Mark My Words

16 | Think Of Me Fondly

"I don't think they have any regard for how many volunteer hours the Knights' soccer captains clock in at Children's Hospital," Rosalie deadpanned.

"You volunteer at Children's Hospital?" Lennie said.

"Over the summers sometimes," she said self-consciously, rolling her shoulders back. "But that's besides the point! Point being—what the hell did you do to piss Blake Miles off?"

From what Rosalie had seen over social media, heard, and witnessed in person, Blake Miles was an actual model. Not for anyone specific, but Rosalie vividly remembered the time she was flitting through a Kohl's clothing rack, only to be bombarded by a banner sky-high of Blake Miles' perfect face. She had nightmares of it—if... nightmares included strikingly handsome black men with cheekbones that could cut through any woman's (or man's) heart.

It was because of this, and the fact that Alyssa was friends with him on Facebook, that Rosalie knew he looked especially good in Lions' red and black, and also in floral-printed pantsuits.

"Why would you piss him off?" Rosalie corrected. "He's a perfect human being who doesn't deserve to be pissed off."

"Right? Thank you!" Ray said.

"I can't believe you're siding with the enemy," Clemons said with a disappointed shake of his head.

Jamie raised a hesitant hand. "I... have to concur with these two lovely ladies. Again, not gay, just a little fruity, and the fruit in me says that Blake Miles is a fine specimen."

"Jamie!" Lennie cried in horror, hands over his face. He threw his arms up in frustration. "Why am I friends with you?! You know how much I hate Miles!"

"You just hate him because he's your competition," Jamie said in a snooty voice, and Ray clapped her hands together and cackled. "Besides, Miles is an icon. You can't just hate him."

"I can, and I will," Lennie said with conviction, pushing away from his car. He bumped Clemons with his shoulder and gestured to school. "And we'll kick his and the Lions' collective ass tomorrow. No drooling on the field."

"I can and I will be drooling at the sight of Miles," Jamie promised, and Rosalie shared a look with Sami that said just about everything on that matter. Jamie-Lee Berry was as hopeless as they came.

They left the parking lot and headed for the Bradshaw steps. As Rosalie, Ray, and Sami stepped up onto the curb, their eyes turned to where Principle O'Gallagher was surveying the damage of the parking lot with a police officer and school security. Ray muttered under her breath, "Yikes," before they continued onwards.

There were plenty of schools with red as their signifying color, but the fact that the match was tomorrow night made Adams High the main target of O'Gallagher's fury. He'd no doubt be contacting the school before the first morning bell rang. Rosalie wasn't exactly new to team rivalries, but she never felt the need to bash Adams for being anything other than spectacular at what they did. Of course it was infuriating, but she couldn't imagine what sort of thorn the Knights were to the Lions. If it weren't for Bradshaw, Adams would have no problem making it to State every year, and then Regionals.

"Earth to Rosalie..." Ray sang, waving a hand in front of her face. She stuttered to a halt in the middle of the foyer. "I gotta go meet up in the cafeteria for a group project. See you at lunch?"

"Yes, definitely," Rosalie promised.

She was left with Sami, but not for long. He offered an apologetic smile and pointed off in the direction of the art wing. "I've got an underpainting to start," he confessed. "I'll see you at lunch though! Be there or be square."