My Life in Rosewood

Chapter Twenty-Six

Practice, despite everything actually helps me clear my head a bit. I don't think about the fight with Amber and I try not to think about what happened today in class with the girls, considering that's still the topic of choice even during sports that's a little harder not to pay attention to. Especially since my team insists on coming to me to ask over and over if these rumors are true, and if they are in fact lying. I of course stick up for them because not only are they my friends, but I know the situation at hand.

Now practice is over and I'm sitting on the bench in front of my locker with my headphones on, trying to get the energy to get dressed and leave while the rest of my team have been hustling around to get out of her. I'm exhausted, distracted even and I'm sure that's been all over my face since I walked not only into school, but all throughout practice as well. I could sense my team, my friends with their worry stares even after the questions were thrown at me. But I've been trying not to show it, to not have the buzzing of emotions surface. As hard as that's been I know my top priority has to be to focus and be present. So after a good ten minutes I finally get up and head to the showers.

"Want to get coffee?"

I turn my head from my gym locker sometime after I showered and am ready to head out. But the voice has me stare at the person who asked, half smiling at Luna. "Not today. I'm beat and just want to go home and pass out." A lie obviously, but I can't exactly tell her or anyone for that matter that I'm about to willingly start a fight with Amber.

The look on her face gives away her worries for me, but she tries to smile nonetheless. "I get it. It was a long practice."

I laugh slightly at how out of place that sounded, "More like a long day, but yeah..." I close my locker now, "That too."

"Listen, I know things being said about your friends isn't fair. No one should have the right to judge them."

I half smile, seeing a few people staring over at me from behind Luna. "I agree."

She half smiles back, but the look on her face makes me know she's not done. "But...I'm concerned that if you keep putting yourself out there for them that you'll get into a mess."

I tilt my head a bit in confusion, "What kind of mess?"

"Don't take it the wrong way, Jessie, but ever since Aria got back there's been weird things happening with her and the others. And as your friend and someone who adores you, I don't want to see you get in the middle, or even hurt from whatever is happening with them."

I raise an eyebrow now, "Meaning?"

"I mean, Alison is dead and Emily got attacked by Toby. Then the random rat blood on that trophy they found, and now someone being dead without a body in sight? It's sketchy, Jay."

I take a breath, knowing she means well but she obviously is right about things spiraling. "I get the protectiveness of me, Lune, I do. But I've known Aria and Spencer forever and whatever is going on can't be random if it in fact keeps happening to them." I try to be as vague as possible about this without giving info that I know what's going on.

She just shakes her head with a small laugh, "Your loyalty and optimism for others never surprises me."

"It's in my DNA. I have no choice." I joke with her now and smile slightly before adding, "But I get the concern and I'll be careful."

"That's all I ask."

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It's almost 7pm and I'm on my way to meet with Amber, riding my board over to the park like we agreed. As I'm getting closer my heart is racing, but I try my best to not overthink. Maybe she wouldn't show up because she thought I wouldn't, or maybe something will hold her up and I can make a scene about it at school.