Keeping Secrets

Old Friend

Ever since then, whenever Max and I see each other, we talk. Becca is very proud of me, and still very hopeful that I'll get us into the party.

***

It was Wednesday afternoon, and I was just leaving my last class for the day when my phone rang. I smiled as soon as I saw it was Amanda that was calling.

"Hey, Mandi," I said as soon as I could answer, after shifting my backpack over and freeing my other hand.

"Hey, Peyton. How's that big fancy school treating you?"

"Okay, I guess," I laughed. "I just had a math quiz. How are you?"

"I'm alright. Not attending parties with hotshot football players like you are..." I could hear the teasing tone in her voice, but at the same time, I knew she was disappointed that she wasn't here with me, and that she was missing out on things we had planned on doing together.

"I told you I haven't actually been invited to the party yet..."

"You will. Becca seems to think it's a done deal."

Sometimes I regretted introducing Becca and Lin to Amanda over FaceTime. It was like they were ganging up on me.

"Mhm..."

"Becca thinks that Max guy is crushing on you. You should definitely make a move at the party."

"I'm not so sure about that..."

Max and I were friendly, and he was a bit flirty, but he hadn't said anything about the party, and I assumed that if he was in fact 'crushing' on me, that he would've.

Becca asked me every night if Max had invited me yet, and every night I told her no.

"I can't wait to hear all about it," Mandi continued. "If you can, take some pictures."

I pushed the door open and excited the McBain building where I'd just had my math class, and was instantly hit by the sticky hot air and the singing sounds from the cicadas in the Sycamore trees.

"Again Mandi, I haven't been invited...."

"Yeah, yeah. I know, but I'm sure you will, and I'm so jealous. Nothing is happening in this old town. The only excitement is a new sign above the food store. Woooo freaking hooo."

I couldn't help but laugh. That would be an exciting thing in our little town. The dilapidated sign that had been there had been hanging on its last leg for years. It was definitely an eyesore, and any new sign would be an improvement.

"They really needed it, Mandi."

"It's a sign, Peyton. Nothing fun about it."

I pictured Mandi's frowning face in front of me. The way her nose scrunched up and her eyebrows narrowed like she was disappointed that I approved of a new sign for the store.

She was not interested in talking about our hometown's only food store, or its new sign. She went right back to talking about boys. "I'm imagining all those football players, the muscles, the tight pants... oh yum."

"Amanda!" I gasped in mock horror.

"Whatever," she grumbled. "I looked up the team roster. You seriously can't blame me for being jealous. There are some very hot guys on that team."

I laughed because that was totally something she'd do. And she was absolutely right. The football team was full of hot, tall, muscular guys...

"Keep your grades up and transfer over. That's still your plan, right?"

"I freaking hope so because I'm not studying my ass off to carry a 98 average for nothing."

That made me snort and laugh out loud. So loud that the girls walking ahead of me turned around and gave me a weird look. We hadn't been in college for more than a couple of weeks, so that average must have been based solely on homework, or maybe a test or two. Not that it would make much of a difference. Amanda was an excellent student. Especially when she had motivation, and the thought of partying with hot football guys seemed to help.