"Friends"

Chapter Three

Chapter 3

After School

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After school I usually have cheer practice and I did share that with Celeste, but for some reason we didn't argue as much.

We were too busy learning new routines and she had on a fake attitude for the rest of the girls she had to show, but just because she fooled them into being their friend, a handful stuck with me because they knew the real her and we all had one thing in common...

We didn't like Celeste Hollister which is how many girls make friends.

In the locker room, I stalked Celeste secretly making sure my plan I came up with last period was going to make up.

"Hey guys, imma go," she told her friends with a crunched nose. I pretended not to listen.

"Where are you going Celeste?" Nikki, one of her best friends asked. I glanced at them as Celeste creepy smiled at them.

"You know, WORK," she implied 'work'. All the girls in her mix giggled. I pretended to get my stuff ready. 'Celeste has a job?' I thought.

"Hehehee, okay Celeste. Have fun," her friends waved at her like she was famous.

"Bye biotches," she blew kisses at them.

Waiting a few minutes I headed out the door behind her and I saw her drive out the parking lot in her black new model of a mustang and I knew my plan could go into play.

After saying bye to Charlotte in the parking lot from her soccer practice, I had headed toward the field with my cheer bag and my practice outfit still on. Black spanks, flexible white cheer shoes, a lime green muscle shirt, my hair in a high side pony tail with a giant practice bow in it. I held my car keys in my hand with a ton of fancy, yet unnecessary key chains upon it.

Sometimes I wonder why I'm on the cheer team.

I went onto the field from the parking lot and I did see Asher out there running the track with his friends and when he saw me he waved with a smile. I waved back to him and I was hoping he wouldn't come over to see my oily, sweaty, after-practice face and have second thoughts on our plans about Tuesday, but I wasn't looking for him......

I was looking for Jake.

I saw him basically playing catch with a football with some of the football guys and I headed right onto the field, not even caring I was actually the only girl ON the field.

When Jake saw me he looked perplexed at first shielding his eyes from the sun and he chuckled coming over to me. "Hang on guys, I'll be back." He jogged over to me in his grey t-shirt and black basketball shorts, sweat stains all over him. It was gross, but maybe just a little attracting....just not on him.

"Dee! So nice of you to drop by," he greeted with smile and open arms. "Give me a friendly hug." I quickly backed away with my fingers around my middle finger and I closed my eyes.

"Ew don't touch me," I told him quickly. He chuckled pretending to be sad with a smile.

"Alright, alright, fine. Do you need somethin'?" He asked. I sighed. 'I can't believe I'm actually doing this,' I thought.

"Okay," I sighed again. "I need you to do me a favor." He backed up surprised.

"Dawn Noel asking for a favor??" He asked himself. "From me?? Is she drunk?" He picked at my forehead. I rolled my eyes slapping his hand back.

"No, I'm not drunk and I'm serious. I need you to do something for me." He leaned his weight in his right leg and crossed his arms over his chest....his arms look bigger than I last imagine. Maybe that's why he was the best quarterback.

"And what's that?" I sighed again getting quieter.

"You know Asher? Asher Payne?" I asked him. He squinted his eyes at me.

"The senior track and swim boy?"

I nodded, the sun in my eyes.

"Yeah I know him...Why?"

"I need your help..." Jake smiled exotically.

"Oooooo, you want me to ask him out for you?" He asked. "I can do that." I shook my head quickly.

"No! You see....listen, the Halloween party at Caleb's is coming up and I think I want to go with him to it, but I never been on a real date to know anything about dating or how it works and I don't know much on Asher that I need to know....like, what's his type and stuff. So I need you to get in on some info and tell me what's up." He didn't answer after awhile and he used hand gestures.

"So you want to me, to teach you, how to date? Like....give advice?" I nodded.

"AND get Asher to like me-like me....just well enough so I can go to homecoming with him AT LEAST. I don't care about the party as long as he goes too." Jake stared down at me for a little and I stared at him back. He finally chuckled and nodded.

"Alright I'll do it....but YOU gotta do something for ME." I groan totally forgetting how Jake Lander works.

"Oh God, it better not be-" he cut me off.

"Nah it's nothing bad. Nothing bad... You know in English, Mr. Whells class or whatever?" I chuckled.

"Mr. WIll?" I corrected him in a question. He nodded.

"Yeah, yeah him. Well, I'm currently failing his class already for the next 6 weeks and the SATs are coming up..." I nodded sucking in my lips with suspicious eyes. "So, I was wondering if you could help me pass?" I looked at him.

"Really? You want me to tutor you?" I asked seriously. He nodded.

"Yeah! I was going to ask you before and pay you, but since you really like that Asher guy, I guess this is how YOU can pay ME." I thought about it a little.

"So...you help me get first dates and hints on Asher and I help you pass English and get a passing grade on the SAT?" I asked him for reassurance. He single nodded hiding his lips.

"Yes ma'am. Deal?" He let out his hand for me to shake. I looked at it then back at him and I just turned around and began to walk away.

"Deal." He laughed at me.

"Wait, when do you want me to come over?" He called to me. I kept walking not turning around.

"Doesn't matter, just show up," I told him. I quickly turned around speed walking back to him and I got close to his face. "And you better keep this on the down-low. If you tell ANYBODY about this I swear, I will kick you in your freakin' NECK," I threaten through my teeth pointing at him. He laughed.

"Alright alright. Between you and me. That means YOU can't even tell Charlotte," he added. I fake smiled.

"And YOU can't even tell Celeste." We both smiled shaking our hands at the same time.

"Deal," he nodded.

"Deal," I smiled at him.

I began to walk away but I came back to him for the last time. "Oh and by the way, during all this, I'll still hate you. This is nothing more than a fair game. We're JUST 'friends'," I said using quotation marks with my fingers. He smiled chuckling.

"JUST 'friends'?" He asked sarcastically. I nodded once smiling not showing my teeth.

"Yeah, JUST friends," I emphasized 'just'. He laughed.

"Alright, I get it. I'll come by around 7:30 tonight. Don't forget, I still have detention for Mr. Will later," he told me. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh yeah I know. I'll be home anyway," I walked away. I felt Jake was still looking at me before returning to his friends and something inside me felt good....

I was finally going to get real facts from a GUY on how to date and in the mix of that, find out more about Asher that I needed to know for this date Tuesday....and hopefully the party and homecoming then on.

'Dawn Noel and Asher Payne," I thought as Asher ran by me waving again on the track and I giggled as his friends watched me. "Sounds cute together right?"

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