Drama Geek

Ch. 2

Didn't get much sleep last night. Tossed and turned with all kinds of weird memory flashes of Josh and I when we were little. We went everywhere together from the time we were in diapers until he disappeared right before my 10th birthday. It didn't help when Josh and his parents were all my Mom and Dad wanted to talk about at dinner last night.

Laurel starts in the second I sit down demanding all the details in 1st period. I try to relay as much as I can without letting him know having him back is messing with my head right now.

"Wow. You were best friends for EIGHT YEARS? Geez. You and I have only been best friends for five years. Should I be jealous?" she asks me when we sit down for lunch later.

"Don't be ridiculous. That's not the same thing. We were just little kids. You are I are way more best of best friends than he and I ever were," I assure her.

"Whew. Then you won't be mad that I invited him to sit with us at lunch today."

That's my Laurel. Bombshell-dropper extraordinaire.

"You did what?!?"

"Come on. Where's your heart? He's a new kid in school and you're the only living soul he knows here. Are you telling me you're not going to help a totally cute guy feel comfortable on his second day at a new school?"

I hate when she's so logical. Her most irritating character trait to be sure. I don't have a chance to tell her what I think because there's a "Hey." right behind me that makes me nearly jump out of my skin. Geez, why am I so on edge now?

I look up over my shoulder at him. Josh is standing there with such a hesitant look on his face I cave with a mental note to Google 'BFF payback' tonight when I get home.

"Well, sit down already before you make me pull a muscle trying to look up at you," I tell him.

A quick half grin, and he's on the bench beside me.

The table feels a little awkward to me now, but Laurel's chattering on to Josh bringing him up to speed on all the latest gossip. Only the second day of school and Laurel's hooked in like the Internet. I sneak a few sidelong glances at him between bites. I don't have a lot to contribute to gossip, but Laurel gets up to get something from the cafeteria line right when I was peeking and I meet his gaze. Dammit.

"Thanks for letting me sit with you and your friend Kat. I know it wasn't your idea, but it was really nice of you to let me."

Great. Instant guilt trip. It probably should have been my idea.

"Plenty of room. The guys are in Guidance rearranging their schedules today," I tell him, "you can meet them tomorrow."

"Who else do you eat with?"

"Just Player and Jaxon. Player's real name is Eli. He's a senior and a committed sex fiend; he hits on anything with a chest and a heartbeat and swore off relationships in the 7th grade. And he's proud of it. That's why everyone calls him Player."