Popularity Rules

Chapter XIII

Hello everyone. Honestly, why is it so hard to keep a promise these days? But, here is the other chapter I typed this up in under 3 hours, which is an improvement from my normal all day rendezvous with my notepad and computer. Thanks again for all the comments and for adding this story to your library's and reading lists. It means so so much to me; it's inconceivable. I will be typing more later so hopefully I'll post later today or tomorrow but don't hold me to that.

P.S. To all those of us who are old enough to join the new Wattpad competition I really hope you do because nothing beats failure than trying. So go for it.

P.P.S. I graduated yesterday. Hats off I'm old! Haha, I don't know how to feel yet but it's different

Chapter XIII

        Everyone was shooting greetings to Gina as we walked through the hall. I could see she thrived on all the attention she was getting, it made her happy. The matted hospital hair was now replaced by glossy, polished locks. Anyone who wasn’t an avid listener in the rumor mill might’ve assumed she just got back from an exotic vacation.

         Both our hands were piled high books and reports of different calibers. It would’ve been difficult to make it through the crowded hallways if we were ‘nobody’s’. But, since we were at the top of the food chain, people offered to carry the books instead ok knocking them from our hands for a good laugh. Being ‘somebody’s’ had its perks, I guess.

            Even without someone knocking the books out of our hands Gina’s tethering pile fell onto the sea of feet, setting off a chain reaction for the rest of books. Before either of us had the chance to retrieve them, gaggles of arms reached out. A battered newspaper was tossed to me and I caught it easily atop the piles of books.

        At first it seemed like any other newspaper article, you know black and white and boring, but then the maniacal circling with a red marker caught my attention. The article at the top made my eyes widen:

                                              Star Athlete Uses Good Luck Charm

       I had a weird inkling I knew what this article was about, but before I could probe further Gina motioned me with her shoulder to come along. I sighed deeply and complied, the library was only a few meters away anyway.

       “My parents are still looking into suing,” Gina said conversationally.

        I raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

       “Because,” she started as if I was insanely inept. “I was pushed into the pool; I almost suffered from a concussion. I think they’re justified, don’t you?”

       I wasn’t convinced but I nodded anyway. “I guess so. But, who’re you going to get to sue them?”

       Gina snorted. “Your mother, who else? She’s experienced in that way isn’t she?”

       I ignored the jibe and turned to push the door open wider and let her pass me. My fingers were itching to get a hold of the paper and throbbing a bit from the excess weight. We dropped the books on the nearest desk we saw and I snatched up the newspaper, happy that Gina’s head was buried in a couple of books. I unfolded the paper and my breathing hitched.

      It was a high definition picture of Avery’s lips pressed to my cheek. The date read the day after the swim meet. I had no idea who would’ve given this to her because for a fact her parents were the high maintenance e-mail types that didn’t appreciate newspapers.