Close Enough

Chapter 17

"What the what?!" I exclaimed.
"Trust me,you're gonna have to listen to this," she winked.
"Do I have any choice or say in this?" I honestly asked.
"No you don't,we'll start with you Crystal.What do you think about Tasha dating?" Taylor asked.Oh Boy!!!

"I don't know,but I sure want her to be happy," she smiled showing of her lovely dimples.
"That's so sweet baby but dating could never make me happy not untill I'm old enough," I said.
"Shh,you don't have a say in this," Taylor turned to me.

"I would draw up a contract that will state that if the jackass messes with my sister I will do everthing I want with him,he'll be my slave,"Sam roared as we parked near the day care.
"Protective brother I like it!" Taylor smiled.

"I would make sure that she doesn't loose focus at school," Hayden stated.
"I like that too!" Taylor exclaimed.

"Guys please! This is ridiculous," I wanted to jump out off the car instantly.

"Anything to add Meg?" Taylor asked Megan as we drove to the next stop.
"Nah I'm good," she showed no emotion.
"Well promise to think about it," Taylor said.
"Sure," Megan shrugged.

Few minutes later I arrived at school,everybody was looking fresh and energetic and hey it's Friday!

I on the other hand was exhausted. I met Q on the way to class and she was okay and not mad like last night.She was suprised that I had worn a skirt and quite impressed and kept wondering why I suddenly wore it.

"Can't a girl wear a skirt when she feels like it?" I asked.
"Hey! I'm just joking you look..." she was cut off by a slow clapping,smirking Alex coming towards us.

"Damn! Monique your best friend looks amazing," he exhaled.
"I know right!" Q smiled.
"It's not the first time I'm wearing a skirt you know!" I exhaled in frustration.
"It's the first time I'm talking to you while you're wearing a skirt," Alex said in a low voice. I don't know if he was embarrassed or sad but he felt bad.

I stared at him while he did the same.Q cleared her throat and excused her self.
"Tired?" He suddenly asked.
"Yeah," I smiled.
"I'm sorry,it was stupid of me to ask you to stay up that late," he said. Alex apologizing?

"It's okay,I'm fine" I reassured "I'm glad I saved your life, I mean look at you!" He exclaimed. Blush,blush,blush, blush,blush,blush,blush,blush
STOP BLUSHING!!

"It's not your fault not talking to me," I sighed going back to the first conversation.
"Fine it's yours," he smirked.
"I don't have time for this," I turned and in a second I felt his light grip on my arm. This was far from the time he first grabbed me.

"Atleast we're talking now, right?" He asked.
"Yeah," I sighed.
He was about to speak when the sound of the Bell interrupted him. I smiled at that.
"See you at lunch?" I asked.
"I can't the-" I cut him off.
"You don't have to explain," Reality hit me hard.

He has places to be and people to see.
"I'm sorry, the gents have been complaining lately. Hey look at it on the bright side!" He exhaled clearly ignoring what I said.
"Which is?" I asked. The halls were starting to become crowded with students rushing to their lockers.

"Since I'm stealing you tonight, during lunch time you'll have time to catch up with Monique and talk about me and last night," He gloated
"Is that what you'll be doing with the 'gents'?" I air qouted gents.
"You're too smart for me," he smiled.

"About stealing me-" he shushed me.I was about to cancel.Mom's words and the note flooded my brain in an instant.
"Go to class! Same place, same time and same to bring list as well as the dress code," he literally pushed me towards my class and turned to run for his life.

~*~

Just finished my last quiz for the week, aced it! It's Lunch time and I got to say, I missed the cafeteria.Not really.

"What was his excuse again?" Q asked as she spotted a table and we settled in.
"Please don't make me say it again," I begged.
"Look at him over there," She nodded towards their table and there he was looking all... he was quiet, more like bored!?

"He ditched you,so that he can hang out with his boring friends? I mean look at him his eyes are sleepy," Q said. Now I know why she chose this table,much closer to the nerd/popular boundary.
"Doesn't matter,they're his friends after all," I exhaled.

This certainly takes me back this morning when I thought about how people change.But I understand Alex's reason and I wouldn't want Q hanging with a boy all the time.

"Are you even listening to me?" She snapped her fingers in front of my face.
"Huh," I jumped meeting her now angry face.
"Look,I don't get why we're spying on him. He can go around all week not hanging out with me for all I care! As long as I obey the mysterious note. In that way I'd have a peaceful senior year," I exhaled.

"I don't believe a word you just said," she murmured.
"Believe what you want but you better hope he doesn't come between us," I was now upset. It's like she doesn't know me,it feels like she's pushing me towards him with great force, more like Gazillion Newtons.

"I'm sorry," she noticed my new emotion.
"Are you trying to force me into dating?" I found myself asking.
"Goodness gracious! Excuse me for being a friend," she exclaimed.

"An annoying one," I murmured. Was this the second fight? The first one was in 9th grade about Q hiding that she was dating.
I was so angry at her not that she was dating but that she hid it from me.We were both wrong at that time,her secret and my silent treatment that lasted for about a week or so.

This time I have a feeling that I'm wrong.I mean she did apologise after all.
I regretted my last words so bad.She was speechless which was unexpected.

"I'm sorry," I exhaled.
"Look Tasha,I may not be the best at giving advice but all I know is that you can't play both sides.You can't have a cake and eat it.It's either you ignore the note and continue what ever it is you're doing with Alex or you stay the hell away from him.Because you can't have a peaceful year while you're 'hanging out' with the coolest kid. Can you really run away from love? I don't know and clearly you don't too.As your 'annoying' friend I'm gonna support you either way," she air quoted,rolled her eyes,shrugged but mostly spoke her heart and mind. And I heard.

Is this what I needed?
"I said I was sorry," I exhaled.
"Sorry ain't gonna solve your problems.Oh! And I'm sick of people saying you're knew at this,you're a grown ass intelligent teenager," she added.

"Okay,okay I hear you.Wait people are talking about me?" Fear weakened my knees and rearranged my intestines.
"Like I said,you're hanging out with the coolest kid," she smiled at last.Soon after the bell rang.

"Hey Q,'can you really run away from love?' was the daily question wasn't it?" I asked as we headed to our lockers.
"You know me too well," she laughed.
"Why can't I date you," I sighed with frustration.
"I don't know,this is how it works," Q surprisingly embraced me.
"Thank you," I whispered to her ear.
"I got you," she whispered back.

"Is after school shopping for Saturday's dress for the wedding still on?" She asked as we let go.
"Hell yeah," I said.
"We better find the mother F. who wrote that note before its too late," she said.
I was about to speak when she already read my mind and told me that she knows that I haven't decided yet and that she respected that. According to her finding the secret admirer was a win-win