell. She rolled her heavily lined eyes when she saw Chance approach.

  “Did your grandmother die again?” she asked, her tone less than thrilled.

  Chance pretended to be taken aback, laying a hand on his chest in mock outrage.

  “How could you say such a thing?”

  Jenny cleared her throat behind him. “We had car trouble.”

  Mrs. Carroll’s eyes slid from Chance to Jenny. She pulled out a pad of paper.

  “Like I even care. I retire in a month, then I’m done with this.” She scribbled two excuses and held them out.

  “Thanks, Mrs. Carroll.” Chance took them from her and winked. “Happy early retirement.”

  “Get out, before I decide you’re lying.” The old lady turned to her computer, dismissing them.

  “She’s just as friendly as can be,” Jenny said sarcastically as they slipped out the door. “We could’ve said anything and gotten away with it.”

  “Next time, let’s say we were off hunting ghosts or fighting evil wizards.…” He trailed off when he noticed Jenny’s glare.

  “There won’t be a next time, Chance. I’ve decided that I can’t let my life fall apart just because of what’s been going on.”

  “I know. I’m only teasing.”

  Jenny grabbed his wrist, turning his watch up to face her. His skin buzzed where she touched him.

  “I’ve got to go.” She dropped his hand, hitching her purse up her shoulder.

  “Stay out of trouble!” he called after her as she rushed away.

  “That’s my line!” she called back before rounding a corner into the Science hall.

  CHAPTER 25

  Jenny

  After Science, Jenny skipped the antidrug assembly in the auditorium, not ready to be surrounded by whispering people in a dark room. She had felt people staring at her all during class, their curiosity spurred by her late arrival and obviously male clothes. She could still feel people’s eyes on her as she ducked out of the crowd, heading toward her locker. Maybe I can hide in the bathroom or something.

  There were still a few stragglers left in the hall, begrudgingly heading toward the assembly. She passed the front office just in time to catch Drake and a few of his friends exiting. Panicked, she threw herself around the corner of the Math hall, just out of sight.

  “I’m fucking over it, man,” Drake was saying, his voice growing further away. “This morning was the last straw. I can’t believe she had the nerve to show up with him like that. I knew she was lying.”

  Jenny’s heart sank. Any happiness left over from the night with Chance was ripped away, leaving her shaking. So it was still going to be like this. Class had ended two minutes ago, and the news of her arrival had already spread to Drake. She couldn’t blend into the background and fade away anymore. Drake was going to make sure that everyone noticed her.

  She couldn’t ignore it anymore or push it away to focus on Chance. She was alone, listening to Drake talk crap about her, and all she could do was take it. This was her reality; this was her life. She waited until his voice faded away, still hidden behind the corner.

  “What are you doing?” someone asked from behind her.

  She whirled around, coming face-to-face with Kelsey.

  “Hiding,” she said. There was no point in lying.

  “From Drake?”

  Jenny nodded.

  Kelsey nodded, too.

  “Okay.” She sidestepped Jenny, pausing before she disappeared around the corner, then reaching back to grab Jenny’s arm. “Come on.” She dragged Jenny to the nearest girls’ bathroom.

  Kelsey took one look at Jenny—who jumped up and sat on a sink, her legs swinging—and let out a sigh.

  “You’re not doing well, huh?”

  Jenny shook her head. “People keep looking at me, Kelse. They keep talking about me. I can’t take this.”

  Kelsey hopped up onto the sink next to Jenny. “Goddamn rumors.” She sighed. “Want me to beat everyone up? Because I will. I pack a mean punch.”

  “No.” Jenny wiped her eyes. She hadn’t even noticed when she started crying. “Thanks for offering, though.”

  “I’ve never seen you cry so much before.” Kelsey reached out a tanned arm and shook Jenny’s shoulder. “You’re stronger than this, Jens. I know the attention is tough, but it won’t last forever.”

  Jenny leaned into her friend’s touch, taking comfort from it. “I’m tired of it already. I was hoping it would’ve blown over.”

  “I’m afraid your absence this morning only fueled the flames. I’m just saying that maybe ditching half of the day with the guy you’re being accused of sleeping with wasn’t the best idea.”

  “I don’t want to see anybody. I’m done with people. The parking lot incident filled my social interaction quota for life. Chance kind of forced his way into my house. I just went along with it. I don’t want him to worry; he’s got enough going on as it is.”

  “We have to keep low for now, but eventually something more exciting than which boy you’re with will come up, and everyone will forget,” Kelsey told her.

  “Why can’t I go five minutes without my life being reduced to being with either Chance or Drake?” It was starting to grate on her nerves. She was more than what boy she was seeing.

  “That’s what grabs people’s interest, though. They don’t care how smart or talented you are, only who you’re getting it on with.”

  “Silly me, I guess all that time I put into becoming top of the class was a giant waste.”

  “It’s a sad reality, Jens.”

  Jenny knew what Kelsey was saying was true. “If you force your way into my house, I’ll hang out with you, too.”

  “I’ll remember that next time.”

  Jenny repressed a groan. “No, there will not be a next time. I’m done with this. Everything with Drake has taught me that I just don’t date well. I’m undateable. I am the queen of being a lonely cat lady and I am okay with that.”

  Kelsey laughed. “Melodramatic much?”

  “I’m just saying I’m done with this petty stuff.” She would lock it all away. She wouldn’t let herself feel a thing anymore, not for anyone.

  “You should’ve expected petty when you chose to date a hipster who sings about his feelings with confusing metaphors that everyone thinks are deep but are actually super cliché,” Kelsey huffed.

  “Hey, aren’t boys in bands hot?” Jenny defended.

  “Yeah, when they’re all guttural and passionate; not when they’re whiny and crying into a microphone about how they miss the press of your soul on their being. What does that even mean?” She dug her day planner from her backpack. The thing was bursting with pamphlets and other scraps. Kelsey never let a second go unplanned. “By the way, I’ve finally decided on an event.”

  “Event?” Jenny watched her flip through page after scribble-covered page.

 
Kelsey was too busy checking out her plans, not even looking up from her planner. She scanned the page until she found what she was looking for, and then thrust the book under Jenny’s nose, pointing to an afternoon a month away. The words Pine Grove Bake Sale were written in Kelsey’s neat handwriting.

  “The event you’re going to help me with. I’ve scheduled a PTA bake sale, and you’re exactly the kind of student the overbearing mothers would want helping.”

  “Isn’t your mom a PTA mom?”

  Kelsey nodded. “Dillard’s pantsuit and all. Which is why I know you’re the kind of teen they want there. My mother is always lamenting that I’m not more like you.”

  “I keep telling you, if you hold your tongue, adults literally fall at your feet.”

  “Teach me your ways, master. Let me be your apprentice,” Kelsey mocked, bowing.

  “I’m sorry, but it’s too late for you. You’re already officially labeled a bad seed.”

  “Curse my witty sarcastic mouth, curse it, I say!”

  Jenny laughed. “Seriously, I’m not the bake sale type. I’m the ‘hiding and eating all the peanut butter cookies’ type.”

  “We can’t sell peanut butter cookies because of allergies.”

  “See, I would suck at helping you,” Jenny countered. “I’d accidentally poison everyone.”

  “I’ll make room for you at our booth.” Kelsey scribbled Jenny’s name into her planner.

  “I’m so glad you listen to me.”

  But she was teasing. She’d promised to do an event with Kelsey, and she wasn’t going to back out. Kelsey was the only one who didn’t make her sad right now, the only person who didn’t set her on edge. She was the only one not involved in the Chance/Jenny/Drake drama. The bell rang, and they both reluctantly made their way to class.

  * * *

  THERE WAS NO way she was going to brave the cafeteria yet, so Jenny headed toward the library for lunch.

  Chance found her there, and Kelsey quickly followed. Before long, it became a routine of theirs. Jenny was grateful for it, even if she kept thinking about how many people cut through the library just to stare. Things weren’t great, but she loved their little trio. She hoped they knew it.

  Chance and Kelsey were a dream team to have around whenever someone said something bad about her within earshot. They both jumped to her defense, sending the offender off crying. Chance’s glare and Kelsey’s sharp tongue quieted down as many rumors as they could. Eventually things started to die down. Slowly but surely, things returned to normal.

  Kelsey had been right: Another big story broke the next week, and everyone who was anyone could do nothing but talk about how Margaret Lester had gotten knocked up by her college boyfriend.

  “I feel bad for Margaret and all, but I’m kind of glad this happened,” Jenny said the day after the news broke. She looked across the library table at Kelsey. “Does that make me a bad person?”

  Kelsey shook her head. “Nah, it’s only normal to be happy that the spotlight is off you now, regardless of how it happened.”

  “That’s true,” Chance agreed. He sat at the end of the table, feet propped up, earning a glare from the librarian. “If you feel too guilty, you can lend me and Kelsey to her as bodyguards.”

  “You two do seem to make a good team,” Jenny agreed. She was happy to see them getting along. It never occurred to her to mix her worlds before, not like this. It had always been school or home, Kelsey or Chance. Maybe this was the type of branching out she was supposed to be doing, not forcing herself to go to parties with a boy in a band. This felt easy and right.

  “Hell yeah we do,” Kelsey said. She and Chance high-fived. “Does this mean we can go back to eating in the cafeteria?”

  Chance nodded. “I hope so. The librarian really hates me.” He waved at the woman, who only glared harder.

  Jenny watched them, smiling quietly to herself. She knew these two people understood her. They accepted her, warts and all. She hoped that this newfound peace could last forever.

  * * *

  IT SEEMED THAT things were, indeed, too good to be true.

  It was a week after the Margaret Lester fiasco, and the day had started innocently enough. Jenny walked into the cafeteria before school, minding her own business. Chance hadn’t shown to pick her up so she caught a ride with her mother instead. He’d texted something about missing his alarm. She noticed every eye turn to her, quietly following her every step as she made her way to her usual spot.

  “I heard that Drake caught them in the act,” someone whispered behind her, making the hairs on her neck stand up. That definitely wasn’t about Margaret Lester. “Chance just kept going.”

  “Well, I heard that she confessed because she couldn’t handle the guilt.”

  “No, you’re both wrong. Chance told because he didn’t want to hide anymore. A cold-hearted queen wouldn’t confess.” Cold-hearted queen?

  “Oh please, that’s all bullshit. Obviously Drake got tired of her. I mean, everyone knew.”

  Jenny tried her best to tune them all out, focusing on searching the room for her friends. Her hands shook.

  Ignore them, she told herself, but it was impossible. I thought this all ended weeks ago.

  “I don’t understand why he’s writing about her anyway. I mean, she’s boring and plain.” Cue the laughter.

  “You all need to shut up before I shut you up,” a familiar voice interrupted, silencing the gossiping people. Jenny’s head jerked up, turning to see what was happening.

  Kelsey stood behind the offending gossips, her hands on her hips. Her blond hair was pulled back and her eyes were angry. She stood at her full height, which was quite intimidating. She whipped her eagle eyes around, glaring at each person.

  “If you say one more word about this stupid shit, I’ll drag you around back and shave your heads.”

  Jenny couldn’t fight a smile at that.

  The group dispersed, and Kelsey made her way to Jenny. “What is going on? I thought everyone jumped ship to talk about Margaret?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine,” Jenny said. She already regretted going into the cafeteria. People kept looking at her, making her skin crawl. Maybe Chance would have answers. She craned her neck, looking all around for him.

  “You look like you’re having an aneurism,” Kelsey observed.

  “I’m looking for Chance,” Jenny said.

  “He’s probably still parking his car.”

  “I’ll keep looking.” Jenny walked away, still feeling uneasy.

  “Don’t forget about the bake sale!” Kelsey called after her. “It’s this afternoon!”

  “I’ll be there!” Jenny promised as she set off to look for Chance.

  CHAPTER 26

  Chance

  Chance was in first block when he found out. He was running late, still getting used to his new schedule even though it was nearly a month into the semester already. He stumbled into Sociology, earning a glare from the teacher. He slipped into his seat, noticing that more people than usual were staring at him. Hadn’t this all stopped a few weeks ago? He looked around, people averting their eyes as he did so. Something was up, and he was going to figure out what.

  He cornered Danny Jennings after class. “Danny!” he called, jogging to catch up to him in the bustle of the hall.

  Danny squirmed uncomfortably, trying not to look at him.

  “Hey, Chance. I have to get to class—”

  “I’ll be quick, then. Why are people staring at me again?”

  Danny managed to look even more uncomfortable, a feat Chance didn’t think possible.

  “I don’t think I should be the one to tell you—”

  That set his alarms off. “Tell me what, Danny?”

  “Can you promise not to shoot the messenger?” Danny said at last, pulling his phone from his pocket. “I know you don’t like it when people insult her, and I swear that’s not what I’m doing.”

  “Danny, I’m not going to hit you,” Chanc
e swore, taking the phone the smaller boy offered.

  A YouTube video was pulled up. Chance could barely make out the sound over the cacophony of the hallway around him, but he heard enough. The image of Drake onstage definitely gave him a few clues. His blood boiled as he watched the video, his fist tightening around Danny’s phone. The video was titled “Cold-Hearted Queen.”

  How could Drake do this?

  “Please don’t break my phone,” Danny said, pulling it out of Chance’s grasp. “It was posted sometime last night, I’m not sure when. I don’t know any more about it. A friend sent me the link this morning.”

  But Chance wasn’t listening. The breakup in the parking lot was one thing—it could have easily been written off as an oversight of passion. It was believable that he didn’t choose that venue; it was just where he was when the breakup occurred. But this? Writing a song about her? That was cold. That was calculated.

  He hoped to God that Jenny hadn’t heard yet.

  He took off down the hall. There was no way he could make it to her next class before the bell rang, which meant he had to wait until lunch to talk to her. He made his way to class, glaring at everyone who met his eye.

  Someone snagged his sleeve, pulling him toward the lockers.

  “Masters, did you see?” Kelsey asked, her phone in hand. He didn’t have to look to see that she had the video pulled up.

  He nodded. “Does Jenny know yet?”

  “I have no idea. Neither of us knew this morning, but Glenda Hargrove just sent me the link.” Kelsey was so mad she was shaking. “This is some teen-movie bullshit,” she said. “I can’t believe he wrote a stupid song about her.”

  “Really?” Chance asked. “I can. This is exactly the kind of thing he’d do.”

  “What do we do?” Kelsey asked. “How do we protect her from this?”

  “We can’t.” As much as it hurt him to admit it, he had to. This was outside of their control. They couldn’t do anything about it. “We just have to be here for her.”

  “Can we at least beat up Drake? Because I would very much like to punch his face.”

  Chance liked the sound of that, but he knew it wasn’t an option. “I think that would make everything worse.”