Offenders

Offenders (15)

Tom nodded, but said nothing more about her. He then glanced at Dex, who wasn’t even looking in our direction.

“So, I was thinking,” Tom began, and this seemed to get Dex’s attention even though Tom was talking to me. “Maybe we should swap numbers.”

A bubbly feeling erupted in my stomach, and I couldn’t help but smile. Dex, however, looked like he wanted to reach out and break my phone. Which he could have easily done.

“Yeah, of course,” I smiled. I then looked over at Dex and glared. “It’s not like anyone would have a problem with it.”

Dex huffed and looked away.

Tom and I swapped phones, putting our numbers in before giving them back to each other. Dex stayed silent.

“Alright,” Tom smiled once we were finished. “I should probably get back to Coach Henry. I’ll text you later!”

All I could do was smile back at him. “Okay!”

And then he was gone, and it was only Dex and me once again. Silence enveloped us as we watched people run around the track.

“So that’s why you wanted to sit through their tryouts so bad,” Dex said suddenly.

I turned toward him in confusion. “What?”

“You wanted to see Mr. Punching-Bag over there,” he said, nodding his head in the direction Tom had left.

I frowned. “No, Dex, I had no idea.”

“Sure you didn’t.”

“Do you think if I knew Tom would be here, I’d bring you around to make your stupid comments?” I snapped, and Dex seemed to think about that for a moment. “And don’t call him Mr. Punching-Bag.”

“It’s what he was the other day.”

“Just shut up, Dex.”

“Sorry we’re late!” the familiar bubbly voice giggled from behind us, and suddenly Kristie was sitting beside me and Aiden was sitting beside Dex. “What’d we miss?”

“Nothing important,” Dex grumbled, leaning back farther. “They’re almost finished down there. Then we can go home.”

Aiden sighed. “Finally.”

I scoffed. “I can’t believe you guys. You can’t just be supportive of your friends?”

It was especially annoying since Aiden had just got here and hadn’t had to sit through the last forty-five minutes with a whining Dex. This was why I needed Anthony around. He definitely leveled out the entire team.

“I’m not going to make you guys sit through my basketball tryouts.” Aiden then leaned over and grinned at Kristie. “Though it’d be nice to have your support.”

Kristie giggled as I made a throw up sound. Dex rolled his eyes at me.

“That’s how I felt two minutes ago,” he told me.

When tryouts were finally over, my friends and I made our way out into the parking lot to find our cars. My phone suddenly chirped, and I pulled it out of my pocket to see a text message from Tom. I immediately grinned. 

“Jeez,” Dex scowled from beside me. “Stop making it so obvious that you’re talking to lover-boy.”

I glared back at him. “Mind your own business, Dex.”

“It is my business.”

“It is not!”

“You’re my business. Therefore, it’s my business.”