Kiss Cam

Ch. 17 - One Of Those Days

"Have you talked to Asher recently?"

"Not since Friday at school. He didn't answer my calls or texts this weekend," I inform with a sigh. "Did he seem mad when he came to the hospital? I should've at least seen him."

Zander shrugs. "Well, actually, I have to-"

"Yo, Ry, how's your brother?"

I raise my eyebrows at Tucker. "Yo, he's doing better."

"Cool." He pats Zander's back. "Congrats on the win, Zan the man."

Zander scrunches up his face, disgusted and confused all at once.

"Okay, I'll ask the obvious. Why are you being nice?" I squint my eyes. "It's making me uncomfortable."

He laughs. "I can't be nice? I feel bad about being so rude to you guys. Plus, you're Asher's girlfriend and Lainey says he really likes you. I think you're cool anyways."

"Are you high?" Zander asks, his face still scrunched.

I hold up my pointer finger. "Although that sounded like an incredibly rude question, I would also like to know."

Tucker rolls his eyes. "See, this is your problem. You can't believe that I might actually be a decent person just because I do drugs occasionally."

"You were kicked off the football team because you were high at three practices," Zander says slowly.

Tucker holds his hand in front of Zander's face. "That's irrelevant."

"You're irrelevant," Zander mumbles.

Tucker jerks his body towards my friend, causing him to scream and run down the hallway.

I roll my eyes. "Nice going. You scared away a kid who was beat up by a third grader."

He laughs, leaning against the lockers near mine. "Now, I really don't know why you got so pissed when I said he was lame. I mean..."

"Do you ever stop? If you want me to think you're a decent person, then start acting like one."

"Ah, you must have a thing for actors."

I open my mouth to respond but can't decide what I want to say. What exactly does he mean by that? I don't have the chance to ask him because he is already walking down the hallway.

"Tuckin' Tucker," I mutter under my breath.

The warning bell rings for first period, and I gather my books quickly to get to class. On my way, maybe twenty or more people asked me how Wren was doing. I lie and say that he's as happy as can be.

The boy is crushed. He can't play football for the rest of the season, which means that his scholarship could disappear. With his heart condition, he can never play to the same extent as before. He'll be slower, weaker, and not the Wren that was given a full-ride to UCLA.

When I walk into my classroom, Georgia is th first to ask me how he is. I roll my eyes, wanting to just tell her that he would never, ever go on a date with her. I fake a nice smile and tell her that he's fine.

"Oh, good. One more thing," she pauses, "is he single?"

I spin around in my seat, ending my conversation with her and starting one with Dexter. "Hey, do you have something to hide under that hoodie?"

Nothing. He keeps his head in his arms, crossed on the desk. His hoodie is pulled over his head and covers his face.

"Did you forget to remove your Hannah Montana weave? It's okay. We all know your secret," I say and poke his arm.