My Mob Wedding

Chapter 7 - Escape

Word of my speedy departure date spreads faster than Ally Kandry's legs at a party. That's why I find myself cutting yet another day of classes with Jared to avoid the likes of Ally Kandry and her friends bidding me an ill-intentioned farewell. I always hate when people do that. They ignore and disregard someone's existence until they look like a good cause. Then the parasites make their move and latch on and suck the attention right out of them until they become just another face in the crowd again.

Speaking of parties, I'm going to miss the party of the year because it's on Saturday night. I'll be long gone by then. That makes me mad. Derek Hall always has pretty awesome parties throughout the year, but every year after spring break, Derek's parents go out of town for a weekend and he throws the god of all parties. This year, I just won't get to go. There better be some freaking awesome parties in California to make up for this.

"What's wrong?" Jared asks, examining my face carefully.

I shrug. "I'm gonna miss the party tomorrow night."

"I feel bad for you. I wish I could come with you. I really do. I don't want you to have to miss Derek's party and I don't want you to have to leave here at all. I'm gonna miss you, Ana," Jared says, slumping down on the bleacher.

I turn and hug him. He holds me to him tightly. "Jared, you have other friends. I'm going to miss you too, but you have people here for you. And don't think for a second that I'm not going to talk to you all the time. You can't get rid of me that easily."

Jared pulls back a bit to look at my face. "You're the only one who knows me. Really knows me."

That's true. I'm the only person that Jared has come out of the closet to ever.

"I know, I know," I sigh. "Why don't you come out to your sister? She'd understand. Maybe not your parents but your sister probably would."

"It's not that easy."

"I'll go with you," I suggest.

"I'll just go get drunk tomorrow night and tell her after. It'll be easier than telling her sober."

"Maybe you can talk to some other people when you're drunk too. Like maybe Derek..." I wiggle my eyebrows suggestively.

He bolts up and smacks me on the arm. "Diana! I do not like Derek!"

"Oh puh-lease! I saw the way that you were looking at him when he was hanging out with us yesterday. You were practically drooling."

Jared looks down. "Was it really that obvious?"

I set my hand on his arm to reassure him. "Oh, no. Only to me. To anyone who didn't know you, you just looked interested in whatever he was saying. But I don't blame you, Derek is pretty yummy."

"He's straight though," he pouts.

I look him in the eye. "I bet he thinks that about you, too."

He halfheartedly glares at me, "Not fair."

"Well you never know until you try. Just wait until he's drunk to talk to him. If things go badly, he might not even remember."

"I guess so. I just want you to be here," Jared whines.

"I do too. I don't want to go live with a stranger that I'll eventually marry. But seriously, call me whenever you want. Not kidding, I can't be completely alone up there."

"Now I'm going to call you at three in the morning and then three thirty and then three forty five..." he rambles.

I laugh and cover his mouth. "Whenever. And are you busy tonight?"

"Not particularly," he says. "Why?"

"Can you come stay tonight? I have to leave early in the morning tomorrow and I want you to come with me," I propose. I pout my lip.

"Sure, Ana," he agrees.

I clap my hands and bounce in my seat. "Yay!"

There is a sudden hurry of footsteps coming from the door that leads to the locker room hallway. Jared and I run down the bleachers as fast as we possibly can, but we aren't fast enough. A large group of guys, about half with shirts on and half without jog and jump and some even frolic into the gym.

We try to make it to the side without being detected but it is impossible. Jared and I end up getting cornered by the rambunctious group of guys.

"Well, well, well," one of the shirtless jocks says, crossing his arms over his very attractive chest.

I look over at Jared and see that he, too is noticing the jock's abs. I reach over and grab his wrist and squeeze it. He jumps but quickly covers it up by taking my hand.

"Trying to make out secretly?" the jock questions, raising an accusatory eyebrow.

I glare at him. "No, avoiding Calculus if you must know. What do you care anyways? It's none of any of your business even if we were trying to make out secretly."

He puts his hands up. "Feisty. I like it," he says, advancing towards me.

I back up.

Jared steps up. "Hey, man. Lay off. You're wasting our time. She doesn't need this today of all days."

"What's different about today? Friday? Seems pretty normal to me," he challenges.

A shirtless Devon steps forward from the back of the crowd and yells at the jock, "It's her last day, dipshit."

Dipshit glares at Devon and then looks back to me. "So I take it you won't be going to Derek's party tomorrow night?"

I shake my head.

"Too bad. You're a lot more fun when you're drunk," he says.

I glare at him. I may or may not have drunkenly made out with Dipshit before, but he didn't need to go and bring it back up. Whatever happens when I'm drunk, stays with drunk me.

He turns back to his group of half-shirtless, half-shirted guys and starts yelling basketball positions.

Jared and I escape.