For The Love Of The Game

The next day Lacey was at her locker getting her books for class. It was only the second day of school but already she was ready for it to be over. She had just closed her locker and was getting ready to start walking to class when someone yelled to her.

"Hey Lacey!" She turned around and saw Aaron walking down the hallway towards her with a few of his jock friends. Lacey recognized  them, though she didn't know them personally. She saw one of them was a guy that she knew pretty well as DJ. He was extremely tall, prolly 6'5" with short black hair. The other one she recognized was Korey. She as also tall with shaggy brown hair.Lacey had never really talked to either of them before. Aaron and his friends were all seniors, while Lacey and her friends were all juniors.  Aaron was in the middle of them. He had a big smile on his face.

"Hey," Lacey said.

"Wanna walk to math class together?" Aaron asked once he was in front of her.

Lacey stared at him for a second. He couldn't be serious. She started to look around. She was waiting to see someone watching and laughing and point. This had to just be some stupid prank. Aaron Matthews asking some little junior to walk to class together. Aaron noticed and he started to look around too. Finally he asked her, "What?"

"Nothing," she said deciding that it wasn't a joke. "I thought I heard someone say my name. Sure I'll walk to class with you.

"Cool, let's go," Aaron flashed her another smile. He said goodbye to his friends and started to walk beside Lacey. This felt so weird to her.

"So..." Aaron finally broke the silence. "Are you any good at math?"

Lacey couldn't help but smile at his lack of a good conversation starter but decided to answer him honestly. "No, I'm awful at it. I hate it."

"Really? Math is the one subject that I am actually good at in school."

"Well I honestly don't know what i would do if Temple wasn't my coach," Lacey said as the walked into the class.

"Oh I hear ya. If Poke wasn't my coach, I'd fail history for sure."

Lacey smiled, "That's funny. History is my best subject."

"That is funny." Aaron took his seat behind Lacey just as the class started.

She really didn't understand why Aaron was being so friendly to her. She had never talked to him before or anything. Sure she had seen him around. In a small school like this, you can't help but see the same people all the time. And yes she went to the football, basketball, and baseball games and she watched him play, but she didn't go just to see him. She was still trying to figure out why Aaron was being so nice when Temple started his lecture and Lacey started to take notes.

When the bell rang Lacey grabbed her stuff and started out the door to her next class. Next thing she knew, Aaron was beside her.

"You kinda rushed outta there," Aaron said.

"Oh, well like I said, I hate math." Aaron let out a little laugh. Lacey noticed that she enjoyed the way it sounded.

"So what's your next class?" he asked her.

"Gym."

"Oh I'm jealous. Mines english. I--" He was cut off by someone.

"AARON!!!"

Both Aaron and Lacey turned around. Walking down the hallway, follwed by her drones was Lauren. Lacey couldn't help but notice Aaron's shoulders sink when he saw her. She wondered why. She'd think that Aaron would like having the most popular girl in school chasing after him.

"Hey Lauren," Aaron said putting a smile on. Lacey noticed that it didn't go all the way up to his eyes. Lauren walked over and threw her arms around him.

"I haven't seen you all day. You weren't hiding from me were you?" Lauren asked while still holding onto Aaron with a death grip. Lacey cringed at the sound of Lauren's voice. Her normal voice was awful enough. It sounded like she was pinching her nose when she talked. When she tried to sound all sweet, her voice sounded way to high pitched and it made Lacey want to cover her ears. Lacey rolled her eyes at Lauren and couldn't help but to notice Shelly. She looked so sad. She wasn't even trying to fake a smile, and Lacey felt bad for her.

"Oh, uh, of course not." Aaron said.

"So what are we doing tonight?"

"I have plans tonight," Aaron said while trying to pry Lauren off of him.

"Like what?" Lauren tried to put on a puppy dog face but it only made her seem even more like a pug dog.

"I, uh, I have a, um...study session," Aaron said.

"For what?"

"History! Lacey here is my tutor and we were just talking about it." Lacey's eye brows shot up. This was news to her.

"You have a study session during the first week of school?" Lauren eyed him suspicously. She was smarter than she looked, Lacey had to give her credit for that.

"You know coach. Want me to stay on top of it from the beginning. Lacey was just telling me when and where to meet. Weren't you Lacey?" Aaron looked at Lacey with pleading eyes. Lauren eyed Lacey too, but with more like anger and suspicion. Lacey realized she had to say something, so she pulled herself together.

"Uh.....yeah, I was. Meet at my house at 7."

Aaron gave Lacey a grateful smile. Lauren eyed Lace up and down.

"Well, ok I guess. Maybe we can hang out this weekend?! I'll call you!" Lauren gave Aaron one more awkward hug before leaving with her groupies.

"Thanks I owe you one," Aaron said after Lauren had disappeard around the corner.

"Yeah no problem. Well I have to get to class. "

"Okay, see ya." Aaron called after her.

Lacey was glad when the day ended. Practice was a relief, but to Lacey it had ended too soon. She packed up her things and started to her car in the parking lot. She noticed someone leaning on it. She stopped when she realized it was Aaron.

"Hey!" Aaron flashed a smile when he saw her.

"Ummm, hey," Lacey unlocked her car and threw her gym bag in. "What's up?"

"I'm here for our study session. Remember?!?" he said with a smile.

"WHAT?!" Lacey couldn't believe this. He couldn't be serious. She was doing him a favor by lying for him. No way could she tutor Aaron Matthews.