The Queen B* and the Homecoming King

by Crista McHugh

If that look was his attempt at civil, he was a bad actor. And I knew what he was like when he didn’t have to worry about Brett catching him. “Sanchez and I have never had a civil relationship.”

  “Well, maybe he’s ready to try one.”

  Which meant that Brett had probably said something to him, and he was now asking the same of me. “And his threats earlier this week?”

  “Are taken care of.” Brett grabbed his own stuff and waited for me to fall into step with him. “You’ve asked me to step up when it comes to the team, and I’m doing what I can. He knows how important it is for him to watch his step this week. He even feels kind of guilty about leaving the team in the lurch last week with his suspension, so I’m less worried about him getting into trouble.”

  The memory of the way Sanchez was watching Richard’s locker yesterday triggered another wave of unease. “And when you’re gone part of next week?”

  “I’m hoping I don’t have to play nanny to all the guys, especially since they’ve seen what you’re capable of doing when you choose to bust them for their behavior.” He turned and blocked the doorway. “Want to join us for lunch?”

  “And listen to guys talk football? Puh-lease.” Not to mention potentially setting off a simmering powder keg of anger that had long been established between me and his friends. “Besides, I promised I’d help Richard prep for the final round of debate team tryouts.”

  He arched one brow. “Is this your way of enforcing rule number one?”

  “Maybe that’s the very reason I have rule number one—to allow you to enjoy spending time with your friends without me inserting a new level of awkwardness to the situation.” I tried to slip past him, but he caught my hand and kept me from making my getaway.

  “Lexi, I know you well enough to see there’s something bothering you.”

  He let go and merged into the human traffic in the hallway, his words unnerving me as much as my actions probably had wounded him. He knew I was keeping secrets from him, but I still wasn’t ready to dump my burdens on him. My embarrassment aside, he already had too much to deal with.

  I arrived at Richard’s locker a second after him. My best friend paused and peered at me as though I was some kind of Queen B* impostor. “Are you wearing makeup?”

  “Do you want help prepping for tryouts?”

  “Okay, I’ll leave it alone, although you do look a little more put together than usual.”

  He opened his locker, and another piece of paper fluttered to the floor.

  I picked it up and read it.

  Go home, fag.

  It was the same large font printed on plain copier paper as the first one.

  Richard peered over my shoulder. Even though he shook his head and muttered “Whatever,” with a healthy roll of his eyes, I didn’t miss the way his Adam’s apple bobbed a second before or the way his hands trembled ever so slightly as he exchanged his books.

  “Doesn’t this bother you?”

  “It could, but it doesn’t.” He slammed his locker shut and snatched the paper from me. “It’s not the first time I’ve received little love notes like this, and it won’t be the last, I’m sure. Besides, whoever left it there is too much of a pussy to say it to my face.”

  He crumpled it up into a little ball and tossed it in the recycle bin, just as I had done yesterday. “Now, let’s grab something to eat before my stomach rumbles any louder than it already is.”

  I allowed him to link his arm through mine and lead me toward the cafeteria. The rain today was too heavy to allow us to eat off-campus without getting drenched.

  When we entered, I didn’t miss the glare Sanchez gave us as we passed the jock table. Brett may have thought he had Sanchez in line, but I knew better. And the moment I had the slightest bit of evidence confirming the wide receiver was the one behind the notes, I would nail Sanchez so hard, he’d regret the day he ever harassed my friend.

  But if I did, would it drive a wedge between me and Brett?

  And if he sided with Sanchez, would I have to break up with him to remain loyal to both my friends and myself?

  Chapter Seven

  Richard once again blew the competition away during the tryouts, and we left Ms. Rothstein’s classroom practically celebrating his victory. But before I could congratulate him myself, I had to wait for the crowd of his potential teammates to finish offering their praise. Even though he’d publicly shown no interest in debate before this week, he’d secretly been practicing since school started. Now his skills had put him in the spotlight and made him an unexpected favorite to make the team.

  If Kelsey didn’t somehow block him. Every time Richard had taken the podium, she’d made no effort to conceal her loathing. Her pen flew across her notepad as he spoke, no doubt listing every fault she could find with his argument. Even now, she glared at him from her seat as though she was trying to figure out how to keep him from sullying her pristine team with his gayness.

  Ajay, on the other hand, couldn’t hide his amazement. He’d lean forward, nodding with just about every point Richard made. And when the crowd started to thin, he rose from his desk and wandered out into the hallway, seeming to aim for Richard before catching himself and stopping a few feet away. He tucked his hands into his pockets and lowered his gaze to the floor. “Good tryout,” he mumbled.

  “Just trying my best to impress you,” Richard replied, beaming wide.

  Ajay looked up, and I swear, they shared a moment. You know, one of those times when you stare into someone’s eyes and everything else seems to fade away. I’d had enough of those moments with Brett to recognize one when I saw it. Richard had told me before that he thought Ajay was cute. He’d also mentioned he thought the debate team co-captain was still in the closet.

  If anything could’ve confirmed Richard’s suspicions about Ajay, it was the attraction between them that sizzled through the air for a few seconds.

  It all ended when Kelsey appeared behind him. “Ajay, come back in so we can get this over with.”

  “Oh, um, sure.” He pressed his hand to the base of his throat in a sloppy effort to smooth his bow tie and cast one more glance at Richard before stumbling back into the classroom and closing the door behind him.

  Richard stared at the closed door with wide eyes and a stupid silly grin. “Did you see that?” he squeaked.

  “How could I miss it?” Now it was my turn to loop my arm through his and lead him down the hallway. “You’ve definitely made an impression on them.”

  “That was a given, but did you see the way he looked at me afterward? Oh. My. God.” Richard stopped to jump up and down in the middle of the empty hall like a giddy cheerleader. “He is so into me.”

  “Maybe so, but he’s still in the closet.” And from the looks of things, not ready to come out any time soon.

  “Just give him time.” Richard picked up the pace and waited until we were in the parking lot before continuing. “In the meantime, I think it’s safe to say I made the team, right?”

  “You should,” I answered with a hint of caution.

  “You don’t trust Kelsey, do you?”

  “Nope. She has it out for you, and she’s going to do her best to make sure you don’t make it.”

  “But she’s only one person, and I have a feeling Ajay will refute her arguments.” He threw his arms around me. “Thank you so much, Alexis. I owe you big time.”

  “Well, you know what you can do to help.” I didn’t have to mention Morgan’s name to let him know what I needed help with.

  “I’m on it. In fact, I’ll swing by her house on my way home.”

  “Thanks.” I started for my car, but Richard stopped me.

  “So what is up with the makeup today? You trying to impress your lover boy?”

  I shook my head, even though Taylor’s comment haunted the back of my mind. “I overslept this morning, and my sister gave me a quick makeover on the way to school.”

  Richard’s brows bunched together, and he squished his mouth to one si
de. “I don’t know what sounds more off about your story—that you overslept, or that Taylor offered to give you a quick makeover.”

  “Maybe it’s a full moon.” First, Brett. Now, Richard. If I wasn’t careful, the whole school would think I’d lost my mind.

  Richard grabbed my arms and pulled me closer until his face was mere inches from mine. He visually dissected me as though I were an amoeba under a microscope. “Are you and Brett fighting again?”

  “No, we’re fine.” Except for the fact he kept pressuring me to go to Homecoming with him.

  “Morgan?”

  That was a tale I was happy to go along with. Plus, it was true. “Yes, Richard, if you really want to know, I’m worried about my friendship with her. She won’t return my calls, and I don’t know what else I can do.”

  “Okay, I get the message loud and clear.” He let go and took a step back. “Although I would encourage you to keep doing whatever Taylor did to your face and hair.”

  “And what is that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing. It’s just, you know, a more mature look for you. Now, your wardrobe, on the other hand…” He wrinkled his nose.

  I looked down at my tee with the image of Darth Vader and Boba Fett posed like the guys from Pulp Fiction. “What?”

  He shook his head. “If I ever see you in a dress, I might keel over from surprise.”

  “Hmm… Maybe I’ve found my reason to go to Homecoming, after all,” I mused. I inwardly recoiled when I realized I’d considered going for a few seconds.

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, if only to watch you die from shock.” Sarcasm, a familiar friend and shield, replaced my momentary lapse in judgment. No, I would not go to Homecoming. I couldn’t.

  “You are such a bitch.” He kicked at the loose gravel in the parking lot. “But really, are you going?”

  “Nope.”

  “Oh, come on, Alexis. It’s just a dress.”

  “It’s more than a dress.” I started for my car again, forcing Richard to dash to keep up with me.

  “He didn’t ask you?”

  I quickened my pace. Even though the lot was mostly empty, there were still enough people around who could overhear this conversation. And if by chance anyone did hear it, I wanted to make sure the truth got back to Summer. “No, Brett asked me. Multiple times.”

  “Then what is wrong with you? Do you know how many girls would kill to be his date?”

  Last week, I would’ve said they could have him, but now that Brett was officially my boyfriend, a jealous spark flared to life whenever I tried to picture him taking someone else. “It’s more than just the dress. It’s the whole evening. He doesn’t see that I wouldn’t fit in with his friends, that I loathe them, and I’d end up ruining the dance for him.”

  “Or you could play nice and suck it up for him.”

  “I’d have to tolerate Sanchez’s company, and you know I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut, especially since I heard he’s taking Summer to Homecoming.”

  “Ew! Talk about icky company. I could see why you’d want to avoid them.” He grinned and added, “You and Brett could always hang out with me and my date.”

  “Time out—you have a date?” I usually knew who Richard was crushing on, and up until now, I could’ve sworn he had the hots for Ajay. “Did I miss something?”

  “Well, nothing official.” Richard avoided my gaze and shifted his weight from foot to foot. “I went online into one of the local gay teen forums last month, and I started chatting with this guy who goes to the Catholic high school down the street, and well…things kind of took off.”

  “And what about your crush back there?” I asked, pointing in the direction of where Ajay was voting on the debate team roster.

  “Hey, I’m too young and too hot to wait for him to come out and admit his true feelings for me. In the meantime, I have a date with someone on Saturday who’s comfortable with his sexuality, and if the chemistry’s there, I’ll ask him to the dance.” Richard adjusted his backpack and stood a little taller. “Besides, I need to be the Token Gay Guy at the dance, if only to rub it in Kelsey’s face, right?”

  “I guess so.” I replayed what he’d told me to pull out some details. “So, gay and Catholic?”

  “I know. Talk about some delicious guilt. He was telling me about how he got to be one of the chambelanes in his friend’s quinceañera, and all of her aunts kept trying to pair them up until she finally dropped the bomb on them. He said he’d never so many cursewords in Spanish all at once.”

  “Sounds like a fun guy.”

  “I’ll find out for sure on Saturday. But in the meantime, I have an overdue appointment with Morgan.” He backed away and waved. “Here’s to hoping she hasn’t hooked up with that douchebag again.”

  My throat choked up at the thought, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Gavin had been as big an asshole to her as he’d been to me. And if he had been, why was she taking his side?

  I turned around and almost ran into Taylor.

  “Can you give me a ride home?” she asked.

  “How long have you been standing behind me?” I asked, my guard instantly raised. It was one thing to be nice to me this morning, but to willingly ride home with me after cheerleading practice usually meant my sister had ulterior motives.

  “A few seconds. Long enough to know Richard has a hot date this weekend.” She grabbed my keys from me. “Can I drive?”

  “You literally just got your permit.”

  “I’ve had it for five weeks.” She opened the driver door and tossed her duffel bag into the backseat. “I’m acing driver’s ed.”

  I wrestled the keys back from her. “But I’ve only had my license for a year and a half, and I’m not willing to risk it by letting you drive.”

  “Aw, come on.” She crossed her arms and gave me her trademarked pout. “It’s just a few blocks, and I never get to practice driving since Mom’s always hanging out with Pete.”

  “Tough.” I climbed into the driver’s seat and fought back a shudder. What would Taylor do when she had to have our very pregnant mother in the seat next to her? “Ready to go?”

  Taylor walked around the back of the car, but I could’ve sworn I saw her pause to signal someone before she came to the passenger side.

  Fifty bucks said it was Summer. Taylor had given me a heads up that my nemesis had asked her to spy on me and Brett. But I also knew Taylor was warping that information to fit her own agenda, which was why I had no problem saying, “Let me guess. Summer wants more information about my relationship with Brett.”

  “Of course she does,” Taylor replied with a flip of her ponytail. “But that doesn’t mean I have to tell her everything. I just need to know one important detail to shut her up for now.”

  “Which is?”

  “Are you going to Homecoming with him or not?”

  Geez! It was just a stupid high school dance, but the way everyone obsessed over it, you’d think it ranked right up there with the President of the United States visiting our school. But instead of telling her the truth, I decided to bend it a little just to torment Summer. “I haven’t decided.”

  “Haven’t decided in that he hasn’t asked you? Or haven’t decided in that you’re too much of a loser and refuse to go?”

  Ouch! Even though the latter was a little closer to the truth, I wasn’t about to admit I was a loser. And with each denial, my resistance crumbled a little more. Going to the dance would make Brett happy. And it would piss Summer off to levels I could only imagine. And now I possibly had a friend I could hang out with at the dance, which gave me options that didn’t include being forced to spend the night with Brett’s friends. “It means I haven’t decided.”

  She narrowed her eyes and studied me for a solid minute before flopping back in her seat. “If it’s the dress, I can help you there. But seriously, the entire upper echelon of Eastline High is waiting to hear if you’re going with Brett or not.”

  “What differ
ence does it make?”

  “Because if you’re not going with him, then Summer will grab him, freeing up Sanchez for me.”

  If there was ever a reason to go to Homecoming, it would be to keep Sanchez from putting his hands on my little sis. “And if I do go with Brett?”

  “Then I’ll probably go with someone else.” She said it in a bored tone, but knowing my sister, she probably had half a dozen guys to choose from. “But just so you know, time is running out.”

  “Does Summer really think Brett would go to Homecoming with her if he’s dating me?”

  “A girlfriend hasn’t stopped her from going after guys she’s wanted before. Remember how she stole Greg Haines from Emma Lu before prom two years ago?” Taylor gave an indifferent shrug. “You know she doesn’t give up that easily.”

  “I know.” I’d been friends with her long ago, only to be stabbed in the back. Now her tricks included twisting the truth to suit her purposes. “But if you want to go with Sanchez, then why did you offer to help me find a dress?”

  “Because one, I want to keep Summer on her toes, and two, I want to make sure you don’t embarrass me at the dance.”

  “Love you too, little sis.” I pulled up into the garage and noticed our mom’s car. “No hot date with Pete tonight.”

  “She’s been puking so much, he probably dumped her.” Taylor grabbed her bag and went inside, but I stayed in the car, paralyzed by the implications of her flippant comment.

  What if Pete had dumped her? What if she’d gone to him last night and told him about the positive test, and he freaked out? I assumed he was my mom’s age, maybe older. What if he didn’t want to deal with a screaming baby at this point in his life?

  I flashed back on that assignment we had in Hum-Ex a few weeks ago about different stressors and how that can affect health. So far, I was having relationship issues with my new boyfriend. One of my best friends was refusing to speak to me. My other best friend was being threatened at school. And my mom was pregnant, which meant in nine months or so, we’d have a major chaotic disruption in our home. If I added in the fact I was almost date-raped nearly a week ago, I wondered why my immune system hadn’t crashed and burned in an epic fashion already.