The Unholy Alliance

Life Just Isn't Fair

Jess set up the courtyard meeting for 11:00am, which is in five minutes. The sub we have today is a nice young girl, so she shouldn't be difficult. If only Nathan possessed the ability to not be difficult. Since it was two minutes till 11, I decided I should go ahead and ask to leave. "Ms. Carter, can I go to the bathroom, please?" I asked expectantly. "Yes, Ms. Dobbins take the pass and go," Ms. Carter said sweetly. I got out of my seat and picked up the pass. I turned around and saw Anna give me a look of encouragement as I left. I walked through the hallway, and everything was quiet, and still. With all the commotion happening during the school day, you forget how beautiful this place is when it's quiet. I walked outside and saw Nathan standing next to the water fountain. By the way, when I say water fountain, I mean a huge one in the center of the courtyard. As I walked toward him, I kept running different scenarios through my head. What exactly was I supposed to tell him happened? I mean, I didn't do anything wrong, but he will definitely twist my words. I decided that I could include some truth but leave a few things out. Now it's time to activate my powers of super ass kissing. The only way to get him to forget about this is to flatter him in every way possible. I walked towards him and took in a deep breath. "Hey babe, you look really good today as always," I smiled shyly. He crossed his arms and gave me a look. I put my hand on his arm and gave him an innocent look. Trust me, this shit had better work, or else I'll have no boyfriend and no dignity. He backed away from me and stared. "What the hell were you doing with those guys? I didn't think you would be the cheating type with a group, no less," Nathan said angrily. "Of course not. That's not what happened at all. Look, I drove to school and fell asleep in the parking lot. I woke up ten minutes later after realizing that we had an assembly this morning. So I walked to the doors of the symposium, and that's when the guys showed up and asked me to go along with their lie," I concluded, trying to look as sincere as possible. "Yeah, sure, that's what happened," Nathan scoffed. Looks like it's time to activate the fake tears. I walked up to him and put my arms around his neck. "I promise I would never lie to a great guy like you. Honestly, it hurts that you even think that," I said as a fake tear rolled down my eye. "Alright, fine, I believe you, but do me a favor and keep your distance from those guys," Nathan smiled. I nodded my head in agreement as he wrapped his arms around my waist. He then started to kiss me, and I started looking for excuses for him to stop. For some reason, even those guys being close to me gets me excited. However, when my own boyfriend kisses me, it's like there's no spark, and everyone says that he is a great kisser. I pulled away from him awkwardly and stared up at him. "So can you do me a favor as well," I pleaded. "Sure, what's the favor?" He asked. "Well, you told all the guys that I cheated on you, so could you tell them the truth, and then get the girls to understand I want nothing to do with those guys?" I smiled hopefully. "Sure babe, now where were we," He smirked as he walked forward. "As much as I would love to continue, look at the time I have to get back to class bye," I waved as I ran out of there at the speed of lightning. While walking back to class, it occurred to me that I would also need to thank Soren. He did carry me all the way to the symposium, after all. I got inside of the classroom and sat down. "So how did your talk with Nathan go?" Anna asked. "It went well, and I got him to agree to call off the dogs and the girls so all is right in the world again," I smiled happily. "Well, that's good. I was worried he was going to have a whole tantrum," Anna snickered. I rolled my eyes and turned to face Soren. Of all the guys, I think he intrigues me the most. I was about to tap him on the shoulder when I remembered what happened yesterday. He was pissed and I did not forget the threat he made. I was snapped out of my thoughts by a deep voice. "I thought you were done staring at me," Soren said, annoyed. "I'm sorry, I just got stuck in a train of thought," I apologized. His emerald eyes were seemingly glowing, or maybe it was the angle of the light. "So what do you want?" Soren asked. "I just wanted to say thank you for you know carrying me this morning," I said in a low voice that only he could hear. "Whatever," He said. I stared at him as I contemplated on whether or not to ask this question. "Either ask me what you want to ask me or find someone else to stare at," He said bluntly. He's not even looking at me, so I wonder how he even knows I'm staring at him. Let alone that I have a question for him. "I wanted to ask if you were alright," I replied. "I'm fine, why do you ask?" He said, now turning to face me. "Well, you got into a fight at practice yesterday, so I was wondering if you were okay," I admitted. I was caught off guard when he started laughing. He then got up and walked towards me. I kid you not. If there weren't witnesses, I would think he was about to kill me. Him laughing sounds like the scariest shit I have ever heard. He leaned down to whisper in my ear. "You really think your weak ass boyfriend is a match for me? You're crazy," He whispered. As he was talking, he was moving his finger in circles under my chin. He then stood up straight and started to walk towards the door. "Where are you going it's not time to leave yet?" I asked him. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers, and the bell rang. "It is now," He smirked. What the hell is going on here. For one thing, I know damn well he didn't need to get that close to tell me that. I turned around and got out of my seat. I looked at Anna and could see she was struggling not to laugh. That confirmed my suspicions. I was probably as red as a tomato right now. I picked up my stuff and headed out the door with Anna right behind me. When I got to my locker, I began to repeatedly bang my head against it, in complete despair. Jess walked up and stared at me with a confused look. "What's wrong with her?" Jess asked as she raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to tell her, or should I?" Anna smirked. "Go ahead, I don't have the strength to relive what just happened," I groaned. As soon as Anna had finished telling the story, Jess burst into laughter. She laughed so hard she started to cry and then fell on the floor, still cackling. While this was happening, I was still banging my head against the lockers. This is why I didn't hear someone walk up behind me or notice that Jess had stopped cackling. "Haley, are you alright? Why are you banging your head against the lockers?" Gabriel asked, concerned. I turned around immediately to face him, and I had an embarrassed look on my face. "Oh, nothing is wrong. I was just trying to get the locker open," I laughed uncomfortably. Yes, that was the best excuse I could come up with at the moment. "Are you sure you're alright? I thought you were feeling better after Alex gave you some coffee. Yet hear you are banging your head against the locker. If you're that tired, you should go home. I don't like seeing you hurt yourself," Gabriel said as he put his hand on the locker right next to my head. At this rate, it felt like the temperature turned up to a hundred degrees. Besides that, you know how in movies or TV shows when the main character is deciding between doing something good or bad a devil and an angel appear on someone's shoulders. Well, right now, on Gabriel's left shoulder, I see Jess, and on Gabriel's right shoulder, I see Anna. However, it isn't a devil-angel situation it's a devil and less evil devil situation. Right then, my mind flashed back to the conversation I had with Nathan in front of the water fountain. His words were to do him a favor and stay away from the guys. In the hour after that, I have single handedly been touched and whispered to in the ear by Soren as well as inadvertently trapped against the lockers by Gabriel. I think it's safe to say that the favor I promised him is not exactly going to be upheld. The only way to get out of this is to speak in a calm and mature manner without saying anything stupid. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm alright, so we should go ahead and go to lunch," I tried to convince him. He put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a warm smile. "OK, but let me know if you need anything," Gabriel said calmly. He is such a gentleman. He then started to walk to lunch but then stopped, turned his head around, smiled at me, and gave me a wink. When he was out of hearing range, the girls started to burst into laughter. "Look, this isn't funny. My life is too complicated," I sighed heavily. "Oh no, I have four guys fighting over me. Whatever shall I do?" Jess said sarcastically. "They aren't fighting over me stupid," I huffed. "They may not be now, but if things keep going the way they are, they will be soon," Jess said in a sing-song voice. I put my head in my hands, cursing the heavens for this problematic day. Jess and Anna put their hands in mine as we walked to lunch. "I wonder if lunch today will be as interesting as yesterday?" Anna thought aloud. I stopped dead in my tracks when she said that. "They're sitting at lunch with us for the rest of the school year, aren't they?" I asked, scared of the answer. Jess nodded her head, and I sighed loudly. I would have honestly run away right now, but I think Jess and Anna could sense that because their grip on my arm got tighter. They dragged me to the cafeteria despite my persistent cries of no. This honestly shouldn't bother me, so I'm just going to suck it up and act like nothing is happening. They're just boys. After all, what are they going to do? We sat at the table with Jasmine and Lily after we grabbed our lunch. "Tell me how is it that every girl in the school is pining after these guys, and yet you have a class with everyone of them without trying?" Jasmine asked. "Trust me, I didn't ask for this. I would honestly trade my schedule with someone else if I could," I admitted. "The better question is why does she get this amazing opportunity when she's not even going to use it?" Lily complained. "Hey, the guys are running kind of late. Do you two know where they are?" Anna asked. "Oh yeah, the coach is having a talk with the guys, including Alex, Gabriel, and Soren, about accepting them into the league," Jasmine answered. "They've already decided to let them be a part of the team that fast?" Jess wondered. "Yeah, apparently the coach was really impressed by their debut during practice yesterday that he's already decided they're fit for the team," Anna said. "I guess that means we're going to be seeing a lot more of them," I concluded. The girls all nodded their heads in agreement with my statement. Right then, I turned around and saw the guys walk in, and as expected, Alex, Gabriel, and Soren were all in varsity jackets. I guess it's safe to assume that they made the team. "Hey babe, sorry we're late, but the coach called us to the field to announce that Alex, Gabriel, and Soren are joining the team," Nathan explained. I'm happy for them, but I feel like after what happened between Nathan and Soren yesterday, there might be a problem. "Hey, are you two going to be alright being on the same team together after what happened yesterday?" I asked, looking back and forth between Nathan and Soren. "Yeah, it's all water under the bridge," Nathan said. "It's not a problem anymore," Soren smirked. Their words said that everything was alright, but their expression and the looks in their eyes said something else. I have a feeling that these two still have unfinished business with each other. The way things are going, chances are that it may end up being settled on the field. We were all eating lunch and having a conversation when two random girls walked up to our lunch table. They were giggling and twirling their hair while looking at Alex, Soren, and Gabriel. I then recognized that the two girls were cheerleaders, Stacy and Amber. "You guys made the team. Congratulations, that's a big accomplishment," Stacy said while getting closer to the guys. "We'll be more than happy to cheer for you guys on and off the field," Amber smirked while touching Gabriel's arm. For some reason, I was getting particularly pissed off by watching this happen. It's not like it's any of my business who they date, but that didn't stop me from being mad about this. I felt my blood boil when Amber started to wrap her arms all around Gabriel. I might have done something if she didn't suddenly take her hands off and start staring at something. I turned around to see my brother David walking towards our table. "Hey girls, hey sis, what's up?" David smiled while ruffling up my hair. The cheerleaders' attention switched from the guys to my brother, which I was grateful for. "David, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in class?" I asked him. "Can't I check in on my baby sister and see the new recruits for the junior league?" David wondered. I raised an eyebrow at him and continued to eat. "Now, don't think I don't know about what happened yesterday. You two are on the same team now, so settle your fights off the field, and when you get on the field, leave all the bullshit behind. When I leave, I want to be sure that my team is in good hands, alright?" David said. The guys nodded in agreement. Him saying that puts me more at ease. "Good, in that case, see you guys later," David waved goodbye. Before he left, we did our secret handshake, and I thanked him for what he did. Lunch ended a few minutes after he left, and I went to my locker to get my gym stuff. When I turned around, Gabriel was right in front of me. "Hey, we both have gym, so why don't we walk to class together," He suggested. I thought it would be rude to say no, so I said sure, and we headed to class together. As we walked together, there was this awkward silence, so I decided to say something. "So congratulations on making the team," I said cheerfully. "Thanks. Are you feeling better now?" He asked me with a warm tone. "Yeah, but it doesn't exactly help that we have to do dodgeball today," I sighed. "Well then, stick by me, I'll protect you," Gabriel winked. I honestly love his personality. In the short time I've known him, he seems so calm and collected. When I got into the gym, I changed, and we got ready to split up into teams. I might end up taking Gabriel up on his offer because I know I won't be able to dodge these balls with my strength the way it is. "Alright, let's make things interesting today and do girls versus boys," Coach Baxter announced. Well, there goes any chance I had to get some protection. Gabriel gave me a smile from his side of the room as we split up. "Alright, get ready, set go!" Coach Baxter yelled. By some miracle, I had actually managed to avoid getting hit so far. I was kind of starting to enjoy this when a dodgeball came out of nowhere and hit me smack in the face. I fell to the ground, and as you can imagine, my face hurt like hell. I was suddenly surrounded by students asking me if I was alright. "Dobbins, are you good? Can you get up?" Coach Baxter asked. "Yeah, coach, I think I'm good," I said. When I tried to get up, the room started spinning, I lost balance and immediately fell into the arms of Gabriel. "I'll carry her to the nurse coach," Gabriel said as he picked me up. My face is probably turning red right now, but I think the dodgeball imprint on my face is covering it up pretty well. "Hey, lay your head on my chest for support," Gabriel said as he walked out of the gym with me in his arms. "You don't have to carry me all the way to the nurse," I said groggily. "How are you supposed to get there instead, crawl?" Gabriel asked. I laughed he did have a point. The nurse knew we were coming, so when we got there, everything was already set. He placed me down on the plush sofa, and I got comfortable. After checking me out, the nurse decided I should chill in the rest area for a while and gave me an ice pack. "Thanks for bringing me to the nurse," I thanked Gabriel. "No problem. I have to go back to class now, but let me know if you need me to carry you anywhere else," Gabriel smirked. "Alright, I will," I said between laughs. He then did something that caught me off guard. He lifted my chin up and kissed me on the forehead. "I've always been told that kisses make the pain go away," Gabriel said, mere centimeters away from my face. "Feel better soon, Haley," Gabriel said as he exited. These boys do not even begin to understand the concept of personal space. The nurse peaked her head in through the door and stared at me. "Aren't you dating Nathaniel?" Nurse Barbara asked. "Yes, I am," I answered cautiously. "Oooh, I see you, little miss player," Nurse Barbara winked. "Whoa whoa whoa whoa it's not like that," I said frantically. "If you say so," Nurse Barbara giggled. I laid back down on the sofa and got comfortable. Call me crazy but I think he might have been right. That kiss might have just made the pain go away. They called my mom to tell her about the incident, and the moment she heard she came speeding down here. She picked me up and started to take me home. "Are you sure you're alright, sweetie?" Mom asked, concerned. "Yeah, I am. My face is starting to feel better," I said. Despite saying that I felt better, my mom still forced me into bed when we got home. I had been playing on my phone and texting people for a while when she walked in with a box in her hand. "Hey mom, what's in the box?" I questioned. "Well, it's something your grandmother left for you after she died. She had planned on giving it to you herself when you got older, but then life happened. This is why she gave it to your father with specific instructions, but since he is no longer with us, that responsibility now falls on to me," Mom said as she handed me the box. I looked at the box suspiciously and then opened it. Inside was the most beautiful emerald necklace I had ever seen. It was definitely made of real gold and emerald. "Thanks, Mom," I smiled happily. "One of the instructions she left was that the moment you opened it, you had to wear it at all times except in the shower. Your father and grandmother believed that this necklace brought good luck and protection," Mom explained. I laughed. Grandma has always been a little eccentric, but it's one of the things I love about her. My mom helped me put it on, and it almost seemed like it glowed when she did. David and Rose both had stuff to do after school today, so I had dinner alone with mom. As I changed into some pajamas to get into bed, I made sure the necklace was secure on my neck. I wonder what's so special about this necklace, and no, it's not that it's made of emerald and gold. The first thing I ever learned about Grandma was that she always had a secondary reason for doing things. I can only imagine the second reason behind giving me the necklace. I hopped into bed and sighed. It's been a long day, so I'll leave all my existential questions to tomorrow. A few minutes later, I started to slowly drift asleep.