Borrowed Love

Chapter 3

"Hey baby muva!" Dani waves from across the gym as I finish stretching my arms for dance practice. I wave to her and Zeke as we meet each other halfway. Zeke gives me a full on hug as he seems to glance behind me. "God, why is he everywhere?" He asks as Dani shoves him to the side to hug me as well. I turn to see that he's scowling at Jacob, though I really didn't need to. Zeke only talks like that about him. Jay seems to feel our conversation on him because he looks up from his phone and stares directly at us. He darts his eyes from Zeke and Dani to me and flashes his pearly whites. I smile at him before I turn my attention back to my best friends. "He's just waiting for football practice, chillax Bruce Banner" I say, patting Zeke on the back. "I'm all for hating people with you Z but, why do you hate him again?" Dani asks, opening that can of worms. Again.

"First of all, he stole my girlfriend in 8th grade," he starts as I shake my head. That's more or less the truth. He didn't technically steal her. She broke up with Zeke to date him. But that's neither here or there because he broke up with her to chase after me like, two weeks later. "And then he goes to take our best friend from us, who deserves more than just a nice face and white teeth" he adds, plopping down on the bleachers as more of the dance team and football players pour in. "There are the abs. Those are important" Dani says in addition. "They only help add to the appeal" I add and chuckle when Zeke rolls his eyes, shaking his head in response.

When I turn to the commotion by the corridor, most of the football players and cheerleaders are huddled together, heading to the field. I can't see him but I'm sure Jay is in the middle of it, being QB and star player. I didn't get to say goodbye. I frown momentarily but then shrug off the feeling. Practice starts soon and I need to finish stretching.

"Danielle and Aliyah! I hope you're stretching your body as much as you're stretching your mouth" Celine says with one hand on her hip, the other outstretched to the rest of the team working on their warm up stretches. Zeke scowls as I roll my eyes. Dani huffs before she calls over her shoulder "just getting ready for your boyfriend tonight!". Zeke falls back into the bleachers, howling with laughter. Some members of the team have their mouths agape, others stifling their laughs. I, for one, am snickering next to a proudly smiling Dani. Celine stomps away, seemingly to the athletics office. "I don't like that bitch, she had it coming" Dani says as she begins to stretch her legs.

Celine is a senior and captain of the dance team. Dani wanted to be captain since freshman year. When she finally grew some guts to go up against Celine this year, she lost by one vote, making her co captain, which had her pissed for days. But Celine graduates this year and she knows nothing can stop Dani from taking her spot next year, and that kills her inside. Because at the end of the day, we all know Dani has the better ideas. She's been dancing since she was three years old.

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"Did anyone else hate that routine?" I ask as Zeke pulls me off of the floor and takes Dani's gym bag from her. "It wasn't my favorite" he says with a face of grimace. "That dumb bitch repeated the same five moves in different sequences, which isn't what we discussed last week! Idiot!" Dani rages as we walk out to the parking lot, guzzling water from our bottles.

Zeke drops off Dani first, reminding her that she's co captain and has the right to change the routine if she really thinks it's that awful, which it is. When we get to my driveway, I stop when I notice he's not getting out the car. "You're not coming in?" I ask as I glance at his hands, which are currently gripping the steering wheel incredibly hard. "Mom needs me home. She got into a fight with Mauricio and she asked me to help clean up the family room" he says with an angry huff. I know he doesn't have the highest regards of his mom since she cheated on his dad but I also know he doesn't want her hurt by that prick of a boyfriend either.

"Are you sure you're good to go home?" I ask, without full blown coming out with the question. His features soften as he looks at me. He rests his hand on the back of my neck gently and pulls me to him from his car window. He kisses my forehead lightly before letting me go.

"It's going to be alright Liyahbug. I'll be back tomorrow. I've never missed a taco Tuesday at the Garcia house yet" he smiles. I give him a tight lipped smile, knowing I'll worry the rest of the day. "I'll text you later, okay?" He says as he reverses out of the driveway. I nod my head and wave to his retreating vehicle. He honks twice before heading back down the road towards his house.