Knight

34

Mason Maloney

Spirits were down in the halls at school on Monday morning after the Warriors' devastating loss to the Knights. I thought everyone was being dramatic. After all, it was just a football game. However, members of the student body didn't seem to care about just how dramatic they were being as they sulked around the school. I had an actual reason for my own sulking and that was that I hadn't spoken to Sam since I left his car on Saturday night. No texts or phone calls, nothing.

Bella appeared no different than the rest of the student body when she made her way to my locker with a pout on her face after I had opened it up. I didn't even look over to greet her as I arranged my things and took what I needed for class.

"Are you working today?" Bella asked me, leaning against the locker next to mine.

I shook my head, slamming my locker shut. "No, I have today off."

"Perfect," she replied. "I need you and the boys to come over."

"For what?" I asked confusedly, leaning back against my locker.

"There's this guy–"

I groaned, throwing my head back into the locker and cutting her off. She raised her eyebrows at me with an offended look on her face, placing her hands on her hips.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"You get so obsessed with guys that you like," I told her, a strange look on my face.

"That is not true," Bella countered, crossing her arms over her chest.

I let out a humorless laugh. "It is, and you don't even realize it, which makes it worse."

"Ross!" Bella exclaimed as she saw Ross at the end of the hallway. He hastily made his way over to us with his eyes cast downward.

"Do you have to yell my name for the whole world to hear?" Ross asked Bella in annoyance.

She ignored him, changing the subject. "Do I get obsessive about guys I like?"

Ross moved his eyes from Bella to me, giving me a look as if asking for my help.

"Is she joking?" he asked to which I burst out in laughter. Bella just let out a huff of annoyance and shoved Ross's shoulder.

"I hate you guys," she muttered. "You're still coming over tonight though."

"We are?" Ross asked, looking to me once again.

"I need guy advice before I go out with him this weekend!" Bella stated as if it was obvious. Ross didn't say anything so Bella let out another huff of annoyance before sauntering off down the hallway.

"What is up with her?" Ross asked me once Bella was out of hearing distance.

I shook my head, letting out a breath. "I have no idea."

After a few moments, Pete met up with us and we told him about our plans later with Bella.

"She wants guy advice? From us?" Pete asked slowly, as if trying to make sense of this in his head.

"Yeah," I confirmed with a nod.

Pete shook his head in disbelief. "She's weird, but whatever."

I nodded in agreement with Pete before pulling my phone out of my pocket. I hated myself for it, but I was checking to see if Sam had sent me a message. He didn't. I sighed, shoving my phone deep into my pocket once again.

I knew I was fully capable of sending him a text, but part of me was still so annoyed with him for being so secretive with me. It wasn't his fault that I was still so insecure about our relationship, but he was adding to my insecurities by hiding things from me. I just wished he understood that without me having to go through the embarrassment of telling him.