The Downside of Popularity

12|Here's the deal...

Jake
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When Alina and I got to the student parking lot, there were a couple pompom girls hanging around.

I groaned silently, dreading a meet with Tricia Elman, their captain. Ever since I could remember, she had always wanted to hit things off with me. She claimed she was in love with me and was ready to do anything to win my heart. All that ended when Laurie and I started dating, but now that Laurie was finally out of the picture, Tricia would be cooking up plans on creating for herself a soft spot in my heart.

I wished I could tell her how impossible that was. I had lost my heart when Laurie went away.

"Hey, Jake..." Tricia cooed in a saccharine voice that was way too flirty. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Alina walking beside me. She fixed her gaze on our locked hands for a few seconds, and then she coughed into her elbow, staring daggers at Alina.

Alina noticed Tricia's stare and tried to pull her hands out of mine. I held her wrist firmly and gave her an assuring look. The surprise on her face was clear; she looked like a human anime with her crinkled eyebrows and O shaped lips.

"How's Nate doing, Trish?" Her bright smile lopsided when I mentioned her ex.

"I don't know, hitting off with different college girls every night I suppose," she deadpanned, a pinch of bitterness in her voice.

"Oh, you guys broke up. I'm sorry I mentioned him. I totally forgot." I tossed her an apologetic smile.

She shrugged, letting it roll off her back. "It's okay. Sometimes bad people have to walk out our lives for better people to walk in and replace them."

She was making reference Laurie and Nate. And if I was calculating right, we were both meant to be each other's better replacement. I shook my head. Keep dreaming Trish.

Someone's phone rang. "Fuck. It's time for practice already!" an Ariana Grande look-alike cursed from behind her. The rest of the girls rolled down the car bonnets, walking back into the school building. Wannabe Ari stayed behind, standing next to Tricia who looked like she was on the verge of murdering her for interrupting our small bond time.

I tipped her a salute. "I'll see you later then, Trish," She smiled a little too much—happy I still remembered our special greeting—tipping me a salute as well.

"Don't want you losing your cheer spot cause of me," I half joked, leading Alina to my car.

"Kyle's throwing a party at his place later today. You coming?" Tricia pushed, refusing to take my hint and buzz off. I groaned silently and Alina stifled a smirk. It was obvious Tricia was trying too hard to get into my good books.

"I'm not sure. . . But, I'll see you there if I drop by?" I shrugged, arching my brows in that cool guy pose that got a lot of girls swooning.

Tricia smiled "Okay," She finally got off her car's bonnet "Catch ya later then."

"Sure," I said as Ariana pulled her away.

When they were out of ear shot, Alina laughed. A bubbly laugh, not too fake or too girly like the ones a lot of girls faked around me.

I tapped her shoulders. "Come on laughing jackass. Let's get you to the doctor. I think you might have inhaled some laughing gas at the Chemistry lab."

"That was so hilarious!" she chuckled, throwing a hand over her mouth.

I shrugged, unlocking Mabel's doors. "That's what I have to go through almost every day."