Chapter 73: Chapter 73
"Yes."
"Hmmm. I thought I would be mad if I am ever displaced as the swim star. But surprisingly I am not." She giggles. "I have been bored all this time without competition. It’s great to have one now. Don’t you think?"
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"Brooke Baldwin spoke to you?" Maverick said wide-eyed when I told him. "Yes. But is that so unbelievable?" I ask because of the way he is reacting to the info. "Yes! BB is the top goddess of this school. Sasha, Courtney, Simone. They all consider themselves hot ass chicks. But they cannot hold a candle where she is." Leave it to Maverick to elaborate on the tiniest subject. "For her, I would really consider going straight. All the guys have her on their nail list. While all the girls want to be her."
"Well I am not included." I say with an eye roll. Not if it means being so proud like a peacock. "Did she threaten you?" He asked with concern. "No.
She just only said that she was happy to have competition. Is that an underhand threat?" Maverick wears a thoughtful look. "I really can’t say. Because, apart from her tight ship circle, she hardly speaks with anyone else. If she does, it is always a threat. Or a bully attempt."
"Then where does this one falls into?"
"I don’t know. An honest compliment? Or maybe she could be into you?" He teasingly adds. I give him a look. "I was just kidding. BB is exclusively straight. I don’t know about you yet. But BB, she and Calyx are always together." His voice in the last part carried an undertone of hurt. "Don’t try to go to Calyx’s issue now." I warn. "I wasn’t going to. I think I’m really starting to get over him now thanks to you."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah—" The teacher’s scolding interrupts me. "Both of you!" Maverick and I both raise our head up to look at her. "This is a reading class. You are supposed to read silently. Not talk among yourselves. Save the love talk for later!" Half the class burst into a round of snickering. Some stilted.
Some full on laughter before the teacher calls for silence. I had totally forgotten that we are in a classroom. This school has some really wierd traditions. Reading time isn’t supposed to be added to our curriculum. We can all read by ourselves at home. Not in a classroom full of students and being made to read a book that is more boring than my Dad’s political news paper.
"We should be giving each other space from now on." Maverick still whispers to me. And I also make my point in a returned whisper. "Same here. But you’re the one always sticking close to me like gum." The bell rang for closing. Finally! Today is my day off from work. My supposed off days are on weekends. But my employer saw that I have been working hard in her absence and told me to take today off. Which means I have the rest of the day to myself! I am heading straight to that damn daycare center to pick up Percy. The thought of playing with him gives me a happy virus. I have not had much time with him lately. "You have time today right? Let’s hang out. I gotta go shopping for the introductory party." Maverick says, placing one arm over my shoulder. I feel like pushing him away, but I don’t. With him, I have not choice but to expect random touchy feelies. "The introductory party is a whole week away. Why do you wanna go shopping now?"
"I will be occupied next week. But you and I are both free today."
"Me? Says who? I am heading to work now."
"You little liar. Is it that you have forgotten that you said it yourself that you would be free today or you just don’t want to hang out with me?" He caught me. "When did I tell him that?"
"Fine." I say in a forced tune. "Yay!" He exclaims like a kid who won a teddy bear. "But seriously, why are you shopping now? Do you even have to go to the introductory party?" He pauses. "Don’t tell me you’re still not going?"
"Alright. I will not tell you."
"Gwen!" He exasperatedly calls my name. "What?"
"I thought we were over this. I told you it is going to be so much fun. Courtney and some other girls are planning it. And Calyx would be hosting the after party at his place. It is the only time that they don’t mind mixing with us. And who knows? You might get a guy that you can go down with. If you catch my drift. He gives a flirty wink to better convey his words. I find it redundant because I would have still clearly understand without it. I smile. "That is great."
"Totally."
"I mean a great reason to not go."
"You cannot be serious! I really regret telling you it wasn’t compulsory attendance!" He blew angry and hot. "Whatever!" I sassily respond, mimicking the way some of the girls at school speak. "And are you going to stand there huffing like a turkey or come with me? Didn’t you say you want to hang out?" He follows, still trying to make me see reasons to change my mind. I have no choice but to listen to his ramblings. I wish I can go deaf momentarily so I wouldn’t have to hear him. They go in through one ear and come out the other. I let nothing stick in. I’m not going to go. My reason for deciding that goes beyond the fact that I am afraid of being in those kind of environment with everyone who is bad news. Maverick stops speaking as he realizes that I was the one leading him and not the other way around. "Where are we going?"
"Happy kids daycare center."
"Why are we going to a daycare center? Got a kid there?"
