Getting Hooked (ON HOLD)

Chapter 3

Alyson and I move across the green lawn to the stone fountain of Napoleon, ready to sit down for lunch; but the wooden picnic table is packed with boys and their girlfriends (thanks to me). So, Alyson and I sit on the fountain edge, dropping our packaged meals beside us.

Next to me, a Rice Krispy Treat wrapper crinkles open as I unwrap the clear wrap from my tuna sandwich. My eyes scan the water top that reflects the building behind us; the pond is a nature preservative, it has ducks in it all year round.

"Are you studying?" My friend asks me.

I look up to the boys in front of us, "Now I am." I smile wide and take a large bite of my sandwich.

"Who else do you have today? Besides my guy."

I tug out my green notebook from my canvas shoulder bag and file through it until I get to today's list.

"Well, first there's Parker: for you. And Alec for Cara. And Jared, since Kathy gets back soon, and I'm really far behind." I slam the cover shut with my hand, and put it in my lap so I can drink some Coke, and eat more bread and tuna.

Alyson takes a bite of her own tuna sandwich, and speaks with her mouth full, "Okay, what do I have to do?"

"That's gross, stop," I grab her chin to hold her mouth shut, but then she snaps her jaws at me.

"Nom nom nom nom!" She comes closer to me with each, so I have to turn away.

I look through the rays of sun at the table by us. I check each face, still staying where I sit,. Finally, I spot the kind face of Lexi, one of the first girls I helped, and you know what, they're still together; gosh, I am a genius!

I nod in gesture to Lexi, "Go sit by her. And make sure to listen to Alec." The boy is right across Lexi, since he's friends with her boyfriend Daniel.

She nods and gathers her soda can, sandwich, and Krispy treat wrapper, in her hands. "Alright, I'll be back." I watch her squeeze between Lexi and Daniel on the bench and start talking. I pull back open my bag of Lay's potato chips and snack on them.

Five chips.

That's how many I stuff into my mouth right before somebody bumps into me from behind and I nearly choke to death. I cough several times, causing many heads to turn my way, before I give up trying to eat and just spit them out in a napkin.

I sit back up to see the boy laughing; his spikey blonde head is bowed forward and his arms clutch his stomach. I look down to see his khaki pant legs rolled up and his feet bare so he don't get soaked in the fountain water; my eyes move back up and I spot his navy blue boat shoes in his left hand.

"What are you laughing at?" I push on his head and he stumbles back, catching the Napoleon's leg to stable him.

"That was funny!" Parker's face is red from laughing too much and running out of air to support that crazy laugh of his.

"Oh? You think me choking, and nearly dying, must I say, is funny?" I turn back around to watch Alyson and Alec chit chat.

"You're right, I'm sorry," Parker's bare feet move past my peripheral vision and he takes the seat where my friend had just been sitting.

"Hi." He smiles at me, and lets out a little laugh when he remembers what he just did.

I swallow my soda, and keep facing forward, after a pause, "Bye."

"Oh, come on, you can't talk every once in a while?"

"No, because-" I first thought how my friend is in love with him, I shouldn't get tangled in this string; but then I remember, I'm supposed to be the one baiting the hook. This is my job, and I do need to talk to him. "What do you want to talk about?" I look over to him.

He laughs and looks away, scratching the back of his neck. "I don't know, I didn't actually expect you to talk."

"What? Then why'd you come over here?"

"Well, you're so quiet in school. And plus, my friend made this stupid bet that you wouldn't have a conversation with me."

Oh, great! A conversation is at stake, this is the perfect opportunity!

"No, actually that would be nice. I'm getting a bit lonely."

"Why isn't Alyson hanging out with you? It's supposed to be a social gathering." He jokes.

I laugh, "Yeah, but she's doing some, um... business."

"Oh," He looks forward, "Wait, but she's right there, talking with Alec."

I look up, I gotta think fast. He'll know I was covering for her, "Um, oh, is that her? I can't see that far away, I'm blind as a Hagfish!" I squint forward, then stand and hold my hand by my forehead for a visor. "Wow, I thought she was still in the nurses, I'm sorry! I gotta go!"

I reach for my leftovers and try to get them all in my hands.

"Wait, but can't we just talk, she's not going anywhere," He questions me, also standing up.

I shake my head, "No, I need to get her for something," I go towards her in a rush, "I'll see you later!"

On the way, I drop my trash in the garbage can and then jump up behind her.

"Hey, come on, I need your help with something."

She looks back at me, and I widen my eyes to make it seem urgent. She nods at me, and tells everyone bye as she steps away from the table, then we run to the bathroom.

"What's wrong?"

"Parker was about to find out about the scheme, I couldn't think fast enough!" I pace back and forth, I can't be giving this up now, then everybody would break up and everything would be a disaster! All my fault!

"Calm down, Zoey, he won't figure out." She stops me and sits me on the sofa, sitting next to me. "Did you find anything out about him?"

"No, we only talked a little before he found you talking to Alec, and that's when I freaked out."

She nods and looks down, "Well, I found some stuff out about Alec."

Those words perk me right up, and I whip out my notebook and pen. "Good, what did you get?"

Alyson shares her findings and I take the notes, putting them into groupings and finding what I need to use. Now that I have the right information, I can go for level two: free gaff.

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Heyo! I just wrote this one tonight! I know I said I was gonna work on Fake Sam, but I didn't since these chapters are so much shorter, and they seem more stress free... I don't know why. Anyway, I hope you liked this one, now that I think of it, It's prolly really plain... not much really happens.... Well, if you did like it, please vote, comment, or follow! I would appreciate even just your reading, it makes me happy to see that some people enjoy it :) I will see you all in the next chapter :D

btw- the school in this is made up, so don't try looking it up :P I made up the school, but the lake is a real place. Except, I don't live in Louisiana (unfortunately) so I don't really know much about it...

*Hagfish- a fish with eyes but no eye sight since their ancestors lived in the dark, and grew able to not perform daily tasks with their eyes; which soon lost their sight. They're born blind now, and still live in the dark

*free gaff- catching a fish without a hook. I reference this as her second level since it is harder and I would think a step up from the normal kind of fishing.