Chapter 18 - "It's not the same without you."

"I think Mr. Woodson hates me."

"You fail the test?"

"Yes, and my mom is going to kill me."

"You can retake it. I'll help you."

"Dude, what's been up with you lately? You've been slacking at practice."

"It's...I..."

"Come on, let's talk."

"Did you seriously say that to her?"

"What was I supposed to say?"

"Literally, anything else. Bex back me up on this."

"She's right, Jake that was about the dumbest thing you could have said."

"I'm thinking of cutting my hair."

"Why? Your hair is glorious."

"I know, but I feel over it today."

"Then wait until tomorrow to see."

Courtney always felt like sitting at a crowded lunch table was like being in a snow globe, but instead of snowflakes words swirled around her.

She let the snow drift as she observed Micah and his friend group sitting at a table across the quad. At least among them, Max seemed to smile more though she didn't show any particular favoritism towards Micah. In fact, she kept sneaking glances at Blake. That was discouraging but not unsurprising. Bad boy Blake has struck again!

"Have you found your dress for homecoming yet?"

"No. My dad says I can only buy one new dress this year."

"Really?"

"Yes, so it means I have to rewear a dress which will make my pictures from the previous time of wearing the dress look the same."

"Cory made some adjustments to one of my dresses for me last year. You could ask her to do the same for you."

Courtney felt a nudge on her elbow and tore her eyes away from Micah's table. Jeez, how long had she been staring? Hopefully, it was taken as her gazing thoughtfully into the distance, pondering deep, intense thoughts instead of eye stalking Micah and his group. Though she had resting dumb-face so it wasn't likely.

"Who were you looking at?" Rosa asked.

Okay, so the deep ponderous theory wasn't flying. Pity.

"See that girl in all black," Courtney asked.

Everyone closest to Courtney who heard the question all spun around or rose half out of their seats to spot Max.

Don't look over, Max, don't look over. It would only reaffirm in Max's mind that Courtney was evil and was probably saying something mean about Max.

Luckily, Max didn't look over, though Micah did seem to notice the dozen or so gazes pinned on his table. He met Courtney's eyes and raised his eyebrows. She made an apologetic face and he smiled in acceptance of her apology.

"I think I have math with her," Kimber said, as everyone focused on Courtney.

"Who is the guy in the purple shirt?" Rosa said, eyeing Micah appreciatively. "I do love a man who can wear purple."

He wore the outfit. And Courtney had to agree with Rosa, he looked good in it.

"I'm pretty sure she's in my PE class, though I've never talked to her," Lynn said.

"She has history with us," Aubrey said.

Good, data collection time. Max do you hate cheerleaders or purely me?

"Have any of you interacted with her?" Courtney asked.

Everyone shook their heads. Well, that sucked, Courtney had no data that Max treated all cheerleaders the same. From the way she smiled at the people around her, it seemed she had a decent side. Simply one she'd never shown to Courtney. What oh what did I do to piss you off, Max?

"She definitely has the rebel look down," Aubrey said.

"She's also Blake's new interest," Courtney said.

"No!"

"Seriously?"

"Have you warned her?"

"I tried but she didn't want it."

"The rebel and the bad boy," Kimber said. "Sounds like a romance novel."

"Oh!" Rosa said. "That can be my new book!"

All the girls stared at Rosa with a mix of disbelief and amusement.

"Rosie," Courtney said. "You haven't even finished your last one. You can't start a new one."

Love the girl, but she's killing me with her slow updates. That last cliffhanger, murder on the nerves!

Rosa dropped her head onto her arms. "But I'm stuck on my last one."

"I gave you an amazing idea in my comment," Courtney said.

Lynn burst out laughing. "I approved of the new direction of the story."

Rosa lifted her head and shot Courtney a flat look. What? It was genius, you simply fail to recognize it. Which is a struggle for so many of us geniuses.

"I can not put Carson and Lillian on a helicopter and have it attacked and they have to jump out. It's not an action story."

Courtney shrugged. "All good stories have action of the dramatic helicopter kind."

"Oh!" Lynn said. "You can have them fight off attackers once they safely land. And Carson has to protect Lillian."

Across the table, Kimber shook her head emphatically. "Nope, Lillian can take care of herself."

Aubrey leaned in, resting her chin on her hand and wearing a dreamy look.

"I still think that Carson should get with Dominque. They are childhood friends and friends to lovers is my favorite trope."

Hear hear! What was cuter than two friends discovering that they loved each other? Besides, friends to lovers made for the strongest relationships in her mind. But maybe she was partial since that was her parent's story. Where there is a basis of trust there lives a strong bond.

"They are?" Lynn asked.

"Yeah, it was mentioned once before. I say that should be built up."

Rosa tapped her chin. "Maybe but Carson and Lillian were together."

"But they are on the rocks right now," Courtney said. "That's why a bit of fighting action would help them realize the depth of love they have for each other."

"Or make them see that what they have isn't strong enough and Carson can finally see that even though he loved Lillian for a time, he belongs with Dominique."

Rosa sighed and looked at the eager group surrounding her. "You aren't going to stop bugging me until I keep writing my book, are you?"

"No!" the girls all chorused.

Courtney wrapped her arms around Rosa and playfully shook her. "We are your readership, what type of readership would we be if we failed to nag you for more?"

Rosa rolled her eyes but smiled which made them all laugh. The warmth and camaraderie of it all filled Courtney.

The moment was broken by the bell ringing and bringing motion to the quad.

"We'll help you figure it out in the locker room before practice," Kimber said. "And after!"

"Yes! We'll find a solution, never fear," Aubrey said.

Locker room. Practice. Oh the places I will not go. At least until Friday.

Everyone rose and called out more encouragement to Rosa. Courtney remained seated. She'd learned the hard way of trying to walk with the crowd away from their lunch table.

"You're back Friday, right?" Lynn said, picking up her binder.

"Yeah, Friday."

Courtney no longer counted down days but hours. Friday, she just had to wait until Friday then the crutches would be gone and she'd be back with the squad.

"Good," Lynn said. "It's not the same without you."

"You're doing a good job though."

"Yeah, but I'm not you."

She smiled and took off. Finally, with enough space to move without causing jostling, jolting, or jiggling to her ankle, Courtney bent down to pick up her crutches off the grass.

Before she could reach them, another set of hands grabbed them first. Micah held the crutches in one hand and held out the other to her. What a gentleman.

"Thanks," she said.

He helped her stand and she tucked the crutches under her arms. She took a second to appreciate his outfit: a purple graphic tee and the black jeans.

"You look good," she said.

"Yeah, Felicity stood guard at my room and said she wouldn't let me out if I didn't wear this."

"Then you should say thank you. My friend Rosa thought you looked hot."

Micah gaped, his cheek flushing. "Uh...she...that's...really?"

Courtney laughed and pushed his shoulder. "Yes. But don't let it go to your head. I like you the way you are."

He relaxed and smiled shyly, though the blush went away. "I won't let it then."

"Is this why you came over?" Courtney asked. "To get the response your outfit had on my friend?"

"No...I wanted to see if after school you wanted to go to the mall with me. I only got the three pairs of jeans and figured...you know, I should get more."

Despite the almost nervous presentation, Courtney felt like he was more eager than nervous. Maybe he was getting addicted to looking good. An addiction she fully approved of.

"Micah, are you asking me on a shopping date?"

He laughed and Courtney waited for color to appear in his cheeks, but it didn't happen. Bummer, though his laugh is a worthy prize.

"I guess?" he said.

"Then I accept. Shopping dates are the way to my heart."

Grinning, Micah began to walk away. "Good to know."

*******

The final bell rang, a glorious sound. To the mall to save a fashionly-challenged soul!

"This is a reminder that you should have decided what you're doing your history project on by now," Mr. Helmich said.

Courtney highly doubted that any of the exiting students were listening or had even given the project a thought beyond something they would cram in Sunday night. Even AP students could be lazy.

As she twisted in her seat to stand up, two boys passed by her knocking her ankle.

Fudge buckets!

Courtney sucked in a deep breath and laid her head on the top of her desk. Breathe. Breathe through it and don't think murderous thoughts.

Okay, don't voice your murderous thoughts. Two more days. Forty-eight hours to be exact. I can do this. Just get through one hour at a time.

"Ms. Hart, are you all right?" Mr. Helmich asked, approaching her.

Courtney lifted her head and smiled. Oh nothing, just intense pain in my ankle.

"Yeah, just got bumped."

Looking sympathetic, Mr. Helmich picked up her crutches for her and held out his hand to her. She gratefully accepted the help. Now simply get from my desk to the door. From there, the door to the parking lot. Easy, breezy.

Courtney thanked her teacher as she made it outside. The scene beyond was still a flood of moving students. Yeah, definitely going to drown by those waters if I try to wade in. She stood planted to the spot, wishing students were more eager to flee the school grounds.

"Cory."

Look what the tide washed up.

"Are you okay?" Aiden asked.

"Some guys bumped into my ankle and now it hurts like the dickens."

Aiden half-smiled. "You always did come up with the most interesting alternatives to cussing."

Courtney managed to smile even as her ankle yelled at her to pay attention to it. It was a very self-centered limb.

"Alternatives I remember you adopting."

"Mother-trucker does usually have the positive of making me less angry because I imagine a little old lady scowling at a semi-truck driver."

"So see, my alternatives work in two ways, expressing one's anger while also defusing that anger."

"True. But I'm not sure it works with pain. Your ankle still hurt?"

Like no one's business. Which is a phrase that doesn't actually make any sense. I'm also hoping to manifest teleportation powers in the next minute so I don't even have to walk. Oh, what bliss that would be.

"Yeah. I'm waiting for everyone to leave so I can safely get to the parking lot."

"Do you want me to help get there?" He shuffled his foot and rubbed the back of his neck almost bashfully. "I could carry you if you want."

Courtney stared at his earnest expression and wished that their relationship wasn't such a mix of easy and complicated. She no longer felt relief over being broken up. In fact, she didn't know what she felt at all. She was neutral.

So neutral it was like she was sitting in a car on a hill and didn't know if she would make it up the hill or slide back down the hill. Weird mental image but it worked since she didn't even know if going up the hill was a good thing or not. Bleh!

"Won't you be late for practice?" she asked.

"Helping you makes it worth it."

Well, she was wearing an outfit that meant she wouldn't be flashing parts of her around for the world to see. And the whole teleportation power hadn't kicked in.

"Okay."

Aiden scooped her up and Courtney wrapped her arms around his neck, holding onto her crutches. He smiled shyly at her then focused on crossing the school grounds.

They didn't speak and Courtney marveled how completely strange it was to be so close to someone but emotionally distant at the same time.

"You can set me down here," Courtney said, as they reached the curb.

Aiden gently set her down and held onto her until she had her crutches firmly in place.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome."

They stood there for a moment, locked in a feeling of something old and something new and something unknown.

"I hope practice goes well," Courtney said.

"Thanks."

Aiden hesitated for a second like he wanted to say something but he nodded in goodbye and walked off. Courtney watched him for a moment wondering what he would have said.

"You ready to go?"

Courtney turned around to find Micah approaching her.

She glanced back once at Aiden then looked to Micah and smiled.

"Yeah, let's go."

**********************************************************************

What the daring donuts was that?!!

Oh jeez what does this mean? Does this mean anything at all! Is someone trying to blow holes in our ship.

If so, STOP BLOWING HOLES IN MY SHIP!

*takes a deep breathe* What's your take on it? Reassure me with your reassurances. 🗯💭💬

I have to say, I think I'd read Rosa's book. The Rebel and the Bad Boy, I mean it's a classic!

(Okay not sure I've ever actually read that particular cliche)

Here's the thing I like clichés if they're well written. But I also like something that's new, I want to be surprised. I'm a very picky person to write for.

That's why I'm selfish and write my books for me. 😁

It's just convenient to me that you enjoy what I write as well!

Vote, comment, follow!

Which author did this to you?

These covers were made by simply_thrilling_223 and I love the free feeling of them!