“I’m going to get you for that!” Adam started running after me. Well, at least he tried to run after me, but he was in the water. It’s not very easy to run in the water.
Adam and I were horsing around in the water for a long time. It was the most fun I’d had in a long time. I was too busy having fun to remember that all of my friends were still waiting for me. Everything else in the world seemed to vanish. Nothing else existed. I even forgot about Hank standing on the beach, waiting for Adam to say that he wanted Hank to be his guardian. I finally got too tired to go on. I couldn’t even move.
“Do you want to get out?” Adam seemed to sense my sluggishness.
“Yeah,” My teeth chattered. Adam and I walked back to where Hank should have been, but he wasn’t there anymore.
“What do you want to do now?” Adam asked me.
“I think I want you to take me over to school,” I answered.
“School? Why would you ever want to go to school when you don’t have to?”
“There’s cheerleading practice today,” I informed him.
“What? You’re not a cheerleader, are you? I thought you hated what cheerleaders stood for.”
“I don’t hate all cheerleaders, and it’s not like all cheerleaders are evil.” I defended. Oh my gosh! I defended cheerleaders? What’s wrong with me?
“Whatever. If that’s what you think, I support that.”
“Thanks.” I hugged him. We got inside of the car and drove over to school. Cheerleading practice would almost be over. As we got to the school, I started to think of things to say. I know, I know. You have no clue what I’m talking about, but you’ll see. Adam parked the car, and then we walked into the school hand in hand. We walked into the gymnasium, and it seemed as if all motion stopped. Lena, Liz, and Jill stopped moving. The other cheerleaders did the same. Tom and Annie were in each other’s arms, but I knew that Annie was watching me.
“What are you doing here?” Lena walked up to me with her nose held high. Maybe I should tell her to shave her nose hairs; that might lower the altitude of her honker.
“I’m here to talk to Annie,” I answered.
“Why would you want to talk to her? Don’t you think that she’s stupid since she became one of us?”
“Just because she wears the skirt doesn’t mean she’s like you. She’s better than you. She doesn’t hide because she’s a low scum sucking wenchwad.” I stood in front of Lena, letting go of Adam’s hand.
“Oh, Adam? I’m so sorry to hear about your case!” Lena said. She almost sounded sincere, but then I realized the reason for her remark.
“What are you talking about?” I asked rolling my eyes. “We both know nothing has been decided. Right, Adam?” I turned to Adam. His face was suddenly tight. He looked straight ahead not meeting my gaze, staring right at Lena. It was almost as if his eyes were pleading for her not to go on. You and I know that Lena’s only function in life is to mess up others.
“You haven’t told her? Let me guess, you two are going out now? Aw, that’s so sweet. It’s too bad. Isn’t it?” Lena smiled at me. It was the most demonic and hateful look I’d ever seen.
“What are you talking about?” I inquired.
“Lena,” was all that Adam said.
“Adam,” I said silencing him, “What are you talking about Lena?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Adam continued.
“Adam,” I said again as he grabbed my hand.
“You didn’t hear?” Lena smirked.
“Lena stop,” Adam pleaded.
“The case was decided this morning,” Lena ignored Adam.
“What?” I looked at Adam. “Is this true?”
“Yes, but I was going to tell you tomorrow.”
“Why does Lena know before me? I’m your girlfriend.” My voice cracked.
“Yes, but…” Adam stuttered.
“Don’t you want to hear the verdict?” Lena didn’t wait for me to answer. “The money was mysteriously returned. Now there is only the matter of what punishment he should get for stealing it only. If Adam decided to find a permanent legal guardian then he’d be enrolled in a community service program…”
“That’s great!” I blurted kissing Adam.
“I’m not finished. Your little love lumps over here didn’t want the restrictions of a legal guardian so he refused to find a guardian. The judge gave him an alternate sentence. He’s going to be shipped off to a military school on the other side of the country. Are you still thrilled, Ashley?” Lena giggled.
“Why would you refuse to find a guardian like that?” I released my hand from Adam’s and stepped away from him.
“The judge said I had to choose an adult who would be willing to house me for the next two years. There’s nobody who would do that for me. That’s why I refused.”
“What about Hank? He would have! What about today at the beach?” I replied.
“Today at the beach, I told him how I didn’t need him or anyone. I know that he’s going to go get that job across the country, and besides, why would he want me? Then he and I got into a huge fight about how irresponsible I am, and he left.” Adam explained.
“When do you leave?” I asked.
“He leaves next weekend. It’s about time something bad happened to you! You’ve been a pain for a long time, and you deserve it.” Lena cackled slapping me.
“Hey! Cut that out!” Adam yelled, shielding me.
“Don’t yell at her!” Tom walked over to Adam and punched him to the ground. Annie and I ran over trying to separate them, but Tom threw both of us off. We fell to the ground. When Tom realized that he had pushed Annie he said, “You shouldn’t have gotten in the way.” After that he ran out of the room. Lena followed him along with her minions.
“Are you okay, Adam?” I got up and went over to Adam.
“Yes.” He took my hand as I helped him up.
“Good, then I’ve got to go,” I said.
“What? Why? Don’t go yet.”
“I need to think.” Adam grabbed my arm, and I fought him off as I walked briskly outside. When I reached the steps, I stumbled to the ground sobbing. What was I going to do?
Chapter 11
The Locker Room
Can you believe what has happened to me over the last couple of weeks? My life is really becoming a complicated mess. All I have to say is that I seriously needed some advice from my friends. What was I going to do about Adam? He can’t go! He just can’t. Are you thinking that too? You’re just so adorable; do you know that? That’s so cute! Anyway, the best place to get to talk to your friends without any of the guys around is…well never. Guys are almost always around except for the locker room and the bathroom. I already explained why girls go to the bathroom together, and the scene in the locker room is pretty much the same. This is where the girls get to chat. We don’t have to worry about a guy knowing about it, which is very helpful. It’s especially helpful when it’s about a guy. I know what the guys are thinking. Locker room…sweet! Let me just tell you right now, girls don’t do the things that go on in the movies. Movies portray lockers rooms totally wrong. We don’t take twenty minute showers, we don’t run around naked, we don’t run around in way too short bath towels, and we don’t have peepholes in the shower stalls (at least that we know of!).
“Keri, I really need to talk to you guys!” I gasped in relief when I entered the locker room after an exhausting gym hour. I’m in the total body fitness class, and they’re all in the coed P.E. class.
“What’s wrong, Ash?” Betty asked me.
“Does it have something to do with Adam?” Allie asked.
“How did you know?” I inquired.
“He looked really sad this hour,” Allie told me.
“Really?” I was almost relieved that I wasn’t the only one who was being tortured.
“Yeah, I noticed it too. What’s going on with you two, Ash?” Jennifer wiped her face off with a towel.
“It’s going to take a while to
explain,” I said.
“We’ve got fifteen minutes, because we all got let out of class early, and besides, lunch is next hour,” Keri told me.
“Well, Adam asked me out.”
“So? You’ve turned him down every time that he’s asked you.” Tina shrugged her shoulders.
“I said yes this time.”
“You did?” All the girls suddenly paid more attention.
“Yes. He and I are going out now,” I answered.
“That’s great! How’s it working out?” Betty questioned.
“Not so hot,” I replied.
“You guys aren’t, you know…” Tina made kissy faces and did a pelvic thrust.
“Ewwww! No. Jeez, Tina. Could you be subtler? That’s disgusting. Who do you think I am? Lena?” I asked.
“She didn’t mean anything by it, Ash. You know how she is. The body of a high school student, but the mind of a preschooler.” Jennifer giggled.
“Hey, I resent that!” Tina defended.
“You didn’t remember you were wearing a thong. Come on, it’s true isn’t it?” Allie smiled.
“Fine, be that way. Anyway, what’s wrong with you and Adam?” Tina turned her attention to me.
“His court case is over,” I told them.
“That’s awesome! How rough was the judge on him?” Keri asked.
“Well…” I answered, proceeding to fill them in on the whole ugly truth.
“But Hank offered!” Betty gasped.
“Why didn’t he agree to live with Hank?” Allie asked.
“He said that he thought he would get in the way of Hank’s plans, and he didn’t know that Hank was willing,” I informed them.
“What are you going to do then?” Tina asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to break up with him, but I don’t want to have to feel totally depressed when he leaves.”
“You’ll feel depressed when he leaves whether or not you’re going out with him. Breaking up with him would just be a technicality,” Betty wisely told me.
“I think you should talk to him and try to get him to move in with Hank and reopen his case in court,” Allie suggested.
“Adam doesn’t have the money to reopen his case,” I said.
“There has to be a stipulation to the ruling. I mean, if Adam does find a guardian here before this weekend, couldn’t he stay here?” Jennifer asked me.
“I don’t know. Wouldn’t that be great if it was that way?” I replied.
“You really like him don’t you?” Betty asked.
“Of course I do. I love being with him. He’s the nicest guy there is,” I replied. “I just wish that he hadn’t gotten himself into trouble like this.
“You love him don’t you?” Tina giggled.
“I didn’t say that! Why are you laughing at me?” I smiled.
“You’ve got a milky I’m-in-love-look in your eyes,” Jennifer added, joining in on Tina’s laughter.
“Oh my gosh! You and Adam sitting in a tree!” Allie said.
“K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” Keri continued.
“Cut it out. I don’t love Adam. I just like him a lot.” I started laughing.
“First comes love, then comes marriage…” Betty contributed.
“Seriously, stop.” I quit laughing, and everyone else’s laughter subsided after they saw the worried look on my face.
“We’ll find something to do. Don’t worry. Everything will turn out all right. We promise. Right, ladies?” Keri asked locking her locker.
“Right!” They all replied. The bell rang and all the girls left while I was putting my clothes into my locker. Somebody tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around, yelping in surprise.
“Hi.”
“Hi, Annie,” I answered solemnly. Her face was sullen, and her eyes were puffy from crying. “Are you okay?” I asked.
“I should be asking you that. I’m so sorry you had to find out that your boyfriend is leaving the state like that,” Annie said sniffling.
“It’s okay. I’ll figure something out. Lena’s just a pain,” I told her, slightly smiling. “What about you? You look like you’ve been crying.”
“I’m so sorry, I should have listened to you. I shouldn’t have blown up at you like I did at the park,” Annie blurted out.
“Oh.” I heaved a sigh of relief. “Don’t even worry about it. I was in the wrong too. I should never have said anything like that about someone you like, especially your boyfriend. Let’s go to class, we’ve already lost a few minutes. We don’t want to get a detention for loitering in the hallways.” I led Annie outside to the silent hallways.
“Ex-boyfriend,” Annie corrected me.
“Really?” My face brightened, and then I recovered, acting sympathetic. “I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah. I broke up with him after he threw you and me off of him. I didn’t know that he could be so cruel. He was so nice to me. When I broke up with him he told me that he was glad. He said he didn’t like the way that he couldn’t…that he couldn’t ‘nail me.’ He said I wasn’t worth it. He only dated me because he liked me body,” Annie confided.
“That’s terrible. He’s such a horrible loser. A male wenchwad.” I comforted her.
“A what?”
“Never mind. He’s just bad.” I smiled.
“Thanks. I should have listened to you. You knew what he was all about,” Annie scolded herself.
“Let’s not talk about it anymore. Forgive and forget. There’s no point in talking about it anymore. We both know how wrong we were and it’s over. Okay?” I told her.
“Of course. Deal! I totally understand what you’re talking about,” Annie commented.
“Good. I’ll tell you what. I promise that by the end of today, I will have found a way to get back at Tom for you. Okay?” I said.
“Okay. He was really awful to me. Skinhead.” Annie snickered.
“That gives me an idea. I’ll talk to you later okay?” I asked.
“Well, I also think that I have a way that we can get back at Lena. She’s totally wretched too. She’s the captain of the cheerleading squad, right?” Annie asked.
“And?” I inquired.
“I was reading the rulebook yesterday, and if all of the other cheerleaders agree, she can be kicked off the squad for good.”
“No way!” My jaw dropped open. “How are you going to get Jill and Liz, her most faithful shadows to see the light?”
“They like me. They like me a lot. I think there is some serious brainwashing in order here.” Annie giggled.
“You’re evil. I like it!” I smiled. “Maybe we should do something to mess with how Lena looks, she’d be kicked off for sure then.”
“Good idea. Why don’t you plan it while I do a number on the other nimrods? And thanks, I can be crafty at times.” Annie’s face was getting back its natural glow. She was one of the prettiest girls in school. I’m sure there was a guy in my group who would be thrilled to go out with her. Maybe I could set her up with somebody.
“You start Operation Takeover, and I’ll find a way to hit Tom where it hurts.”
“Okay. See you later,” Annie said as she walked away.
“Bye.” I walked towards my locker when a strong set of hands grabbed me from behind and brought me into them. I jumped in shock. Turning around, I found it to be the strong arms of my extra babelicious boyfriend. My boyfriend. Man, I like the sound of that. My back was up against his chest. WHOO! He definitely had a six-pack. NICE! Oh…SHUSH! Just because I noticed doesn’t mean that I’m a perve. Deal with my hormones for the moment!
“Hi, sweetie. I really want to talk to you. You ran out yesterday. By the time I got away from consoling Annie, you were gone. You said you had to think. What have you been thinking?” He kissed my neck.
“Well…” I shivered, smiling. “My aren’t we frisky?”
“Hey, I’ve got to make my last days here count.” Adam hugged me closer.
“About that.” I wriggled out of his hold, su
ddenly uncomfortable. Hold on, let me just pause it here. Isn’t he kind of…ok…I’ll say it…horny? I mean, come on. Couldn’t he put his hormones in check? I don’t get it, last year all of the guys I knew didn’t really think we were girls, and then suddenly they realized something. “Hey, they have boobs!” What an amazing discovery for them, huh? Sorry, back to Adam.
“What?” Adam’s eyes glowed with a look of…I can’t quite describe it. I’m going to have to ask him later what’s he’s thinking when he looks at me like that.
“That’s what I had to think about,” I replied.
“Listen, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I just didn’t know how to break it to you. Please forgive me. I don’t want to end our relationship on bad terms.”
“Why are you so laid back about this?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re just going to sit back and take it?” I looked at him.
“Take what?”
“The fact that you have to move,” I reminded him.
“I’ve moved before.”
“But you didn’t have me be in love with you before.” I got a little upset. Oops. Great job, Ashley. You just admitted to loving him! Great way to make a guy go run and hide. That’ s one thing about guys, when they hear the word L-O-V-E too soon, and don’t feel it back, they run like those little hamsters on their wheels. Heehee. Those hamsters are funny to watch! Anyway, now I was in for it. He probably couldn’t wait to leave now.
“I don’t know what to say,” Adam whispered.
“Don’t say anything. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.” I closed my eyes in embarrassment. You know, the kind where you want to crawl underneath a rock and never come out. Well, you wouldn’t crawl out unless it smelled funny in there, and who wants that?
“It’s okay. I didn’t know you liked me that much. I like you a lot too, but I’m just not ready to…you know, return the feelings?” He kissed my hands.
“I’m not either. I don’t know why I said that. Wow, you are all for PDA aren’t you?” I smiled.
“Duh! But, I just want to say that I don’t want to commit to saying anything when I’m not positive that’s what I feel. I don’t want to say that unless I really mean it.”
A Life Like Mine Page 15
