Underground | ongoing

Chapter 7 | Caught In The Act

        "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Holly had her hands on her hips, staring at me with absolute disgust. "Do you know how this looks, Serena? It looks like you and Nathan Heath are dating!"

        Still unrecovered from Nathan's words, I found it hard to find a response. And, Holly was right anyway, as much as I hated to admit it. My reputation was on the line and there was only one way to fix it quick.

        Nathan Heath had to go.

        "We're not dating," I assured Holly. "We're nothing. I'm with James, nobody else."

        "Well, you shouldn't even be out together with someone else, then!" Holly crossed her arms. "Do you want to be known as a cheater?"

        "What - no!" I cried. I was aware that I was drawing attention, and for once it wasn't the good kind. "I get it Holly. It won't happen again. You know it won't."

        "It better not."

        Holly was always unamused by my choices and attractions to certain boys, and so she always go out of her way to put an end to it or set me up elsewhere with someone she wholly approved of.

        This time, though, I really did have to admit that she was right. Nathan Heath had to be put in the past sooner rather than later.

         And, after his last words, I guessed it wouldn't be too hard.

        It wasn't so hard to avoid Nathan. I didn't see him that week in school. I'd heard rumors of an impending fight and trouble with the headmaster, but it all sounded rather exaggerated to me. One person swore he punched the head teacher and that he wanted him for a next opponent. Obviously, boxing didn't work like that, and I rather doubted Nathan had the nerve to punch a teacher.

         "See? I knew he was bad, Serena," said Holly the minute she found out. "James would never do anything like that. He's quite like Fred."

        I took it all with a pinch of salt.

        James scheduled our next date for Thursday night. He was taking me to the other side of town in his new car (he'd passed his driving test on Monday). He had reserved us a table at a resturant and told me that the dress code was quite formal. I mentioned it to Holly who attempted to pressure me into buying a new dress for this date, but I honestly didn't see any need. I has plenty of dresses for occasions like this in my wardrobe that hadn't been looked at twice. It wasn't like I wanted to impress him anyway. All I had to do was hold on until homecoming.

        But, obviously, I'd have to keep that idea to myself.

        "Back out with James?"

        I was getting ready when my mom slipped in my bedroom. Actually, I was struggling with the back of my dress (the sequins were getting caught in the zip), so she took it upon herself to give me a hand.

        "He must like you if this is the second date in a week," she remarked, zipping it up completely on the first try. "You should have wore your white dress with the lace. This is a bit party-ish, Serena. Where are you going exactly?"

        I shrugged. "A resturant. He didn't say which one."

        Truthfully, I didn't care where we went. I wanted it over with as soon as possible. I had literally no interest in learning about James.

        Well, to an extent, I did. If we were going to spend all this time together, then shouldn't I at least be able to make a friend of him?
        I sat back down at my dressing table and chose my earrings. My mom sunk down on the end of my bed. The thick, blue quilt creased beneath her.