The Cliche Gone Wrong

Chapter Fifty-one

"Maybe because my teachers require them and I actually care about my grades because I don't have a full-ride athletic scholarship to FSU." I can't help some of the animosity that drips throughout my tone.

"Hey," Michael says, pulling me a little closer to him as we leave the staircase and start to walk down the locker-filled hallway, "I tried to convince you to tryout for the team freshman year."

I look over at Femi and roll my eyes, before I look ahead to see Asha leaning against my locker. But surprisingly, Shills is right next to her talking intently about something. I pick up the pace a little bit to get closer to them, hoping to catch what they're talking about.

Before I am a couple lockers away Femi calls out to Asha, interrupting the conversation I wanted so badly to overhear.

Shills smiles at me as he takes a step toward me, but his smile falters as he looks from Michael's arm around shoulder back to my eyes. I brush Michaels arm off of my shoulders, but I don't walk over to Shillls, instead I walk over to open my locker and start putting my books away. I try to ease drop on what Femi and Asha are whispering about, hoping the Femi was as curious as I was about what Shills and Asha were discussing.

"So, did you wanna come over?" Shills asks from right beside me, shocking the hell out of me.

I suck in a deep breath, focusing on him instead of being nosy. "I actually have to go to work after I drop the off kids at home."

"Oh, yeah." Shills clears his throat. "Of course."

I look away from the disappointed look on his face to grab my books from Femi and Michael and exchange them for the ones I'll need tonight. "But I should be free tomorrow night!"

"Actually," Femi interrupts, "We're all supposed to be hanging out at Michael's tomorrow night for movie night."

I frown, trying to remember when I agreed to that. "Well, then Shills can just come with us."

All four of them pause, apparently shocked by my suggestion. I look at them in confusion, wondering why they're so surprised. I mean, Shills and I have been dating for almost month now. None of them should be surprised by the idea of my boyfriend and my friends hanging out together.

"Actually, I already agreed to hang out with the guys tomorrow night, since I've blown them off the past couple Fridays." Shills smiles apologetically, scratching the back of his head.

"Good, that's solved!" Asha says cheerfully as her nails click against her phone.

Femi elbows Asha roughly in the side and I laugh at her surprised squeal, shaking my head as I slam my locker closed.

"I gotta go before I'm late to work," I wave goodbye as I start to walk toward the parking lot.

I'm not surprised to sense Shills fall into step beside me, his arm brushing against mine with every other step.

"Sooo..." I segue awkwardly, trying to figure out how to ask my question without seeming to nosy. "What were you and Asha talking about?"

"Huh?" He says, looking over at me surprised. "Oh, uh, nothing really."

I don't believe his answer but I chose to leave it alone, spotting Jazzy already waiting by my van. "So, even though we can't hang out tomorrow I'll still stop by after school to pick up Chi, okay?"

He smiles absentmindedly at me. "Yeah, yeah, of course."

I stop walking a couple of feet away from my van, turning to give Shills my full attention. "Is there something going on? Like, something I should know about?"

Shills laughs immediately, trying to put my worries at ease as he pulls me into a hug. "There's nothing to worry about, Kenedi."

He kisses my forehead lightly before he lets me go. I kiss his cheek in return before I start to walk backwards toward the van.

"If you say there's nothing to worry about, then I won't worry!" I draw an easily smile to my face as I dig the keys out of my pocket and unlock the van so Jazzy can get in. "I'll call you after dinner, okay?"

He nods and takes a few steps back toward his car which is parked a few stalls away. "I can't wait."

I laugh sheepishly before I wave to him as I turn on the van and start to pull out of the parking lot.

"At first it was cute to see y'all together," Jazzy says, skipping over a greeting, "but now I have to fight the urge to vomit whenever I'm around you two."

I punch her in the arm as I make my way to the elementary school to get the kids, although I'm slightly grateful for the distraction.

If he says there's nothing to worry about, I won't worry.