Chapter Nine

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So, like any high school, we had a football team and season that grabbed the attention of the entire school. However, a key difference was this: our football team sucked. I once cheered because our team got two touchdowns in one game. We lost all of our games, and the concessions weren't even good. So the reason why I went to football games?

No clue.

The point was, our homecoming game was coming up, and it was coming up fast. Our daily video announcements were talking up the dance, telling about how it was going to be Great Gatsby themed and it was going to be great. I had never been to a high school dance, so I kind of looked forward to it.

"The homecoming dance sucks," Cody told me after school one day. "Honestly, it's a bunch of people in short dresses and nice clothes grinding all over each other. It's not for me."

I laughed at him. "Well, you were never a social person to begin with," I teased. "And you hate loud music, and you don't like dancing, and you don't like being close to other people, and you hate sweating, and you hate rap. Need I go on? Why would you ever like homecoming?"

"Hey," he whined. "Don't judge me. I didn't know when I went! I was a mere freshman who had yet to find my way in life."

"Whatever," I said.

I pulled out my phone and found that I had a few new texts from Parker.

'hey, do you want to go to homecoming with me?'

'in a group!'

'you know, not just you and me'

'I'm going to shut up now.'

I laughed and texted him back.

'sure, who were you thinking?'

He texted me back almost immediately, saying, 'i was thinking you, me, Grayson, these three other guys I'm chill with, and whoever you want.'

I agreed with him and added four of my female friends to the list. He told me he would ask all of the guys, and asked me to ask the girls.

I agreed and created a mass text with them in it, asking them of they were okay with the group and telling them I would give them details later. They all agreed to go, which was pretty great for me. While I loved the guys who were going, it would have sucked to have been the only girl.

I guess I was not going to homecoming as a loner. That was better than nothing. Or going with my brother, because let's face it:

Ew.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Okay, so we will be playing a game that requires us to watch each other for signals and learn how to sense each other start to talk."

Apparently the drama club teacher was a big believer in vibes and cues and Zen stuff.

"It will be a counting game. As a group, we are going to try to count to ten. The trick of it is, we will go in no particular order. Anyone can say a number at any point, but they can't say two in a row. If more than one person talks at once, we start over. Think strategies for a second, then we'll start."

"What strategies does she think we'll come up with?" Grayson asked me. "It sounds to me like it's random. Good luck doing anything with that."

I shrugged. "It's more like those things some people totally believe in and some don't."

Parker jumped in the conversation and said, "Alright, here's the plan. Grayson and I will alternate every number. That's not breaking any rules."

I laughed.

Grayson out an arm on my shoulder, and I squealed. "Personal bubble," I said and smacked his shoulder.

Parker and Grayson exchanged glances, and before I could even think about it, Parker shouted, "Thalia sandwich!"

Both boys scooted in and squished me from either side. "Guys," I whined. "Why?"

"Because you love us," Grayson said, putting his face up against mine.

"You just haven't come to terms with it," Parker said, putting an arm around my shoulders.

"Okay, guys, are you ready to start?" The teacher asked.

Silence.

"Great!" She said. "I'll start. One."

"Two."

"Th-"

"Three."

And so we started over.

I wasn't really paying attention to that. I was really paying attention to the fact that, while Grayson had moved away from me, Parker hadn't. His arm was still around my shoulders, and he rested his head against mine in a way that forced me to put my head on his chest. Our legs were pressed together, and his other hand played with a hole in my jeans.

What was platonic, and how did it apply to my life?

Not at all.

"Four," I said, jumping in with the counting so the drama teacher actually thought I cared (news flash, I didn't).

"Five."

"S-"

"Six," Parker said, totally ruining it.

"Parker!" I said. "That's the third time you messed it up!"

He laughed at me, and I could feel the vibrations from his chest due to the fact that my head was pressed against it.

"You two," the drama teacher snapped, suddenly really mad. "I get the feeling I'm not going to like either of you. Can you guys quit fooling around and stop touching each other?"

I had to control my laughter as Parker slightly moved away from me, but still kept our legs pressed together.

See what I meant by "couldn't keep his hands off me"?

Okay, so that time it wasn't that creepy.

Okay, it wasn't creepy at all.

...Okay, it was kind of cute. Whatever.

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GUYS PRETTY PLEASE READ!

If you hadn't noticed, I'm in desperate need of a cover. If anyone reading this wants to make a cover, please do so!!! Comment on this if you're willing to do it!

Thanks, peace, love, crab cakes,

Abigailoftherivers

PS IT'S THREE IN THE MORNING WHY AM I AWAKE

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