**********NOTE*************
IF YOU READ CHAPTER 1 BEFORE 5/19/14 AT 9:00 AM, THEN SKIP THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE YOU ALREADY READ IT (IT'S THE SECOND PART OF CH. 1)
IF NOT, ENJOY THE STORY :)
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Tessa POV
I’m late, I’m late, I’m late! I yank my backpack out of my car. Everything has to go the right way, or my life is so doomed. I can’t afford to get another tardy slip. I don’t have time for detention this week! We have regional cheer competition!
With that thought in mind, I run (which Zaida says looks more like an awkward, out of taste skip) towards the front door of my school, trying to beat the bell.
“Hey, Tess!”
“Morning Tessa!”
“Tessa!”
“What’s up girl?!”
I bypassed all of my friends and fans, waving everyone off with a quick and simple hi. I rushed to the door of my classroom, not even bothering to stop at my locker. I twisted the door knob and pushed the door, and before I could get my foot on the tiled floor in the classroom, the late bell rung.
“Crap,” I mumbled, trying to close the door quietly behind me and get to my seat without Ms. Tucker noticing.
“It’s nice of you to finally grace us with your presence, Tessa O’Connor,” Ms. Tucker said without lifting her head from her attendance sheet. “Come get your tardy slip, as per usual.”
I sighed, and walked slowly to me seat and put my bags on the flood beside it. I sulked up to Ms. Tucker’s desk, formulating an excuse to get out of this tardy slip.
“Ms. Tucker?” My teacher halted her writing and glanced up at me.
“Yes?” She raised an eyebrow and sat up straight, all of her attention on me. I bent a little closer to her desk so I could talk so nobody else could hear me. Because if they know I cared about something, then my reputation was toast.
“Um, Ms. Tucker. I was, um, wondering if you could, maybe, make this tardy an exception, please.”
“I’m sorry, Tessa, but I cannot do that. You’re always late, so making this an exception would be like telling a serial killer he had one more chance and didn’t have to go to jail.”
Ouch. The comparison hurt a little. But, I couldn’t back down now. I had to see this through.
“I’m sorry I’m always late, but I really can’t afford this right now.” Ms. Tucker looked at me over her glasses and took them off her face, placing them on her desk.
“Tessa, I understand that cheerleading competitions are this week, but you have to learn to control yourself. You have never been to my class on time, and I will not continue to tolerate it. Therefore, you will shut your mouth and take this detention.” Ms. Tucker scribbled her signature on the orange slip of paper and slapped it into my hands.
I turned on my heel, making a beeline for my seat. Everyone was watching. I’m not sure if they heard, but I do know that I can’t show any emotions. I’m a Popular. I’m not supposed to care about my grades and stuff like that.
But I do.
I’m also not supposed to really care about cheerleading; it’s supposed to be effortless, because I’m a Popular.
But I do.
I care about just about everything that a Non-Popular would care about. The only difference is I’ve managed to make my way very close to the top of the food chain and my record is spotless. I’ve never been caught studying, doing homework, doing classwork, or even participating in group projects. And anyone that did catch me, I either pretended to be Zaida, or I paid them to keep their mouths shut; because, like I said before, my reputation means everything to me.
Besides, it’s not my fault Ms. Tucker is like a rough piece of that nasty beef jerky Zaida likes so much.
I slid into my seat, and pulled my cell phone out of my pocket. This was one of the ways I kept my rep crisp. I did all of my essays on my phone, and handed them in after school when there was nobody in the halls or the classroom. So, it looked like I was texting, not working.
“Hey, Tess,” my best friend, Hailey, said tapping my shoulder behind me.
“Yeah?” I twisted around a little so I could hear her better.
“What was that all about?”
Uh-oh. Hailey’s asking questions. This is bad. I mean, she’s my BFF and everything, but the poor girl’s so nosey, she’d put Rudolph to shame.
“Nothing. I just had to make sure she knew that Zaida wouldn’t be able to make that meeting with her because she’s going to be doing something with that lame boyfriend of hers.” The lie rolled naturally off of my tongue. I kept my cool, and smiled at her, and she nodded, reeling in the bait.
“And now that you mention those losers, they totally killed my new Choos.” Hailey pouted her lips out and wiped an imaginary tear from underneath her eye.
“Seriously?!” I gasped, putting my hands up to my lips, pretending to care. “You didn’t let them get away with it, did you?”
“Of course not,” Hailey sneered. “As if. I totally told both of them off and Zaida looked like she was about to cry and everything.” I internally made an eye roll.
Now I won’t admit many things about my sister’s boyfriend/best-friend (whatever he is) But, I do know he’s not one to let people just sit and talk. And Zaida will only take so much from Hailey. I remember one time; she was so close to slashing Hailey’s face when I had a mini sleep over in seventh grade, it wasn’t even funny. Poor Hailey called her mom so she could go home, and I never had the sleepover. So, now, whenever they see each other, they fight like cats and dogs.
“Good,” I said, nodding. “Good.”
