Sidechick Syndrome

Chapter 7

          I cradle my Trigonometry textbook to my chest, as I shut my locker. It makes a loud creak as it shuts and I lock the padlock on the small hole back in place. Just as I'm about to walk off, I'm startled by the person leaning on another locker literally a foot away from mine. Queen Bee of the cheer squad and the female who held the title to cutest couple in school—Robyn Delani.

          Immediately I assume by time Raheem made it back down to the lunchroom Robyn had already came upstairs, which is why she was standing here instead of having been walked to class like Raheem said he was going to do. The bell had only rung just barely twenty seconds ago, so I was honestly impressed; she was pretty fast to get all the way up here to the fourth floor from the lunchroom. The only reason I was up here so early was because I was already on the staircase, so technically I had a head start in front of everybody.

          Immediately I could smell the trouble stronger than the White Diamonds perfume by Elizabeth Taylor on her skin. I knew the scent because my mom had the same perfume. I watched Robyn just looking me up and down with a blank look, to the point it was becoming uncomfortable.

          "H-hi Robyn, do you need something?" I stutter.

          Still leaning on the one locker next to the middle one that put space between us, she suddenly narrows her eyes to slits, a smug look on her face like she was reading me. "You think your so fucking slick, huh." She says.

          That caught me off guard, making me clutch my textbook harder. "Excuse me?" I say.

          "I'm not stupid, I saw you follow Raheem out the cafeteria at lunch a few minutes ago."

          I make a face and look around as if I was confused but I was discreetly looking around to see if anyone was nearby. Everyone was walking past, not paying a rat's behind bit of attention to us. I guess they thought we were just talking—which technically we were. Robyn wasn't exactly being loud or anything, so it wasn't like we were exactly drawing attention.

          "Rah—Raheem?" I lean forward a little bit like I didn't hear.

          Robyn rolls her eyes to the skies and mumbles something to herself, before looking at me again. "Yes!" She shouts, this time drawing a little attention. "Raheem, my Raheem, your brother's friend, you know who I'm talking about!"

          "Okay..." I say dragging the word, "I still don't know what you're talking about. I didn't follow anybody anywhere. I went to the bathroom."