Battling My Destiny

Chapter 2: I'm still a duck...

Phoenix

I had just gotten to school when I got a call from Bridget.

"Yello?"

"Can you come pick me up? My car just died," she said grumpily.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

"Ya I'm fine, just a little cold. Now, can you pick me up or not?" she asked impatiently.

"Of course. Where are you?" I asked making my way to the door.

"On Monroe, right by the library," she said.

"Alright, I'll be there in 5 or less," I said, getting in my car.

"Ok, thanks," she said as she hung up.

I started my Dodge Charger and drove toward Monroe Avenue. I passed Mrs. Garcia's flower shop and she was outside. I waved to her as I passed. She waved back and I made a mental note to stop there before my date tonight. I turned onto Monroe and saw Bridget standing outside her car on her phone. As I passed, I rolled down my window and asked, "Did someone call for a transport?"

She didn't say anything and got into the car. She looked upset and I couldn't tell whether I should ask about it or not. Probably not, but I did anyway.

"What's wrong?" I asked turning around.

"Nothing," she mumbled.

"Bridget, I know you better than that. What's wrong?" I pushed.

"My dad's coming to town," she said.

"Oh," I answered. I knew that her dad was a sore subject. He only came to town when he was out of money or if he didn't have a girlfriend, he'd try and get Bridget's mum into bed.

"Ya, plus the tow company said that my car wouldn't be fixed for about a week," she said pouting.

"Hey, cheer up," I said, "you still have me."

"Duck," she said laughing.

"Again with the duck thing? I thought you were kidding!" I said as we pulled into the school parking lot.

"I'm totally serious," she said, her mood lightening up a bit.

I parked the car and turned it off. Bridget got out first and sat on the hood of the car. When I got out, I went and hugged her from behind and kissed her cheek. I could feel her smiling and walked around to face her. I grabbed her hands and kissed her for real.

"Ooh, get it Bridget!" I heard her best friend Harper yell. I pulled away and she was blushing like crazy.

Harper was walking with Brady and they were coming towards us. He had his arm around her shoulders. When did that happen? I thought to myself as they approached us. Harper ran over to Bridget and they hugged and started talking about who knows what. Brady came over to me and we did what any girl would call "the bro hug." We started talking about the football game at the end of the week. We were both on the team, he's the starting quarterback and I'm the first string wide receiver. 

We got in depth about our rivals, the Starlight High Comets. I personally think it's a stupid name, but whatever. Anyway, we were talking about their defense when Bridget said, "Phoenix, I have to ask you something."

"Shoot," I said back, walking over to her.

"So, Harper and Brady are going out tonight and since we are too, I was thinking we could make it a double date," she said.

"I'm good with that. Brady?" I asked looking to him. At some point, he walked over to Harper and had his arm around her again.

"Sure," he said, "Where should we go?"

"How about The Italian Express? And then maybe bowling?" Bridget suggested.

"Sounds good," we all chorused.

"Tonight at 7?" Brady asked.

"How about 7:30? I have, uh, something to do before that," I said.

"So do I," Bridget said.

"Alright. 7:30 works. See you guys tonight!" Harper said. She and Brady walked in the school. Bridget and I lagged behind.

"What do you have to do before 7:30?" Bridget asked me as we walked. I grabbed her hand and entwined our fingers.

"Oh, you'll find out when I come to pick you up," I said smirking.

"Should I be scared?" she asked half-sarcastically.

"No, don't worry, you'll like it," I said reassuringly.

We walked in silence for a couple minutes to our first class. We both had study hall first, so we still had time to talk before our day really started.

"What do you have to do before 7:30?" I asked when we got to the cafeteria.

"My dad is gonna be here at 6:30. I have to see what angle he's trying to play this time," she said bitterly.

"Oh," was all I said. 

I pulled out my laptop to see if I had any assignments that I forgot to do. I didn't, so I checked my email and then I went onto Netflix to see if there was anything I wanted to watch. There was nothing good, so I put my laptop away and pulled out a book. Bridget had her earbuds in and was probably listening to Shawn Mendes or something like that.

I was reading Descendants: Opposing Forces when I felt my leg get kicked. I looked up at Bridget and saw her smirking at her phone. So, I naturally decided to kick her back, but not to hard. Pretty soon, we got into a foot fight and got a death glare from Mrs. Douglas, so we had to stop.

While Bridget was entranced in her phone, I saw the perfect opportunity to take it. I waited a few seconds, just to be sure, and then I snatched it. The look on her face was priceless, a mix of surprise, anger, and annoyance.  Before she got it back, I saw that she was on Wattpad reading some fanfic about who knows what.

"Phoenix Lucas Storm, I can't believe you just did that!" Bridget whispered yelled.

"Bridget Josephine Pryde, why wouldn't I?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Then she smacked my arm and hissed, "How dare you say my middle name?!"

"Okay, first ow, and second, you said mine," I retorted.

"That's because yours is cool. Mine's not," she said.

"I love your middle name," I said to her.

"You'd be one of few," she said back

"That's not true," I said to her.

"And you wonder why I call you a duck," she muttered under her breath, thinking I couldn't hear her.

What the hell was that supposed to mean?!