by Sally Henson
Haylee’s tiny frame makes its way toward me as I put my backpack down on the bleachers and sit beside it. It's a little awkward between Haylee and me right now. She's hiding her more-than-friends relationship with Cameron, and I'm hiding my more-than-friends relationship with Lane.
We have three rules in our group of five that bind us together. Rule number one: no gossiping. Rule number two: no back stabbing. Rule number three: no dating within the group. Rule number three has become a problem … my problem. Especially since I’m the one who came up with it.
Maybe I should tell Haylee, but I want to hold on to my secret because Cameron would be ticked, and he has a loud mouth. He may not say anything on purpose, but I could hear him talking a mile away. Next, Stacey would get wind of it and conjure up some B.S. that I’m sleeping with Cameron and Lane. What’s worse, she could spread gossip that Lane and I are a thing, and it’s actually the truth for once. If my dad finds out Lane and I are more than friends, our life together would end.
Not only will I have to deal with Stacey’s rushing river of venomous gossip, Cameron will be ticked. He’ll find every which way to push my buttons, never letting up that I am breaking the rules, regardless if he is or not. He might even play along with Stacey’s gossip. Argh! My blood pressure’s going through the roof, just thinking about what could happen. Breathe, Regan, just breathe. Stacey doesn’t know anything. No one knows but Tobi and Rex.
“Hey.” I smile as Haylee sits beside me. She’s wearing her perfume stronger than normal. “You smell nice. How was your weekend?”
She moans and folds her arms in front of her. “I had to go to a stupid wedding with my mom. Some old person she knows.”
“Ugh.” I curl my top lip to the side. “Sorry you had to go through that.”
Her smile grows. “I did see a couple cute guys, so it wasn’t too bad.”
“Anyone I know?” Probably Cameron.
“Nah, they were from out of town. What did you do?”
My heart stops and I turn away, looking towards the gym floor. I’m trying to come up with something when Tobi walks in, all smiles. She’s wearing a pretty, flowery shirt. It’s not my style, but it looks good on her.
“Look.” I nudge Haylee in time for her to see the show. We both giggle. It's entertaining to watch all the boys turn like tops, one after the other, when she makes an entrance. Tobi whips her phone out of the back pocket of her cute jeans, sliding through the screens—her lips press together, and she doesn’t even notice all the guys and most of the girls are watching her glide through the gym. She spots us at our usual morning squatting area and tosses her hand in the air as a wave.
“I have good news.” She looks down to the screen and flashes us a text from Lane.
Tobi reads out loud. “G5—so far so good!”
Looks like he sent it at 10:05 last night. I sigh to myself. I'm looking forward to his call today and hearing all about his first day.
Haylee’s dark brows arch over her chocolate-drop eyes. “Is that all he sent?” She leans over the screen to read it.
“That's it.” Tobi hands her the phone and sits on the bleacher beside me. She has the sides of her blonde locks pulled up in a twist on the back of her head. “How was he yesterday?”
I grin and shake my head. “He was his usual Lane self. Calm. Cool. Collected.”
The bell rings and Cameron walks through the gym doors from the parking lot, rubbing a hand over his buzzed dark hair. My trumped-up anger at him washed away when Tobi showed me Lane’s text.
Cam struts through the gym as if he owns the place, wearing that stupid arrogant grin. He tosses his head back at a couple guys that were playing ball as he walks through. It's his usual timing. Cam's a good student but spends as little time possible here. He used to play basketball, and he was good. The coaches were all into spending time together as a team outside of practice and school. Cam refused to give us up. They kind of forced the issue—so, he decided he wasn’t going to play this year.
He sees us and yells across the gym. He’s so loud his voice easily travels above all the racket of morning conversations and boys playing basketball.
Haylee waves and steps to the side, basically inviting him to come into her space. I only see the side of her face, but there’s no way I could miss the big curve her lips have formed. He locks his dark blue eyes with her longer than just friends should, as if he’s sharing a secret with her.
My brows draw low as I sigh to myself and turn away … I should know … Lane and I have shared the same secret glance long enough. Ugh. My stomach sours at the thought of keeping the new side of our relationship from them. Part of me wants to tell them. I don’t want them to hear it from someone else, but I can’t risk Cameron’s loud mouth.
We start walking toward the hallway to our lockers. Haylee hangs back to walk beside him.
Cameron pokes my shoulder. “Ready for our geometry test?” Cameron and I have been in the same math classes since our freshman year. Algebra I, Algebra II, and now Geometry. Our school is so small, they don't really offer advanced classes.
I roll my head back and look up to the white drop ceiling of the hallway with a groan. “I was kind of busy this weekend and didn't get much studying done.” I forgot all about the test. My lips mash together and I think about when I can look over my notes.
“Oh yeah?” Tobi nudges me. She knows I was otherwise-occupied this weekend. She doesn't know about Linc, though, and I can't even tell her. She puts on this innocent look and bats her eyelashes at me. I bug my eyes out at her in warning. We turn the corner and split off to our lockers to swap out books for our first class. Cameron heads out to the Ag building, and I catch up with Tobi at her locker while Haylee’s still digging through hers.
I whisper so no one else can hear me. “Don’t say anything about me and Lane. We didn’t tell our parents. I’ll tell you about it after school, but you can’t say anything to anyone. Okay?” I walk away looking at her over my shoulder.
She pushes her hip out, her hand resting on it, and drops her head giving me the look.
I flash the look back at her.
She nods and strolls to her business class.
I catch Haylee at her locker, and we walk to first period together. It's a dual-credit English class her mom teaches.
Ms. Faun stands at the classroom entrance, holding the door open for all the students. She wears her chemically enhanced blonde hair in a chin length bob. “Good morning, girls.”
“Hi, Mom.”
“Morning, Ms. Faun.” I smile and walk through the doorway, following Haylee to our seats.
There are already a couple of people in class. It had been such an eventful weekend, I hadn't spent any time thinking about school or the gossip fiends of this town. Not entirely true. I admitted to Lane and Tobi I wasn't ready to reveal the change in my relationship with Lane, because I wanted to save ourselves from Stacey Faniger’s juicy gems of ginned-up gibberish. Otherwise known as gossip.
So technically, I did think about the gossip, though I didn’t dwell on it. But now it’s not only Stacey I’m keeping Lane and me a secret from. Dad seems to think we’re not a good idea, when Lane’s the only one that makes sense.
The sight of her dark wavy hair causes a sinking in my gut. It's first period and reality has already given me a one-two punch, making it ever so clear that I am still a junior in a gossip-ridden small-town high-school and Lane is not.
Why Stacey preferred to sit right next to me in this class that is only three-quarters full is beyond me. We chose our seats the first day of school, and here she remains. If given the option, I always choose the front seat in the middle. It's the seat with the least distractions. Except when Stacey Faniger is constantly looking down her nose at me. Which is probably why she wants to sit next to me in here.
“Stacey.” I acknowledge her as I walk past to my seat. It's not quite a greeting, but close enough.
She responds with a snarl of a look and I almost flinch. S
tacey Faniger alone is an excellent reason for me to have a plan to get out of this town. She’s not the only one in town who enjoys hurting other people with half-truths and outright lies, but she’s the biggest one in high school.
I’ve already messed up my plan with all my kissing and stuff with Lane. There weren’t supposed to be any boyfriends until after I started my career. My cousin Susanna’s willingness to share everything she’s been through with her ex-boyfriend—Stacey’s brother and the father of Susanna’s daughter—has encouraged my no boys rule. And now look at me. The muscles in my shoulders tighten, encouraging the knots slowly forming at the base of my skull.
“I guess you’re all alone now, poor thing.” Stacey releases her poison in the form of sound waves between us.
I glance over at her and open my notebook, writing the date on my page. I try to ignore her.
“My girls have a bet on how long it will take for Lane to find a real woman at Eastern.” She flips her hair and turns toward me, cupping her hand by her mouth as if she’s about to tell me a secret. “My guess is a month. Maybe a week longer, since loyalty is one of his qualities.” She leans back with a smirk on her face. “I’m sure he’ll go to a few parties and get over his devotion by then.”
This girl ticks me off more than anyone. Ever. And if she didn’t have the power to make Susanna’s life hell, I’d … I press my palm against my twisting stomach. Who am I kidding? She can make my life hell right now with my parents. Argh,keep your mouth shut, Regan.
The bell rings, and Ms. Faun walks into the room and takes her place in front of the class.
Stacey looks past me to Haylee at the desk next to mine. “Oh, I like those earrings, Haylee.” Her voice is sugary-sweet and a blatant attempt to brown-nose Ms. Faun.
“Thanks.” Haylee’s shy voice matches her smile.
Stacey will do anything to get a good grade. I sort-of get it. I mean, I get good grades and I know how to study to get those grades. But I’m not going to lie, or cheat, or brown-nose to get them. Fortunately, I get along fine with all my teachers, even if some of them are so boring I have to pinch myself to pay attention.
Stacey has a dual-credit speech class, history, and a regular science class with me, too. At least she doesn’t sit by me in those classes. And so far, she’s been too busy drooling all over the new science teacher to make waves for me in science. I’m perfectly willing to sacrifice a young, cute, new teacher if it makes my life easier.
School pretty much stinks without Lane here. Even when I meet up with my three friends for lunch it’s not the same without Lane. It’s class after class and—reality after reality. Practice can’t come soon enough.
Today and tomorrow's practice will determine who starts and who doesn't for our match Thursday. Tobi and I have been playing this game since junior high. We’re good players; the problem is we don’t play on travel volleyball teams. My parents can’t afford it and Tobi simply has too much work on the farm. But we always show up for practice and open gyms, even if we know Coach penalizes those who aren’t on travel team.
I'm a little nervous about making a starting position on varsity. Tobi and I both dressed for the varsity team last year. Tobi's a natural at volleyball. At five foot eight and a half inches, a couple of inches more than me—she's taller than most girls in our school. So naturally, she played quite a bit on varsity last year.
Tobi finishes her three blocks and a set and jogs back in line behind me. “What’s your cousin doing here?”
I scan the rear of the gym and watch Susanna walk with Coach to the net. “No clue.”
“Susanna looks fierce. I can’t tell she’s had a baby. Like at all. Even if it’s been a year.”
The whispering grows too loud. Coach blows her whistle. “Four laps, ladies. We’re here to practice, not gossip.” Even though I have to endure the four laps, I’m glad Coach keeps a tight rein on the gossip and backbiting. Maybe they’ll learn to keep their traps shut.
After practice, Susanna stops me as Tobi and I pass the weight room on our way out to the car.
“Regan, we need to catch up sometime.” She pushes the loose strands of her golden wheat-colored hair back to her ponytail.
We stop in front of her and Coach. I nod in agreement. “Yeah, it’s been too long.”
She waves. “I’ll call you.”
I smile and nod. “Sounds good. See you at practice tomorrow.”
She nods and goes back to discussing strategy with Coach, pointing at the clipboard in Coach’s hands.
We slide into Tobi’s car. “Susanna looked good when I saw her, what was that, a month ago? But today, in her workout gear …” She whistles. “That girl is fit!”
“Mm-hm.” I raise my brows and nod in agreement. “She’s going to be so much help for our team.”
Tobi pulls out of the parking lot. “I’m glad she’s not hiding at home anymore.”
I turn in my seat so I can watch her expressions. “Let us continue with the subject of Rexy Poo.” I sing-song his name. “Background check. Where’s he from, again?”
“No way.” She shakes her head. “Why didn’t you guys tell your parents? What happened?” We turn onto the main road.
I sigh and rest my back against the seat. “It was a mess, Sunday.”
Her eyes widen. “What happened?”
I growl out a warning of my frustration. “First, someone showed up and made me promise not to tell anyone they showed up, so don’t even ask. Second, they said some things about Lane and me and college life that made me think about ending this more than thing with Lane.”
She whips her head to look at me. Eyes wide open, mouth wide open. “What?”
I nod. “Third, we didn’t even have a chance to bring it up before our parents were talking about Lane finding his future wife at college and my dad suggesting Lane find a new, more appropriate bestie that’s of the male persuasion.”
She repeats the same exact action and words. “What?”
“Yeah.” I jerk my eyebrows up. “Lane’s going to college now. That’s a game changer, I guess.”
Her brows knit close together. “What’s the difference between last year or this year? He’s still the same Lane.”
My stomach begins to twist and turn. “Lane’s a college boy now; he’s moved past high-school girls.”
Tobi gasps, shooting a long wide-eyed glance at me. “Did Lane say that?”
My eyes strain to stay in their sockets. “Oh, no. No, it wasn’t Lane. That was Dad.”
She’s gripping the steering wheel tight. “Your dad? Who showed up?”
I’m painting myself in a corner. “I can’t say. They made me promise.”
Tobi’s brows overshadow her big eyes when she shoots me a piercing glare.
“I know. I’m sorry.” I want to tell her, but I try very hard to keep my promises. What’s one more person to keep secrets from, right? Grrr.
She sighs. “I can see your dad saying no to a college boy, but Lane? It’s not like he’s a stranger.”
“Yeah, but can’t you see my dad only allowing supervised visits? No more hanging out with the gang or Lane picking me up to go swimming or fishing or anything.”
“Mmm.” Tobi tilts her head from side to side; her mouth puckers. “Yeah, maybe. I don’t know.”
“Well, I didn’t even hear the whole diatribe. My stomach was already queasy, I guess from Lane leaving, and then Dad’s language … I threw up in the bathroom. I didn’t want to talk to Dad after that. So, don’t. Tell. Anyone. No Haylee. No Cameron.”
She shakes her head and hitches her shoulders. “They can keep your secret.”
There’s that word again. Secret. “They’ll be ticked I’m breaking the rules. And Cam’s voice is so loud he’ll tell the whole town without meaning to.”
“Maybe, but I doubt it. Besides, everyone can already see without you saying a word.”
“Gee, thanks.” I close my eyes and rest my head against her smooth leather seat.
&nbs
p; “What’re you guys going to do?”
I keep my eyes shut and shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“The way I see it you have three options: keep your secret and stay together, try to be only friends and lie to yourselves, or tell your dad and deal with the consequences.”
I tilt my head and glare at her out the corner of my eye.
She tosses her hand in the air.
The trees and weeds blur together in a continuous stream of varying shades of green. My head is swirling with all the untold truths I’ll have to keep. I push out all the oxygen from my lungs. I’m not sure what to do. Last night, after Lane left, all I could think about was Lincoln saying Lane would cheat on me and the way Linc and Dad both said Lane and I live in different worlds now. Lane said he’d call after practice. Now I’m even doubting that.
My gaze moves back to Tobi. “Tell me about Rex.” I make a big effort to listen. I could use the distraction from my own destructive thoughts.
“Now that's a story in itself.”
I squish my eyebrows together.
She chuckles at my confused look. Her phone rings.
Tobi grabs it from the cup holder, glancing at it. She wiggles her eyebrows and hands me the phone. “It's for you.”
8
Regan
“Lane?”
“Regan, how was your day without me?” His voice washes over me, relaxing and exciting at the same time. Tobi slows and turns onto her road. She thoughtfully goes to her house instead of taking me straight home. Going to her house gives me more time to talk to Lane.
“How was yours?” I don't add the words without me out of embarrassment. I try to defer any kind of private talk until Tobi gives me some space.
“Is Tobi going to give you some privacy?”
He read my mind. It warms me from head to toes. “Yeah, we're almost to her house now.” I can’t contain my grin and I think I may be slightly pink, but not sure.
“Hey, college boy, how was the first day of classes?” Tobi yells, so Lane can hear her.
