Cowgirl Up ✔️

Chapter Seventy

"I seriously didn't think I'd do this."
I muttered, gingerly pulling my backpack onto my back.
The stupid backpack I'd thought I'd said goodbye to forever.
"I didn't think ya would either."
Hayley stated from across the car, where she was organising her own backpack.
"I'm outta here."
Tristan told us, slamming the back door to the Suzuki.
"Bye Triz!"
Hayley and I yelled after him, as per our tradition all of last year when Tristan had joined us in high school.
Several head's turned our way and Tristan turned to glare at us, his tanned cheeks bright red.
How cute!
Just like old times!
"Ya ready?"
Hayley asked, leaning in to peer at me through the car.
I sighed, stepping back from the passenger side.
"As I'll ever be."
"Let's do it."
Hayley stepped back and pushed the driver's door closed.
I pushed the passenger door closed, signing my fate to more tedious day's holed up in a classroom.
I'd honestly thought these days were behind me.
But it had become pretty obvious I wouldn't be getting the same 'farming' experience this year as I'd intended and my grandparents didn't let anybody just dilly dally around the yard.
So Mum, Blayze and I had spoken around and around in circles and finally last week Mum and I came to meet the Principal, Mrs. Helmsman to see what possibilities there could be for me.
Surprisingly the old witch had been rather supportive of my situation.
She'd wrangled things with the department so that I had to pretty much do almost the bare minimum to finish my SACE and I was allowed to leave school at two PM each day instead of three.
Who'd have thought?
"Bailey's back?"
The stares and whisper's started as soon as Hayley and I stepped through the large iron gates of the school property.
Just.
Great.
"Ignore them."
Hayley suggested.
"They'll go away eventually."
On the most part, I agreed with her.
There were however a few exceptions.
The jock's and the Queen B bitches weren't likely to let me melt into the crowd.
The jock's I didn't mind all that much.
The bitches were a whole other ball game.
"Hey Bailey!"
God damn it!
I closed my eyes, mentally counting to ten.
Beside me, Hayley snickered.
Slowly I turned around.
Why couldn't I have just made it to my locker in peace?
Lee, the Captain of the school's football team made his way toward me, the rest of his team mates flanking him.
Or at least, most of them by the looks of it.
"What're ya doin here?"
Lee asked, his eyes shining brightly and his smile almost as bright.
Once upon a time, like almost everybody else in this idiot school, I'd thought Lee was hot.
Now, as I took in the eighteen year old boy in front of me, I just plain and simple did not care.
"I'm going to school Lee, same as you."
The rest of the jock's cooed.
I rolled my eyes at them.
Lee shot a glance toward his friends, then stepped closer to me.
"Can we talk a minute?"
What the?
"Why?"
I asked, completely confused.
What the hell would Lee want to suddenly talk to me about?
The last time I'd seen him to share anything more than 'hey how's it goin'?' was the New Year's Eve party.
Beside me, Hayley snickered, turning away slightly.
Yes Hayley, this is hilarious.
"Because."
Lee insisted.
"Okay..."
Feeling absolutely confused, I turned to lead the way away a few steps.
"How are you after umm...?"
Lee seemed to purposely break off.
I raised a questioning eyebrow.
"The New Year's party?"
Lee looked a little uncomfortable as he nodded.
Thank god his idea wasn't to ask me out or something!
I slipped a smile into place.
"I'm great. Thanks."
"You were just really sick that night so..."
Lee looked away, slight colour dusting his cheeks.
"I was."
I agreed.
"But I'm fine now."
Better than fine.
A lot is falling into place in my life.
"Bailey!"
I was wondering when he'd show up...
Lee and I both turned around.
Heath was now stood alongside Hayley, arms folded across his chest.
I glanced to Lee to see his eyes pop wide open.
What the?
Heath started forward and Lee backed up two steps immediately.
"What the hell's up with you?"
I asked, confused.
"That's-"
"Heath."
I nodded.
"Blayze's cou-brother."
It was weird trying to remember the brother title instead of cousin.
Lee shook his head.
"I'm confused!"
I couldn't help but laugh.
I turned back to Heath who had now almost reached us.
"Bout time you got here."
He rolled his eyes.
"Hey, I'm not in the least bit excited about this."
I gave him a droll look.
"And you think I am?"
Heath's gaze flickered toward Lee.
"Who's ya friend?"
"Heath, Lee, Lee, Heath."
I explained.
The pair shook hands, but I wasn't able to miss the weary, calculating look in Heath's blue eyes.
Hmmm....
"Are we going or what?"
I turned around as Hayley latched onto my arm.
"Yeah let's go."
My old locker, which was beside Hayley's, had been given away to a new student at the start of the year.
But I still managed to get a new locker in the same building as Hayley and Noah.
Heath too had scored a locker in there.
Right beside mine.
Heath was joining me at school because he too only needed partial credits to complete his schooling.
He'd been more than happy to leave it incomplete.
Then Blayze put the hard word on him about making sure I was okay, because of the pregnancy and all.
I had to try really hard to not pay attention to my stomach as the three of us walked toward the building where our locker's waited.
Alex, Jake and Shayne know about my pregnancy now.
But it's not yet become town gossip.
Well, not as far as any of us know.
In fact, in the last several day's, Jake and Shayne have barely managed to talk to me.