Popstar High

Nine

<<ROWAN>>

I haven't talked to Sabrina for three hours. Are you kidding? Like, what's happening here? Is this some kind of crazy plot twist? If so, I really don't like it.

What's with that Jeannette girl? What's she about?

I've never had a best friend before. Never ever. People think I'm weird. Well, maybe I am. But Sabrina's different. She's okay with my weird. She likes me for who I am... even if my weirdness comes in the friendship package. She's one of the only people ever who have accepted that. But Jeannette... Oh, please God, don't let Jeannette take my best friend away from me. Not now.

After classes are done, I walk all the way across campus back to our dorm. I couldn't find Sabrina, so no scooter for me. I wondered where the heck she was.

Sabrina arrived in the dorm an hour after I got back. My homework was done, my after-school banana was eaten, my daily bottle of water drank. I was sitting in a beanbag chair, watching Gurl Meets Wurld, and eating peanuts when she came in.

"Where the heck were you?" I demanded.

She shrugged. "Who are you, my mother?"

"No," I replied, kind of hurt. "I just... wanted to know. I had to walk back here, Sabrina. Walk."

"Exercise would be good for you."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"Never said that."

"You hinted it."

"I didn't 'hint' anything."

Sabrina was acting different. I faced the TV. I couldn't look at her eyes. Sabrina threw her backpack down and brought out her phone, typing away. Without thinking, I blurted, "Who are you texting?"

She looked up. "Really, Rowan?"

"Um, I--"

"But seriously, I swear, Rowan, you are like, amazing, but relax. You act like I'm cheating on you or something."

"At least I never dated Cameron!"

"Rowan, I'll kill you."

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Both."

"Why don't you go tell that to Jeannette? Move in with her, why don't you?"

"Are you kidding me, Rowan? I can be friends with other people, really. You are ridiculously clingy."

"You are ridiculously rude!"

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it!"

Sabrina suddenly closed her eyes tight and let out a long, slow breath. I heard her murmur something... and then she opened her eyes. Acting as if nothing happened, she turned back to her phone. I turned back to the TV.

<<SABRINA>>

When Rowan's pathetic and annoying little ranting stopped, my head ached. Another flashback.

"Sab, I really don't think..."

"What? You big baby. Seriously, it's just a vine."

"It's poisonous, Sabrina."

"That's what you think. You never know until you try it." Sabrina waved the yellow vine in front of Cameron's face. He grimaced and backed up.

"I never should've brought you to that greenhouse."

She stopped. "Why?"

"Sabrina, you're not pranking someone with that. Honestly."

"Who put YOU in charge of me? I can do what I want, Cameron, and I don't have to listen to you. You're not my mother. I swear, you can be such an idiot sometimes."

"I'M the idiot? I'm not the one whose considering making someone EAT that!"

"Whatever, Cameron, I'm going home."

"Give me the vine, Sabrina."

"You are NO fun, Cameron. Since when did YOU become such a goody-goody?"

"Since I started dating YOU. One of us has to keep you out of trouble, and something tells me you're not going to look out for yourself."

Sabrina clenched her fists together. She had dropped the vine long ago. "I can take care of MYSELF, Cameron, I don't need YOU to do it for me."

He said nothing.

Sabrina was fighting tears. She turned on her heel and started walking towards home. Cameron didn't stop her. He watched her go, then turned and walked towards his own house. The whole time, he was thinking. Was Sabrina worth it?