the price of being ace

Chapter 4

Jackson^
Paige comes right up to my desk at the beginning of class looking a bit mad
"Wheres the essay?" She asks
"Why don't you ask Tristan because I have to print a new one" I say and she sighs
"Ok well get on it it's due on Tuesday" she says and I'm confused did she not hear me
"I know" I say and she just walks away and joins her friends
"What was that about?" Jo asks sitting down in the desk beside me
"Paige asked about the essay I typed yesterday" I say and she rolls her eyes
"Ok today class Im thinking of doing something different,Let's all make detailed character profiles of ourselves" mrs.harlow says and there are some groans of protest including one from me

I write down my basic description like pale-ish skin,dark brown hair and dark brown eyes then jo looks over at my page
"Dude you're seriously doing this" she whispers laughing at me
"Yes miss Samuelson just like you should be" the teacher says from behind us
"Sorry Ma'am" she says and starts writing but I can tell it's just to please her until she walks away

"I want to see you both at the end of class" she says then walks back to her desk
"I don't even know what I'm supposed to put for relationship with my family I mean divorced and ones never around and the others barely,he's always at the station doing something" she says with a sigh
"Make something up,I do it all the time" I say and she shrugs
"Which reminds me,My dad isn't coming home until really late tonight if you wanna come over and watch a movie" she says and I nod
"Yeah,i have to ask though but I'm sure they'll say yes" I say then get to work on the rest of the questions

After Mrs.harlows stern lecture on doing class work and not talking while she's trying to teach we leave the class and go our separate ways which means I'm off to math alone
"Hey juvie I didn't know we had math together" Cassie says and I sigh
"I try my best not to be noticed so that's probably why" I say walking to the back and taking my usual seat
"Aw come on juvie we're basically teammates" she says but I'm distracted by Erin walking in
"Hey Erin" I say and I'm surprised when she comes and sits in the desk beside me
"Cassie" Erin says looking at cassie
"Erin...bye juvie" Cassie says with an awkward pause in the middle then leaves my desk space and I can tell there might be some history there
"Does it bother you that some people call you juvie now?" Erin asks and I shrug
"I don't know honestly when It was just the team i liked it but now it's kinda meh" i say
"Yeah team nicknames are fun until everyone starts calling you them" she says but I don't think she has a nickname or at least one I've heard
"By the way I heard you're dating my cousin now so uh congrats" I say not knowing what to say
"Yeah thanks he's a nice guy" she says but there's a hint of something in her voice I can't place and I can't say anything because mr.driscoll comes in

I find n.c and her friends waiting outside for me which I think is a little strange but whatever
"Hey I just wanted to come get you and tell you the roster is up and coach sent out an email about the schedule since it's lunch" she says and we walk down the hallway towards the gym bulletin board
"Im starting" i say with a smile
"Hey that's pretty good I mean strategically though you're pretty good at all positions" n.c says and I look and find that her name is right under Taylor's as alt setter and starting middle block
"Hey ace here you are,come to wait for me have you" Jo says jokingly as she comes out of the gym
"Team roster is up but yeah I was waiting for you" I say and n.c laughs
"Cassie or Lilly will be team captain again probably but hey Lilly likes you and Cassie will probably just leave you alone but I think she likes you too" n.c says and i shrug
"Cassie was with me when I said hi to Erin and she seemed kinda weird" I say and n.c gets this look on her face
"We're not really supposed to talk about it but something happened between them last year and how do you even know Erin no offence but you're that kid that likes to be invisible" she says and Jo frowns
"Yeah how do you know Erin enough she'll say hi to you?" She asks
"She's jacksons new girlfriend but i also sorta literally ran into her in the hallway" I say and all of them look at me in shock

After having to explain exactly how it happened at the end of the day me and Jo go out to her car since my aunt and uncle said it was fine That I went over to her house
"So you made the team" she says before starting the car
"Yeah and I don't why i didn't try not to be invisible sooner I mean it's kinda fun being noticed" I say and she shakes her head
"Just be careful the more noticed you are the more Paige's and Tristan's there will be" she says and I'm glad she's being supportive
"Not like that I mean getting more involved in school like sports teams and clubs or something" I say and she nods
"So when's your first game,I'll come watch if i can" she says
"I don't know I'll have to look at the schedule we were given" I say and take out my phone
"take the aux" she says so I plug my phone in and play some music
"How about some pierce the veil and stuff like that?" I ask and she laughs
"Sure" she says so I tap on 'king for a day' by pierce the veil

We pull up to her house just as 'daddy issues' by the neighbourhood finishes
"Nice timing and ironic" Jo say shutting off her car
"Wait why's your dad car here?" I ask and she frowns
"I don't know but he wasn't supposed to be home" she says as we get out
"Come on let's go inside and we can explain later" I say and follow her up the front walk
"Hey hunny how was school?" He dad asks as we walk through the door
"Pretty good,I thought you weren't going to be home tonight" she says and he looks over at me
"So you invited a friend over" he says and she nods hesitantly
"Yeah and she's not just some friend she's my best friend" she says and I smile
"Well is your best friend staying for dinner?" He asks and I shake my head then look over at Jo
"Kate said I have to be home for dinner because Erin's coming over" i say to her and she sighs
"Well we'll just be in my room" she says to her dad and we go upstairs