Game On

Chapter Seven

(Attached: Sarah Scott)

JORDAN'S P.O.V

School has been fine for the past couple of weeks.

Cheerleading was fine.

Ruby and I have been fine.

Spencer and I have been fine.

God dammit, even Carter and I have been fine.

Confused? Same.

In cheer practice, we have been choreographing a pyramid into our routine. But it's been difficult because the team have chosen me to be the head of the pyramid.

And I'm scared shitless of heights.

Ruby has been distant with me. We are talking, but we aren't really talking. She will gossip with me, gush over fandoms with me, and she will chat with me. But we aren't talking like we used to.

And there seems to be a wedge between us.

Spencer has been the same as Ruby. We are normally really close, sharing everything (within reason) with each other. But he's being so cold to me lately.

And I don't want to ask why.

Carter and I haven't had a showdown in the last three weeks. I'm not the only one who notices the way he avoids me in the halls. I am ashamed to admit that I kind of miss arguing with him. It, he, makes me feel alive. But I haven't felt alive in three weeks.

And I need to know why.

"C'mon Jordy we've got to get to class. Mr D will slaughter us if we're late again." Ruby snaps me out of my thoughts, dragging me away from my locker and down the hall.

I stop her in her tracks. "Since when do you care about what Mr Denning thinks? What has gotten into you?"

Ruby looks panicked for a second, but slips back into her cool persona.

"OMG Jordy! What has gotten your panties in a twist? I just don't want my favourite teacher to think I'm slacking off!" Ruby says loudly.

I look around to see who she was trying to signal, when I catch Ruby's 'favourite teacher' rolling his eyes at her.

Ruby sends a wink his way, and leads us to our seats.

Organising myself for the class, I work up my nerve to confront her.

"Why are you, and everyone actually, being so different to me lately? Did I say something? Do something? Because if I did, I'm sorry."

Ruby looks as if she's about to tell me something, but she's cut off.

"Now class, please hand in your eight page essays which I assigned as homework yesterday!"

Fuck.

I rush towards the cafeteria, hoping to beat the lunch time mania.

"Excuse me! Sorry! Oh my god, I didn't mean to touch you there. Uh, sorry no. Yes, see you at practice! Ruby save me a seat at the table! Spencer, move! Can I please have a double ham and cheese toasted sandwich, a blueberry muffin, a diet coke, and an apple? Thanks!"

I sit down at the table. That was a stress.

Scoffing down my muffin, I catch two pairs of eyes staring at me.

One pair, deep green in colour, were piercing, electrifying and familiar.

The other, was dark brown, soft, comforting and unfamiliar.

"Who's that?" I ask Ruby, gesturing towards the second pair of eyes.

"Oh! That's Logan Matthews. He's on the football team, really charming, and actually a really nice guy."

I nod my head and return back to my food. As I wash the rest of my muffin down with my drink, I realise something. Something massive.

"Ruby, why didn't you make any vulgar and sexually explicit comments over this boy?" I ask, in an accusing tone.

Ruby doesn't meet my eyes. Which is weird, because after all our years of friendship, I have never seen her act this way.

My bestfriend always has a sexual comment about any male (on occasion females too).

"You are hiding something from me Ruby May, and I will not stop until I find out what." I tell her, before storming out of the cafeteria.

I hear heavy footsteps following after me and I hope it's Ruby, Spencer or even Carter. Who am I kidding? Neither of them would come to comfort me.Ruby and Spencer wouldn't, because obviously I've done something to offend them. And with Alex Carter, just existing, offends him.

"Hi. Are you okay? You looked pretty upset just before. And I know you don't know me, nor is it my place to come running out of here with you. But I was just watching you. Not watching you. But lik-" Logan Matthews rambles.

I smile, and watch him relax.

"It's fine, thank you. I'm Jordan Reid, by the way." I go to shake his hand.

"I know" He shakes my hand, his palm sweaty from nerves.

This boy is the eptitome of cute. Soft skin, pink lips, short brown hair, straight teeth and these adorable little moles. His little nose makes me want to throw myself off a cliff.

"Would you like to maybe ditch last period? I've had a pretty shitty day and need to get out of this place." I suggest, smiling.

I'm not one to do rebellious things. I normally leave that up to Spencer and his bestfriend. However, this whole day has been different, so I might as well be too. Luckily, before I have a chance to change my mind, Logan is pulling me out the front gates of Westminster High.

Only halfway through my vanilla milkshake, do I realise what is happening.

I am sitting in a cafe, during school time, with a total stranger.

Me.

"Jordan?"

"Uh, yeah?" I recover, fighting my sudden nerves.

"I asked you if you had a boyfriend. If you don't want to answer, that's okay. I just don't want to be getting beat up by any guy for taking you out like this." He answers shyly.

I laugh, forgetting momentarily about my bold afternoon.

"No, I don't. Also, I am the one taking you out."

"Okay, good." He nods, fiddling with his straw.

"What? What's good? Look, I know I'm taking you out and all, but I really hope you don't expect me to pay for your food too. I only have like five dollars in my pocket."

Now it's his turn to laugh. "No, no! I meant good as in you don't have a boyfriend!"

"Oh." I reply dumbly, looking anywhere but at him.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the same pair of green eyes from lunch. They are staring at me again.

I quickly turn away from those eyes, and focus on the two in front of me.

The nice eyes. The gentle eyes. The safe eyes.

When I look back, my favourite eyes are long gone.I offer a weak smile to my new friend, trying to forget the fury blazing in those emerald green eyes moments before.

hey :)

i feel like you guys are going to be wondering who this 'sarah scott' character is, but time will tell! hint: girl in alex's year... hint... alex slept with her sister... hint... sarah's name is mentioned often... hint... she's not relevant yet!

bye :) - grace