All is Fair in Love and Cupcakes

Chapter Three

Lilly

"How was the first day?" My mom asked as soon as I walked through the door. I didn't really feel like talking because for one I was exhausted from practice, and two I didn't have anything to say. There was nothing on my mind to talk about, except for David, and until I had my feelings sorted out and I wasn't feeling as confused about the whole situation, I certainly didn't want to talk about it. Especially with my mom.

But why couldn't I get him off my mind? I didn't have feelings for him. I couldn't have feelings for him. That was wrong. So wrong. But why had it bothered me so much when the other girls were talking about him? And why couldn't I stop making up ideas in my head, thinking about how this semester was going to be? Why, in the pit of my heart, was I secretly looking forward to it? 

"It was just average," I lied. "Boring, mostly." 

"Nothing new?"

"Nah." I reached into the fridge and got a bottle of water, and started to go upstairs to take a shower. I'd considered telling her about cooking class, but I couldn't do that without getting into the whole David thing, and that wasn't a subject I was ready to touch with her. "I'm gonna go take a shower," I said nonchalantly as I put my bags on the ground.

"Okay," she said. "Dinner will be ready in an hour, though," she mentioned, knowing how long my showers can run.

After my shower I went into my room, threw my clothes from school and practice in my laundry basket, and put on a pair of flannel pants and an old t-shirt. I was tired from a long, and really weird day, and I didn't feel like moving for the rest of the night. I picked up my phone before collapsing on my bed, only to see a text message from Margaret.

"Come over! Its important," the message said.

"Cant, dinner soon and im tired. Whats up?" I replied.

I waited a couple minutes until she responded.

"Then im coming there. Cant tell you over text." 

"Okay, Ill tell my mom to set an extra place then," I said.

Less than a minute later, she replied, "Kk! Be there in 5."

I still had no will to move, but curiosity had gotten the better of me. I figured that it was Margaret's crisis of the week and it would be over in a few minutes, but still, I couldn't help being interested. 

"Mom," I said, coming down the stairs. "Is it okay if Margaret comes for dinner?"

"Yeah, okay," she said, sounding indifferent. "I'll set another place."

"Thanks," I said, and disappeared into the living room. A few minutes later, Margaret showed up and let herself in. Rather than the panic mode I'd expected as she usually conveyed when something was too big for her to tell over text, she seemed excited about something. 

"What's up?" I asked casually.

"It's major," she said, clearly wanting to draw out the drama.

"Let's go upstairs," I said, not wanting my mom to hear whatever we were talking about. If it was major with Margaret, it was definitely about a boy. 

When we got to my room, I sat crosslegged on my bed while she grabbed a chair and prepared to spill her drama. "Okay," I said. "Tell me."

"Okay. You'll never guess who's been texting me."

"Who?"

"Todd Jefferson."

The words didn't mean much to me, but for her sake I figured I'd make it bigger than it was. Todd was a junior boy. I knew him because last year he played Junior Varsity football and I had to make his poster for the Thanksgiving game. He wasn't very good, but he was the varsity coach's son, so he made the team this year, the same year that Margaret and I were placed on varsity cheerleading. I wondered if I would wind up having to make his posters again.