RISKY BUSINESS

Chapter 7

MARCH,
BLUESTONE HIGH SCHOOL
b r o o k l y n l e s l i e c o o p e r
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I slammed my locker shut and jumped as I came face to face with Morgan, who wore a wide grin on her perfect face. "Oh, god!"

Morgan giggled. "Sorry! I just came to ask about your date with Calum Hood last weekend!" Her eyes widened with each word she spoke, and by the end of her sentence she was yelling in aspiration.

My eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

Morgan slinked her arm with mine and we started to head towards the gym, where our school day would be starting. "Oh, you know . . . I heard from a good source that you went out for dinner with Calum at the Silver Crown, and was wondering when you were going to tell me." Her eyes scanned every face that passed us as she spoke. She spoke calmly, but looked excited.

I shook my head at her. "No, you've got it twisted. My family went out for dinner with Calum's family. Our mother's organised the whole thing. It wasn't a date," We stopped right in front of the gymnasium door, and I looked at her with desperation. "Trust me."

Morgan looked into my eyes, sighed, and nodded. "Alright, I believe you. But why didn't you tell me?" She softly pushed me by the shoulder and our arms disconnected from each other. "I'm your best friend, I have the right to know these things, Brooklyn!"

I chuckled, but spoke with seriousness. "I'm sorry, I only found out in the morning. I would've texted you, but it slipped my mind."

She nodded and let it go. We then re-linked our arms together and walked through the doors and into the crowded gymnasium.

Today was Sports Day at our school. Once every month of the school year, Bluestone High held a day strictly for physical activity and exercise. The day only lasted for two hours, as the first half hour was for the warm-up games, the second half hour was our break time— or recess, and the last hour was game time, where we played an actual sport. And to add to the pleasure of only having a 2-hour school day, it started at 1 and finished around 3. The principal and head sports teacher —who're in charge of the curricular day— claimed that it was a day to keep up each students health and fitness, and guaranteed that it'd be a day full of fun activities for us. They were never wrong. They always come up with great mini games and real sports for us to play and socialise in. Last month, we played a modified version of Capture the Flag as a warm-up and then spent the rest of the day playing Basketball. This month we were doing Dodgeball and Soccer.

Morgan started to lead me through the large gymnasium, towards the back where the rest of our grade hung. Her eyes were searching the sea of students, most likely for Luke. When she spotted him, her face lit up and she pulled me faster towards his group of friends. There were a few boys and girls around, but when they noticed us walking over they knew to walk away to provide privacy for the lovebirds. However, three boys and one girl remained.

It was when I made eye contact with Calum that the events of last weekend replayed in my mind. I remembered everything. From arriving at The Silver Crown with my family, to leaving with them. I remember Calum drinking his red wine so smugly, my father questioning him about his jobs, Calum's mother Joy telling us how he volunteered with kids at the community centre, and how he danced with me. I even remembered him claiming he only did so because he wanted to, and not because he scared the boy who could've been my possible dance partner away. And I remembered how for the rest of the night he stared at me as I avoided eye contact with him. Even how he watched me walk away with my family.

I looked down at my feet and tried not to look so bashful as Morgan unlinked her arm from mine to run into Luke's arms. "Lukey!"

I looked up to watch their embrace, and found myself smiling slightly at them. Luke was holding Morgan tight and they were rocking from one side to another as Luke laughed with one of the happiest looks I'd ever seen on his face. "I told you not to call me that, M."