Fractured from the Fall

Change of Plans

Lily watched the clock tick on the wall. She couldn't stay focused. She couldn't stop thinking about Ford and his reaction in the hall: his anger when that prick grabbed her butt, the way Ford stared at her in such an intense way, the way he touched her. The more she thought about it, the more it drove her crazy that she was thinking about it. Why did she care? Why was she even thinking about him? Why did her heart beat faster when she thought about his eyes on her and the way he grabbed her hand in his. Ford's behavior was infuriating. One minute he teased her, the next he barely looked her way or disappeared for days on end, and then he was defending her and risking getting suspended to save her pride. Yet he couldn't seem to wait to get rid of her. She couldn't make any sense of any of it.

"Miss Halliday?"

"What?" Lily said, suddenly realizing her Math teacher was speaking to her.

"I said, was there something you needed?" he inquired, seeming a bit irritated.

Lily looked around the room and realized everyone had left. She was so zoned out that she hadn't realized that the class had ended.

"Oh, no, sorry about that. Daydreaming I guess." She began to gather her things.

"Sorry I couldn't keep your attention more," he said, this time the irritation in his voice was clear.

"No, no, that's not it, I just..." she was embarrassed and didn't know how to finish that sentence. I was just daydreaming about my boyfriend's best friend, she thought and gave herself a mental palm to the forehead.

As if on cue, Grant appeared in the doorway.

"Hey babe, you in trouble or something?"

"Grant, no, I just, we should head out so we're not late for our next class," she fumbled awkwardly with her things. "See you tomorrow Mr. Mooney."

"Mmm hmm," he said with judgy eyes.

"You in trouble with the dress code again?" Grant asked as he slung his arm across Lily's shoulders and strutted down the hall.

"What, no, why do you say that?"

"Because Mooney kept you after class and because your skirt barely covers your ass," he laughed playfully and ran his fingers lightly over the bottom of her skirt just grazing the back of her thigh underneath. She shooed his hand away. People were staring, but then again, they always did when Lily and Grant walked down the hall. They were Oakley High's golden couple.

What was it with everyone and this skirt, she thought to herself. Maybe it was time to pass it on to Violet, not that she would ever wear something so risqué. The occasional scoop neck shirt was the extent of her trying to show off her body. And most times she had a sweatshirt to throw over it.

"No, I just was slow to leave class that's all." She wanted to change the subject. "What did coach want?"

"Oh, he just needs me to get in some more practices before the big homecoming game. There's some new plays he wants to go over with me and a few other things which means I can't go to the concert with you this Friday."

"What? No! I was really looking forward to that."

"I know babe. That's why I told Ford he should take my ticket."

"You what? Ford? Why?" Suddenly Lily felt hot. "He doesn't want to go with me," she continued, trying to find a way out. "Why not give the ticket to Violet?"

"We both know she won't go. That's not her thing."

He was right. Lily wouldn't be caught dead at a concert. She'd rather be studying or reading, but there had to be someone else, anyone else.