Player

Four - Problems

Jake plops down in his seat, finally letting my hand go. I stuff my fits into my pockets, wrist deep in denim. I sit across from him, in my assigned seat. I try my best to forget about the drama and focus on geometry. Triangles and hexagons for the next eighty minutes.

Giselle eventually comes into the classroom, surprise etched into her brow. Her makeup was done like a professional. Foundation and a highlighter that Ana would've been impressed by. Her eyes are lined with thick black and a sparkly red shadow. Her eyebrows were filled in and her lips were a shiny crimson. I'd hate to wake up an hour earlier just to do my own makeup every morning. It'd get insanely tiring.

Giselle sits down next to Jake, scooting her chair inches closer than comfortable. Her arm squeezed against his like two slices of bread. Jake's face shows annoyance as he rolls his eyes in her direction.

"Hey, Jakey." She purrs, leaning her cheek onto his. "You didn't call me yesterday."

I'm afraid that when she peels her face off of his, she'll leave an orange print of foundation.

"Yeah, I was busy." He says, skidding his chair about a foot away from her. Her eyes widen, obviously not used to being rejected. I think back to last night and Ana's confession. My eyes droop to the floor, deep in thought.

It'll always be her decision, but she's not capable of taking care of a baby. She's only seventeen! When this school year ends, she'll be all by herself in the world and who knows if Chuck is going to stay through it all. I'd be there, always, but I'm not enough. She needs support.

"So, what? You're with her now?" Giselle points a finely manicured finger at me, dragging out 'her' in a disgusted way. I'm aware that she doesn't like me, but she shouldn't have an issue with me. I barely even know her. We've never talked before, so why would she suddenly hate me over a boy? Jake isn't something to grovel over.

"Not officially, but we're dating." He smiles in my direction, showing off his pearly whites. His hand made its way across the table reaching for mine, but I refuse to hold his hand again.

Giselle suddenly looks like a broken record, her lips opening and closing like a guppy. She never expected Jake to mouth off to her and I like it. Out of pure cockiness, I wrap my hand through Jake's across the table and give her a quirky smile. She glares at me and scoots her chair a few feet away from Jake's.

I pull my hand back from Jake and class goes on like it normally does. Mr. Adam's was thinking about assigning a big project on probability and ratios, but he wasn't sure when a due date would be since November will soon be here and Thanksgiving break would be soon after that.

Finally, the bell rang and I scoop my papers into my bag, not caring that they'll be wrinkled soon. Before I could walk out the door, Jake grabs my wrist and spins me around.

"Come to my house tonight, we can just talk." He says in more of an ordering way. I nod, not knowing what else to say. He smirks and hurries off down the hall. "See you tonight, Manny!"

I walk in the opposite direction to my next class. I slip into Mrs. Chute's classroom. She gives me a perky smile before greeting the person behind me.

~

The rest of the day went by smoothly. I saw Ana at lunch, but I didn't try to talk to her. I knew she didn't want to talk about anything. Her big frown said it all.

By the time I got home and was dressed a little more comfortable (white booty shorts and a gray-blue tanktop), I got a phone call.

"Hello?" I answer, not bothering to look at the ID. I figure it's either Ana or Willow.