Love or War?

Chapter Four

My Dad made spaghetti for dinner, and Mom never came home. She left me a text saying to eat without her - we always did lately anyway.

            Just as I was about to serve myself some more spaghetti, the doorbell rang. My Dad groaned, spaghetti sauce on his chin.

            "If they're selling something, tell them we'll buy it for free," he grumbled and I chuckled, going to the door. I pulled it open and found Jeffrey standing on my doorstep.

            "Hey," I said with a smile, "want some dinner?"

            "Yes, definitely," he said, eyeing the table.  Everyone loved my Dad's cooking. Jeffrey especially. He was pretty casual at my house, just like I was at his. Perks of growing up together in a town like Coteland.

            Once Jeffrey had gathered a heaping of noodles and Vodka sauce onto his plate, he turned to me, his mouth full.

            "I came to talk," he said, and then turned to Dad, "although thank you for this magnificent meal. I think my Mom secretly feeds us dirt." I rolled my eyes and tugged him down into the basement.

            I had so many memories here - my many birthday parties, my first kiss with Reese Shinnigan (who subsequently moved schools...), the place where I practiced my cello, where we used to have family movie night.

            "So what's up?" I sighed, sinking down into the plush couch. Jeffrey sat beside me, his foot hooked under my leg as he shoveled spaghetti into his mouth.

            "Bradley and Lena planned our next move."

            "Without me there!?" I fumed.

            "Well, yeah, once you up and left our meeting we figured you didn't give a shit what happened." 

            Okay, granted, I did just pick up and leave our Senior War Planning Session, but I was irritated - this damn battle was like a vice grip on all of us.

            "I do if I have to be involved in it!" I huffed, and Jeffrey set his plate on the coffee table, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

            "Look, you don't have to do much, you're just a decoy." I stared at him, unblinking. "Look, here's what's going to happen..."

            I officially hated this damn thing. The fighting, the attacks, the name calling, the endless pranking. It was all so pointless considering that no one would ever win.

            I knew this was a horrible idea, and we'd probably get suspended if the music teachers weren't so indifferent about this rivalry.

            I paced back and forth at the end of the hallway, waiting for the pie teachers to send the boys back into the locker room. It took a lot of work and deception for me to con my way out of class this period. Let's just say, I wasn't thrilled about this plan. I wasn't even sure it would work, but Brad had reassured me a million times over that it would.

            "It's time," Brad texted me as I watched the sweaty boys file into the locker room, shoving one another loudly. I took a few deep breaths, waiting until the door shut behind the last guy. I waited thirty seconds, and then, when I saw Jeffrey at the end of the hall winking at me as he held out the trophy, I marched up to the boy's locker room and flung the door open.

            "Hey losers!" I yelled out, knowing they would all recognize my voice. Not to sound cocky, but everyone knew me, and that I was in the Orchestra. "Guess who just stole the Band State Championship trophy?"