Always Adam

Chapter 5

I'm up early again and as I head out the door, I stop by the kitchen to grab another banana. I grab a granola bar also just in case my lunch ends up on the floor again. I hurry out the door to make the drive to my new school. I park and walk towards the school. I notice several people staring at me or pointing. I ignore them and keep walking. I'm just about to my locker when I hear "Hey bad ass." I turn around to see blue eyes heading towards me. "You make it home alright yesterday," he asks. I notice people suddenly paying attention to what he's saying. "Just fine thanks," I tell him pulling books out of my locker. I shut my locker and find him still standing there.

"Later," I say and turn to walk away. I decide to stop by the bathroom before class. I'm not sure why since I don't have to go. I just feel the need to be alone for a couple minutes to collect myself. I lean against the stall wall trying to pull myself together. The school makes me uneasy. I feel like I can't catch my breath here. I make my way out of the stall and freeze. The bitch from yesterday is standing there fixing her makeup in the mirror. I mean really of all the luck.

"Hey," I say going over to the sink to wash my hands. "Hey," she says back. My guard is up. I am waiting for her to take another shot at me. I dry my hands and toss the paper towels in the trash. I start for the door and she makes a sudden move to block me. I stop and give her what I am hoping is a bad ass stare. "I'm Natalie," she says holding out her hand to me. I wonder if it's a trick. I cautiously put out my hand and we shake. "I'm Carly," I say. "My friends call me Nat," she tells me with a smile. I smile back and ask "So which one should I call you." She stares at me for a minute and then says "You can call me Nat."

We head out of the bathroom together. She's at least a good foot taller than me. "Good makeup job on the eye," I grin at her. "That was a good shot. I never would have thought you had it in you," she says as we head down the hall together. I notice some stares. "I did kick boxing for a year when I was fifteen," I tell her. "Your lip looks normal today. I need to work on a better shot next time I need to hit someone," she jokes. I reach my class. "See you at lunch Carly. Don't sit in my seat if you beat me there. Sit in the one across from it," she says.

My morning passes fairly fast without any incidents. At lunch I find the same table and sit in the seat across from Nat's. She's not there yet. She smiles when she sees me. I notice a lot of the kids in the cafeteria are watching us. She sits down and eyes my tray. She takes my cookie and takes a bit. "Are you looking for a new reason to start a fight with me," I tease her. She grins and puts the cookie back on my tray.

"So what's your story," she asks taking a bit of her hamburger. "Oh you know. The typical good girl gone bad," I joke pouring dressing on my salad. "So, did you really trash your principal's house." I look up at her. "Apparently so. No offense, but I wouldn't choose to leave West Riverside for East Riverside because I wanted to." She shakes her head. "No offense taken. Maybe I should trash the principal's house in hopes I will get to go to West Riverside." We both laugh.

"What's so funny," a girl with long black hair says as she plops down next to Nat. "I'm plotting to get into West Riverside," she says to her. "This is Carly. The West Riverside chick," she tells the girl. Then she looks at me. "This is my friend Ava." Ava and I both assess each other. She has the blackest hair I have ever seen. It's thick, beautiful and shiny. When she looks at me, she has pretty blue eyes. The eyes remind me of someone else, but I can't place it.

"Well hello West Riverside chick Carly," she says then smiles. "Hey Ava," I say taking a bit of my salad. Ava and Nat are talking about a class they have together. I sit and listen while I eat. I realize how much it sucks to be the new kid and wish I had befriended the new kids that came to West Riverside. Someone sits down next to me. "I'll swing by your car after school. You know in case you need me to jump you," he says. I turn to see who it is. "Hey Donnie," I say. "I bought a new battery on the way home so I think I'm good. Thanks though." He frowns. "Crap." Ava and Nat laugh.

"So tell us about West Riverside," Nat says. "Not much to tell. I can say one thing. Their football team is going to suck this year." The three of them burst out laughing. "I guess it's a sure win for us then," Ava says. East Riverside was one of West Riversides toughest team to play. The games were always exciting with very close scores. Sometimes it came down to the last seconds of the game for one team to pull ahead of the other. With our best players gone, there was no chance for West Riverside.

"Maybe it won't matter so much that Adam isn't playing this year," Nat says to Ava. She shrugs her shoulders. "I don't want to talk to about Adam," she says. I have to figure Adam's an ex-boyfriend. I try to think it out in my head. The name Adam. I didn't know all the players on opposing teams, but if he was a main player then the name would stand out for me. I wanted a last name since those are stuck in my mind more, but didn't want to ask. If it was a bad breakup I sure the heck didn't want to piss Ava off by asking about it. So I let it go.

A couple other people had joined our table. Nat introduces me to an African American kid named TJ and his girlfriend Janae. They both seemed really nice. I eat my lunch answering questions here and there about the trashing of principal's Wilks house. Apparently I am a legend at East Riverside. Well not just me. Everyone who was there. I feel myself relax for the first time in days. Nat tells me that she doubts anyone will mess with me after taking her on yesterday. This makes me happy. I don't want to spend my days fighting everyone at East Riverside.

After school lets out, I find Donnie waiting by my car. He isn't bad looking I decide as I check him out closer. He's no blue eyes, but he's cute. He has wavy dirty blond hair and what looks to be light green eyes. He stands a good foot taller than me. He's leaning against my car door smiling at me. I can't help but smile back. "Hey," I say. "I just wanted to be sure your car starts," he grins. He continues to grin at me and doesn't move away from my door. "I can't get in," I tell him still smiling. Finally he moves away from the door. I hit the unlock button and he opens the door for me.

I climb in and start the car. It starts right up. He looks disappointed. He's leaning into the car. "I can't leave with you half in my car," I tell him. "That's the point of me leaning into your car," he flirts. I laugh. He is cute. Just then I hear "This kid bothering you bad ass." My stomach flutters. Donnie pulls his upper body out of my car and I see blue eyes standing behind him. I smile at him. Damn he's gorgeous. "Nah. He's just being a gentleman and making sure my car starts," I say. Donnie winks at me. I laugh.

"Come on Romeo. I need a ride," blue eyes says to him. He groans. "See you Carly," he says turning to go. "Later bad ass," blue eyes says as he walks away. I sit and watch the two of them walking away. Blue eyes is almost as tall as Donnie. Donnie is more on the thin side. He's wearing a short sleeve t-shirt so I can see his arms are muscular. Blue eyes has him beat though. His shoulders are broad and his arms very muscular. He's wearing a long sleeve black shirt that fits him snugly in both areas.

I close my door and leave. I don't head home though. I need some new clothes. I head to the mall. I use my emergency card and spend the next two hours searching for more appropriate clothes to wear to school. I make it home just in time for dinner. They have already sat down to eat. Donna seems irritated with me. I guess because I wasn't home sooner to help. I don't really care since I won't be around in another day or two. I look around the table and realize for the first time that I can't wait to leave.