True Lovers

Chapter 6 'Hot Hartman'

I woke up mentally prepared for two things the next day. One, more interrogations from the girls in my class—it was to be expected after yesterday's breaking news of Pierce becoming the TA right after I kissed him—and two, dealing with a post-rejected Trey. I had a feeling he'd cause trouble for me with his unrequited feelings, given his mulish nature.

But the one thing I didn't prepare for was my feelings skyrocketing for Pierce.

"Amber, are those your legs I see?" Mom asked me, staring at my bare legs as I came downstairs that morning. Yeah, for the girl who lived in pants her whole life, seeing my legs was like seeing Ariel's. I'd never owned a single skirt in my life and only wore floor-length gowns for special occasions. So when I suddenly broke out of my tomboy mold this morning because of a certain golden boy, I had to go raid Thea's girly wardrobe for something feminine. So far, I'd even gotten away with yoga pants at school under my uniform—not anymore.

I had a certain golden boy whom I wanted to impress.

"Yeah, Mom, I thought I'd start acting like a girl, like you always wanted," I replied, smiling innocently at her. She looked amused.

"Well, well, I'm glad to see you're finally growing up. Although I do wonder whatever brought this on..." Mom gave me a keen stare and I giggled nervously. Yeah, you can't get away with secret agendas when your mom is a psychologist—she knows everything. But fortunately, my mom was tactful enough not to ask until I was ready to tell.

So quickly slurping down my oatmeal in two seconds, I was out the door before Mom could make any more guesses about my sudden switch to femininity.

"There you are! I'm gonna kill you!" The angry voice of Haruko rang out behind me. I turned around and saw her following me on her skateboard—huh, she usually took her Hummer...

"Why haven't you answered any of our texts?!" She ranted, coming and pulling me off my scooter. Haruko had a really short fuse when it came to unanswered texts—especially from her friends because I know she cared.

"She's right, Amb, do you know how worried we were about you?" Cassie appeared out of nowhere on my other side, riding her scooter. "And sweet marshmallows, are those your legs?" Cassie looked stunned to see my bare legs. I glanced at both of them with a nervous giggle.

"Hehe, sorry guys, didn't check my phone yesterday." Not after my incredible sorta-date with Pierce...

"What the heck happened to you yesterday, Amb, you fainted!" Haruko yelled. "And Hartman whisked you off to the nurse's office before we could even get a hold of you!"

"Mr. Byrd didn't even allow us to come after you and he kept us back for one of his long speeches after class," Cassie explained more calmly, "By the time we came to the nurse's office to get you, you were gone. That's when we started looking for you." I frowned.

"Wait, didn't..." I halted. Didn't Trey tell them I left with Pierce? Guess he wasn't talking to anyone anymore...

"So what happened to you?!" Haruko asked impatiently. A little smile crept to my lips.

"I went on a date with Pierce." My answer made both my friends shriek 'WHAT?!' at the same time. I quickly explained to them how Pierce took care of me and took me out because he thought I'd skipped lunch. They rode along, listening to me with their jaws hanging open.

"No freaking way, Amber, you're dating the TA?!" Haruko gasped. I grinned.

"Come on, Haru, it's not like that. He's the TA, and in college, and—"

"And you like him, don't you?" Cassie asked me with a sly smile. I blushed.

"Mmm... maybe..." I mumbled. Cassie and Haruko both squealed.