All is Fair in Love and Cupcakes

Chapter Five

David

The next day passed uneventfully. It was the third day of school and most classes started their actual curricula, making the six hours feel much more like school than they had in the previous days. I had Culinary right after lunch, but even the weirdest class on my schedule was quiet and boring, because as it was Wednesday, we weren't working on our project. When we entered, the desks were in rows and columns instead of pairs, and Lilly and I didn't sit with each other because we didn't feel obliged to. Although, I admit, I wouldn't have minded. But she grabbed a seat with that mousy sophomore, the only one from her grade that was in the class, and I opted for a spot in the back corner near Mike Green. Mike and I were getting closer recently, through Bryce, and because of the class, and because of football. Mostly throughout the class we talked about what had happened the previous day and what an ass Jefferson had been. Both Jeffersons. Surprisingly, nobody had told the school what I'd done, and I had to assume it was because all of the witnesses to the event had heard Todd harassing me, and telling the administration about me would risk Todd being suspended from the team as well. 

Mike made an effort to assure me that I would be back on the team in a matter of weeks, maybe even days, because as he put it, they couldn't do it without me, and the one thing Coach Jefferson hates more than me is losing. He told me that next Friday, there was an away game against Bayview, our greatest competitors and longtime rivals, and if Jefferson knew what was good for him, he'd put me in.

It was the QB position that Mike seemed less confident about. He knew just as well as I did that Todd Jefferson was up for it even though he was a crappy player, and wanted it bad. The coach had never bothered to hide his favoritism for his son in the past, and I figured this would be no exception. 

By the end of the day, I couldn't keep my mind on any subject except the prospect of seeing Lilly outside of school. I began to second guess myself. Had it been weird of me to offer? Was I out of line? But, I had to keep reminding myself, Lilly had said yes. She'd even smiled. That was a sure sign that it was going to work out, right?

 The sweet irony of it all was that, since I was suspended from the team, I'd have to wait around after school for Lilly to finish her practice. I didn't know where to go, really, so I took some extra time at my locker, trying to stall, and when I was done, went to sit by the field and watch. I mean, being suspended from the team sucked, but I wasn't about to complain about a couple hours with nothing to do but sit around and watch the cheerleaders.

I selected a bench on the cheerleaders' side of the field rather than the football side, and wisely so. I couldn't imagine the coach would be pleased with me sitting just feet from the practice I wasn't allowed to be at. My distance didn't stop Todd, however. He'd already gotten me kicked out, he knew, but he just had to rub it in my face and seal the deal. He strutted by me as I sat there reading one of my school books, and took my attention away from the text by saying, "Thinking about trying out to be a cheerleader, McClain?"

"Todd, please just get out of my face," I asked. I didn't want to speak to him and do something else I'd regret.

"Or," he continued, taking no notice of my words whatsoever. "Are you trying out to be with a cheerleader."

"I'm waiting for someone. Todd, please just leave. I don't want to get into more trouble with you."

"It's not my fault you can't control yourself."

"It was your fault I lost control."

"Is it my fault you can't control your actions? Your fists, or your drinking?"

"Todd, go away. Now."

"Look, man, I'm just kidding around. So, man to man. Which one are you screwing?"