Cheers, Mathletes, and Touchdowns

Cheers, Mathletes, and Touchdowns Part Twenty-Five

A/N: In case you guys didnt notice, I uploaded two chapters. So if u have been waiting for me to upload, there's two chapters for you to read, and this is the second one. Thanks for sticking with me.

Love,

Hannah.

Chapter Twenty-Five

SAMANTHA

The next few weeks were really weird ones at Stephen County High; it was uncharacteristically quiet. No dramas, no humiliating episodes in the hallways.

Ever since Shelley and April stopped talking, it was like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. There were no awkward passes in the hall or in class and no unwarranted glares. Shelley isn’t any nicer than she used to be but I breathe better now knowing her ‘evilness’ is not directed at me anymore.

April, on the other hand, is who I feel sorry for. It was like ever since her breakup with Alexi a while back which became public just a little over two weeks ago, she’s been acting, for lack of a better word, subdued.

Given the frequency with which she used to play tonsil hockey with Alexi in the halls and in class, it actually pains me when they pass each other in school and don’t even make eye contact.

I almost jumped out of my skin as a flurry of movement ended sharply in front of me and Val screamed, “Happy birthday!”

While I hadn’t exactly forgotten it was my birthday, I wasn’t counting the minutes either. My mum had shown up in my room very early that morning, without a cake I might add, just to wish me a happy birthday and sing to me. It was really adorable.

I laughed at the comical expressions on Ben, Damian, and Val’s faces and smiled again as Val handed me a stuffed ‘Donald Duck’ toy with a detachable head and a funny jacket. When I tried to hold it tight, it made a weird squeaky noise and I almost threw it away. It was their turn to laugh at me.

“Please tell me her real present is in a plane somewhere waiting to arrive,” a familiar voice said from behind me and we all turned to look. “Why the long faces, people? Aren’t you happy to see me?”

Ben, Val and Damien turned to look at each other with confused eyes and I just looked at the ground.

Way to ruin a day that was going perfectly ok.

***

“Sooner or later, you know you will have to talk to me, Sam.”

I turned to face the jerk who owned the voice. “If I absolutely have to, like, if the fate of the whole world rested on it and I’d need to have that conversation with you, I’d rather have it ‘later’ than right now. And even then it would be too soon.”

“Ouch!” Josh said simply and I felt a little joy at having hurt him even if that was barely the best comeback in history.

I pushed past him to join my friends at their table and reached to steal Val’s fries which she instinctively placed out of my reach instantly. Ben pushed his box of OJ towards me and informed me that he got it for me.

“How did it go with jerk face over there?” Damien wanted to know. I stretched out my hand and he grudgingly placed the bag of chips in it. I carefully munched on a few and handed back the bag.

“He wants to talk,” I informed them simply. ”I don’t want to hear it.”

“You can’t avoid him forever, you know that right?” Ben pointed out.