by Sarah Tork
But thanks to her traitor/BFF Latisha, the team and I had taken the pleasure of coming up with another nickname for Stacey Two.
Paddycakes.
She bounced a lot. I had a silent laugh at the thought. It got me every time.
“I can’t do this,” Dana murmured, slowly backing away. She turned and ran toward the bathroom.
“Dana, wait!”’ I called after her, but she didn’t stop. I followed her into the bathroom. A few girls exited as I entered. The last stall from the entrance slapped shut and I knew Dana was in that one. I stopped in front of it and heard her sniffles. I stayed quiet and waited while she cried.
Swim team members for life, right?
What were friends for, right?
I’d been in this spot before, outside many bathroom stalls, waiting while they all cried. Why do all my friends cry in bathroom stalls?
I tried comforting her by saying how sorry I was for the millionth time. It was quiet for a minute before the stall door slammed open and Dana came jetting out.
“I want to show him what it feels like to hurt.” She scowled and headed to the counter. “I want revenge. I’m going to flirt with that cute attendant in charge of Cage One.”
“That is not a good idea,” I told her.
“It’s an excellent idea,” she declared.
“Well then, before we go out and potentially… no, probably humiliate ourselves, I think you should know that you look like a lobster,” I told her, eyeing her flushed cheeks.
Dana checked her reflection and looked back at me. “I should wash my face.”
I gave her a nod. “Good idea.”
After washing and drying her face, she took her makeup case from her blue tote bag. “I’m glad I wore waterproof mascara before coming out.”
“Yes, let us thank the mascara gods for gifting us with waterproof.” I smirked, feeling my heartbeat accelerate.
She applied a fresh coat to her lashes and zipped the bag closed. “Let’s do this.”
I caught my nervous reflection following Dana out of the bathroom. I’d already had a run-in with Tom today, getting things back in order. I didn’t really have it in me for another round.
But this was for Dana, and I owed her.
Dana headed through the crowd toward the attendant at Cage One, who—I wasn’t going to lie—was kind of cute.
CHAPTER 2
*JENNA*
“Oh, Charlie!” Dana laughed loudly, peeking over the metal bat she was holding to see if a certain guy was staring our way.
“My name is Sean,” our attendant informed us, smirking after shutting the cage door for the second time. Our first round didn’t do anything to grab their attention. Not that I wanted to get Tom’s attention, but I had a debt to pay Dana. If she wanted to keep doing this for the next ten minutes or until the last of my money from last summer dried out, then I’d be all in. I was twenty dollars away from being officially broke, but anything to make things right with her.
“Oh, Sean!” Dana corrected as I clung to the outside of the cage. I burst out laughing.
“Oh, Dana.” I smirked, shaking my head. Her antics were hilarious. She was so lovesick. That would never happen to me. A warrior didn’t do the whole lovesick thing.
And there was a certain destiny for people such as myself.
We were destined for greatness.
Was I arrogant for thinking things like that?
I had high expectations, and when you won first place more than once, wasn’t a big ego just a part of being always the fastest, the most serious, and ultimately the star?
I might need to tone it down.
I really should.
Maybe.
Or probably not.
“Jenna?” somebody called from behind my shoulder.
Uh-oh… we’d been caught.
Life turned slow-mo in a flash.
Dana shouted, “Oh, Sean,” once more but it sounded more like “O-O-O-H-H-H-H S-S-S-S-E-E-E-A-A-ANNN.”
Not exaggerating here, people.
Anyway, I promptly turned around and came face-to-face with a traitor.
Numero uno.
“What are you doing here?” Latisha’s lips pursed. Her blue eyes bulged out, like she was trying to send a message, like I was making her angry.
I grinned back, showcasing my pearly whites. “Well, hello there, Latisha. Funny meeting you here.”
Her eyes bulged out again as her second-in-command galloped like a good little puppy to her side.
“Hey there, Stacey Two. Funny meeting you here too.” I grinned at the both of them.
This was going to be fun.
I was sick of being nice and sensitive Jenna tonight.
Stacey Two’s eyes widened and she showed her teeth to me.
Latisha gave her a look that screamed shut it and then turned back to me. “It’s just Stacey now.”
I smirked. “Is that what you promised her if she stuck by your side?”
Latisha raised an eyebrow and put her hand to her hip. “Well, you know what they say about the company you keep? She’s got it good.” The twin idiots grinned at one another, like they were the new power popular duo.
Sigh… how the weak often saw themselves saddened me. They were about to get a nice little lesson on humility and knowing their place in life.
Yeah, not on my watch, ladies.
“Nah,” I drawled out, waving that notion away with a fling of my hand. “She’ll always be Stacey Two to me.”
Stacey Two gasped loudly. “Stop calling me that!”
“What should I call you then?” I asked her, doing my signature ‘confused yet not so confused’ face. They knew the drill.
Before she could answer, Latisha interrupted. “What are you doing here, Jenna? We’re here on a date with Roy and Tom. Are you going to stick your nose into this too?”
I shrugged. “I’m just observing.”
Latisha rolled her eyes. “I did you a favor! If it weren’t for me, Annabelle would have been… taken care of by Donna. You have no idea how bad that girl can be.”
I snorted and twiddled my fingers at her. “I have a pretty good idea. I mean, I am staring down at her protégé.”
Latisha’s jaw dropped. “I am my own person!”
“Okay, sure.” I nodded, like I understood. “Whatever helps you sleep better at night.”
Dana exited the cage after handing the bat and helmet to Sean. Latisha grinned menacingly as Dana joined us.
“Hello, Dana,” Latisha sneered. “Aw, are you here on a date with Jenna? How romantic.”
The twin idiots cackled, making my blood boil.
“Hello, Latisha. Hello, Paddycakes,” Dana sneered back, stopping their cackling. I covered my mouth to stop the intense laugh that was desperate to escape. Dana had just made me so proud, I could cry.
Stacey Two’s eyes flamed. “What did you just call me, you—”
“Dana?” Roy interrupted as he ran up to our little fun group. “What are you doing here?”
“Roy, let’s get out of here,” Latisha screeched, panicking. She grabbed his shoulder but he yanked his arm out of her grasp.
“Stop it, Latisha,” Roy snapped, not taking his eyes off Dana. The lovebirds were in a stare-off.
“Roy.” Dana’s lips trembled as she took a step closer to him. “Can we talk please?”
So much for revenge. Dana was totally throwing in the towel. But I wasn’t going to say anything, because I was staying out of it from now on.
“We’re on a date! Rude much!” Latisha screeched, throwing her hands in the air.
“Why?” Roy asked, grimacing. He folded his arms over his pumping chest. Looked like someone else’s heart was beating like crazy, too.
“Because… because I miss you. Roy, please, can we just talk? I miss you,” Dana pleaded, taking a step closer to him. “You know how I feel about you.”
“This is so ridiculous, we’re on a date!” Latisha screeched again, trying to block Dana from
stepping any closer to Roy.
Desperation much?
“This isn’t going to work here. My car’s in the parking lot, we can talk there. Let’s go,” Roy ordered over Latisha’s shoulder. He marched back to the building, stopping in front of the entrance. He turned and eyed Dana.
Dana gave him a quick nod and then turned back to me, her eyes hopeful. “Is it okay?”
Like I’d ever say it wasn’t.
I was over the drama thing.
For life.
“Dude, I’m staying out of everyone’s love lives from now on. Be happy,” I told her.
Latisha looked like she was about to blow. She took a step toward Dana, but I stepped in, blocking her from going any farther. “You already lost your chance, Dana! Just move on to somebody else.”
Dana shook her head. “No.”
“You’re too late. Just leave. Go away,” Latisha pleaded, even though it was already done.
“I said no. I don’t want anyone else. Roy and I belong together,” Dana stated. I turned and faced her, giving Latisha my back.
“You’ll be okay, going home alone?” Dana asked me.
“Yes.” I grabbed her shoulder and pushed her toward the building. “Now go before somebody else tries to ruin your life.”
Dana hugged me. “Thank you,” she whispered before letting go and running up to Roy. She grabbed his hand, stunning him by quickly giving it a kiss. He pulled her along and entered the building.
“This is so unfair,” Latisha cried, grabbing Stacey Two’s arm. “Come on, you’re driving me home.”
How interesting, they all came in their own cars. Does that mean it really wasn’t a date?
Stacey Two turned her head as Latisha hauled her toward the building. “You better not call me Paddycakes again.”
“No problem, Stacey Two, I won’t,” I assured her.
“My name is not Stacey Two!” she yelled, looking outraged.
“All right, then Paddycakes it is.” I grinned at her.
“That’s not my name either, you loser!” she yelled, infuriated.
“Then what am I supposed to call you! Frigging hell, can’t please anybody these days!” I gave her my confused-yet-not-so-confused face.
She knew the drill. Jenna Sabini knew what buttons to push. Shaking my head, amused at what had just happened, I turned back to Sean, who was dealing with another customer. I waited and when he was done, I went up to him. “What do I owe you for the last round?”
“Your friend paid already.” Sean informed, pushing a red button on the control panel.
“Oh, okay.” I muttered, shocked that Dana had paid when tonight was supposed to be on me. I smiled at Sean and started to walk away.
“Hey, wait a second,” Sean called.
I halted and faced him. “What is it?”
He grinned like a douche nozzle king pro/mack daddy wannabe. “If I didn’t already have a girl I was hooking up with, I’d totally ask you out.”
“What a pity, I could have been so… Lucky,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. “All right. I’m going now.”
A coworker came running to Sean with a huge grin on his face. I turned away and speed walked toward the building.
“Dude! What a catfight. Same thing happened with Greg a few weeks ago! It was so hot. Those girls were tearing each other apart over some loser guys.” I heard Sean laugh out loud. “Next time we should interrupt and show them some real men to fight over!”
*~*~*
*TOM*
The verdict was in: Today had gone horribly.
From Jenna hating on me during lunch for being “not genuine” with her, to being a bonehead and calling her “ice cold”, to Roy guilt tripping me in becoming his wingman while he tried doing the date thing with Latisha. My day couldn’t get any worse. Oh wait, that’s a lie. Latisha’s best friend Stacey Two wouldn’t leave me alone, touching my shoulder constantly and leaning over so I’d creep on her boobs in public like a horny idiot.
No thank you.
Not interested.
EVER.
Making matters worse, Jenna had shown up at Wilsons with Dana. I got scared, thinking maybe she thought I was stalking her or something, so I bowed out early, leaving Roy to deal with dumb and dumber on his own, and rightfully so, tonight had been his idea.
Worst idea ever.
“Oh my God!” a girl screeched, interrupting my thoughts. I rolled my window down and thanks to a busy parking lot, two girls I didn’t give a crap about walked by my car not noticing me.
Thank you, there is a god.
“I like… can’t believe Roy did that to you! Choosing Dana over you…again!” Stacey Two squealed, walking briskly behind Latisha, who stopped and pushed her.
“Shut up, you moron. What good are you! You just stood there while my life completely fell apart!”
“I’m sorry, I tried my best!”
“Your best is garbage! How can I trust you again?”
What a psychopath….
Donna, Stacey, Latisha, Stacey Two…. they were all the same.
Vicious.
Bitchy.
Stupid.
They were a disturbing bunch and I wanted nothing to do with them. Now that Coach Doug was gone, I’d slowly distance myself from evil in red lipstick and tight tank tops.
Before they noticed me, I drove off and got stuck in line to turn left onto the main road. When it was finally my turn, the light turned red and just when I thought my luck couldn’t get any worse, “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison began to play. Life before me turned slow–mo and lights from Wilsons Arcade and the street highlighted Jenna as she skipped by my car with a huge smile on her face.
I smiled the rest of the way home.
*~*~*
*JENNA*
The bus dropped me off at my stop twenty minutes later. My house was a block and a half away. Most of the houses I passed had their lights off, so I walked home in darkness. It was kind of nice, kind of peaceful, and kind of just what I needed. The blanket of night covering me in its warmth was the calm my brain needed from the ongoing drama of my life at school.
On my street, one of my neighbors had their sprinklers on and water got on my shirt.
“Wonderful,” I muttered, jogging away. Both cars were in the driveway of my house. Mom and Dad were home from work.
After I unlocked the front door and opened it, our security system rang its alert. My parents’ laughter radiated loudly from the family room. They were watching their nightly game show. Probably eating dinner on the coffee table too.
My dad grunted loudly. “It’s in box number five, can’t they see!”
I grinned, shutting and locking the front door. My dad was a passionate man when it came to his game shows, especially when they didn’t listen to him.
My mom chuckled. “Calm down, Tony. Jesus, it’s not like you’re playing.”
“Don’t test me right now, Natalie,” Dad bellowed. I could see the family room from our tiny foyer. Dad was up on his feet, pacing in front of the television. He needed to calm down.
“Calm down, Dad. They can’t hear you, remember?” I grinned, walking into the family room.
The pacing stopped so Dad could give me a hung. “My daughter’s home. The winner, the rocket, too cool for school Jenna… and where have you been, young lady? It’s almost eight o’clock.”
Released from his arms after a quick kiss to the forehead, I gave both my parents the usual look/shrug combo. “You know how it is. My friends have problems, I’m there to rescue them.”
Mom leaned her legs over the couch, resting her head on the corner. “Always one to help save the day. Hey I got a question, what’ll happen when it’s you who needs the friendly advice?”
It took a second, but I suppressed the shudder at the possibility that I’d need advice from one of my friends on a hypothetical teenage issue I might face.
“When the day comes that I need serious advice from one of my friends, well…” I stopped an
d thought again about it. “Then, I guess it’s my funeral.”
Mom rolled her eyes. “You’re just like your father; drama city!”
“Woman, how dare you!” Dad gasped and faced me. “Jenna, don’t listen to her. You just have that Sabini passion inside you. We laugh in the face of danger. We don’t accept help from those weaker than us. Mwa–ha–ha–ha–ha!”
“And that’s the man I married.” Mom groaned, shaking her head like it didn’t make sense to her.
Unoffended, Dad bowed. “Thank you, thank you! I’ll be here all week, folks!”
Mom shook her head again and faced me. “You hungry? We brought home taco platters. You said you were eating dinner out but we bought extra anyway. Takeout boxes are on the stove.”
“Nah, I’m good. I had a slice of pepperoni pizza an hour ago. Maybe a drink though.” I headed into the kitchen, where sure enough the takeout box from our local Mexican dive, Juanita’s, lay open on the stove. I peered inside and the smell of fresh hard shell taco with their signature minced meat had me salivating. But I’d already eaten pizza earlier, and having dinner twice wouldn’t be a good idea.
Annabelle….
I shook the thought away and pulled the fridge open, grabbing a bottle of orange juice.
“Pick a Number’s up next, Jenna!” Dad hollered from in front of the TV.
“I have homework!” I yelled back, leaning against the counter and then taking a drink of my orange juice.
“You’re no fun,” Dad whined, and then there was a slapping sound. “Ow, woman, don’t hit me!”
I entered the family room just as Dad was rubbing his arm.
“Don’t listen to him, Jenna.” Mom smirked. “Go upstairs and do your homework, sweetheart.”
On my way up to my room, my parents go back and forth with their usual banter. Entering my room, my notebook and textbooks were set up on my desk just like I’d left them. I had at least an hour and a half of homework to do tonight. After changing into pajamas I took a seat, but before getting started I decided to send Annabelle a little text.
