You Don't Know..What you Don't Know

Chapter Eight: Summer

The last week of summer flew by in a whirlwind of getting ready for high school.

Mom, Jim, and I spent most of it back-to-school shopping. I had one mission: build a wardrobe for the new me.

Mom wasn't thrilled.

Every low-cut top and pair of ripped jeans earned another disapproving look. She clearly wasn't ready for the new and improved Tia. Thankfully, Jim talked her into most of it.

It was nice to know someone was okay with me growing up.

Even with all the excitement, Torri was never far from my mind. The ache I felt whenever I thought about him was painfully real.

We lived two different lives in two different cities. I didn't text him, and he didn't text me.

That's what I get for letting him take the lead.

The disappointment stung, but there was no point dragging it out. I hoped I'd see him again someday. Until then, my own life needed my attention.

Maybe that was why I avoided my friends.

Truthfully, I didn't want to be reminded of the old Tia. I liked the girl who'd come home from Baltimore, and I wasn't about to let anyone change her back.

My friends caught up with me anyway.

On Monday, Brandi called and asked if I'd walk with her to the elementary school.

Brandi was tall, blonde, and built like the competitive swimmer she was. Years of training had given her lean, defined muscles without making her look bulky. Add bright blue eyes, and she turned plenty of heads.

She wasn't a bad friend.

She just loved being the leader.

For years, I'd happily followed.

Not anymore.

She was in for a surprise.

While I was away, Brandi had met a group of boys and didn't want to face them alone again. Jamie was at the beach, making me her last resort.

"I need a wingman," she admitted.

The boy she liked was named Tim. According to Brandi, he looked—her exact words—"damn good."

The problem was, Tim was always surrounded by his friends from the Virginia Home for Boys.

The home housed a mix of foster kids and boys who'd gotten into trouble. They hadn't gone to our middle school, so I'd never met any of them, but we'd all be attending Tucker High together in a few weeks.

My job was simple.

Keep the other boys busy while Brandi made her move.

The walk to the school took nearly an hour.

Most of that time, Brandi wasn't talking about Tim.

She was criticizing me.

"I don't understand," she said, looking me over again. "You disappear for two weeks and come back looking... like that."

Athena practically snorted.

Good. Because I like it.

One day I'll actually say that out loud.

Today wasn't that day.

"I'm just trying something different," I said. "My cousin spent all this money on these clothes. I figured I'd see how they work for high school."

She kept commenting on my hair, makeup, and clothes, but after a while I tuned her out and started singing quietly in my head.

She wasn't looking for a conversation.