Getting Hooked (ON HOLD)

Chapter 9

The rain is still drizzling over head as Alyson and I exit the school. She holds a book in the air to keep from getting wet, and I pull my hood forward.

"Wow, this drains." My friends says sleepily, separating to reach the passenger side around the bed of my truck.

"Makes sense." I answer. We both climb in and wait for the student body to get out so we can leave; the parking lot is bizarre with all after school activities cancelled (due to the weather), and now I have to wait for 150 athletes to get out of my way.

"Ugh! Kathy's back!" My hands smack on the steering wheel when I see the tall blond walks to her car.

Alyson watches the girl get in and start it up. "I liked it more when she was gone."

I huff, "Just because you guys don't like each other doesn't mean I am not gonna help her. At least she's practically struggling to have a guy, it seems to me Parker is after you."

"She stole my art painting in third grade, and I still don't have the medal that I won in seventh grade. She still thinks she won it."

I laugh, "Whatever, just let it go!" I pull out and start for my house.

Alyson waits a bit before she starts on a new subject, "Do you remember when we joined lacrosse in middle school?" She laughs at what's coming, "And your hair was really long, and that one chick got your hair knotted in her net!"

"Enough, enough. That hurt, you know. And that was Kelsey."

"Kelsey? You mean Kelsey Shams? The one from our sociology class last year?" She questions with great interest in her tone.

I nod. "Yeah, she said she was sorry, but I still don't think she was really sincere. I helped her get Garrett."

Alyson looks out the window and breaths, "She's a bitch."

"Hey! No name calling, not in my truck!"

We turn into the right corner that leads along the lake edge to my house, but about half way down the street I spot a red truck pulling out of the corner house. "Jared." I say, more on the quieter side.

If I just saw Kathy at the school, why is Jared here? They both hang out sometimes, even though Kathy is having trouble asking him out; I don't really know what's going on with those two.

Alyson spots the look in my eye and I can see her head shake in my peripheral vision. "No, Zoey. Let's just go home. I'm really tired and not in the mood for Kathy's issues right now."

I pull into the closest driveway to my left and wait for him to pass. "It's just for a few minutes, I'll be done really fast. I promise." My truck backs out and we travel about 100 feet behind the new Ford. We follow past the park, and back to town, passing the emptied school, and to the small Rainbow Fish Cafe nearby. Above, the clouds still seem dark, and I spot some sprinkles crash land on the windshield.

"Wonder what he's doin' here." I tell Alyson. When he climbs out, we quickly duck in the seat before his eyes look toward us.

"He probably knows that we're following him." My friend says, her voice wispy from he crouching position.

"Doubt it."

We wait another minute after the door bell rings from his entrance, and then I get out of the truck, headed for the building. Passing his truck, I spot a bouquet of pink and white roses, laced together with a wide white ribbon. Alyson runs up on the other side of his truck after she spots me staring into it.

"Roses?" She asks, almost too loud.

"Quiet down!" I carefully tug on the black handle and open the door just a crack big enough to fit me through, luckily not too much since I am really thin-boned.