The Life I'm Running From

8\ A Dart Into Debt

Great. Guess I didn't skip a step after all. I smiled at Mrs. Treenage as the bell rang. "Thank you."

I slid into my seat beside Zoe Lucky as the teacher got up to start her lecture. I subtly turned my head to look at the desks a bit behind me. Taylie was staring at the teacher, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Peter was hastily taking notes, and when he accidentally bumped into her, Taylie shot him a fierce glare.

This was going to be a blast.

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I stared at Taylie from the other side of the cafeteria. She was chatting with one of her friends, casually leaning into her boyfriend's side. He threw an arm around her, and she kissed his cheek before resuming her conversation. She seemed so easy-going. But people often act differently around their friends than they do strangers. Especially strangers asking for favours.

"I wouldn't approach her now," Charlie advised. "She probably won't talk to you in front of her friends, and you don't want them up in your business."

Adriana sighed, her finger lightly tracing patterns in the salt her fries had left behind. I frowned. Her sigh had been wistful—did she like one of Taylie's friends? But the reason for her longing became clear when I followed her gaze. She was staring at Ryan Hue. He had been pointed out to me by Charlie this morning, but I wouldn't have recognized him if Adriana's expression hadn't betrayed him. She had this far-off look in her eyes, as if she was seeing the cafeteria, but not really.

I honestly didn't understand her infatuation with him. He was average, from his sneakers to his Nike sweater to his stringy brown hair. But then again, I supposedly had a crush on Peter Parker.

"Do you have any classes with her?" Skylar asked.

"Who? Taylie?" I shrugged, and picked up a fry. Skylar had convinced Adriana and I to buy cafeteria food today, to get chicken fingers and fries. I didn't regret it. "Other than Physics, I don't know. She's not exactly someone I look for."

Charlie ripped open a bag of Doritos. "What class do you have next? Home Ec.?"

The smell of popcorn suddenly filled the area. The culprit, a freshman with red curly hair, gulped as everyone within twenty feet looked over. After everyone had glared at him and he turned a fine shade of red, I looked back at Charlie. "Taylie might be in that class, actually. I don't really know. Adriana?"

Snapping out of her daydreams about Ryan, Adriana blinked at us. "Huh?"

"They were just wondering if Taylie's in Home Ec." Skylar smirked. "But if you'd rather stare at Ryan..."

Adriana looked to the side, obviously trying to control the rising heat in her olive-toned cheeks. "Oh shut up. You'd be staring at Harley if he was in here."

Now it was Skylar's turn to blush. Her cheeks tinged pink like she had put on too much makeup. Charlie laughed.

"Yes Taylie's in Home Ec.," Adriana said, answering the question from before. "She and Miranda are making some sort of Korean dish on Thursday. I remember her bragging about how authentic it would be because Miranda's parents were born and raised in Korea."

I remembered that now too—Mr. Gullman had warned them it would be too hard of a dish but Miranda had insisted.

"So I can talk to Taylie in Home Ec." I twirled a fry in my ketchup before popping it into my mouth. "Easy-peasy."

Charlie licked the Dorito dust off of her fingers. "Sure. Try to avoid Miranda though."

"Why?"

A dark look passed over Adriana's face. "Taylie is self-serving. Miranda's just cruel for fun."

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"You print off the recipe, and I'll talk to Taylie," I said to Adriana in Home Economics. Taylie was sitting alone at a table, waiting as Miranda talked to Mr. Gullman. This was the perfect opportunity.

"Okay. Try to make it quick though, before Miranda finishes." Adriana looked at the Korean girl warily before leaving the classroom. I made my way over to Taylie.

She raised her eyebrows as I sat down across from her. I smiled. "Hi. I was wondering about something."

"I'd be careful about your wonderings." She had broken eye contact with me dismissively, and was picking off her nail polish. Black flecks dotted the surface of the table already, and I watched as a few more joined them.

"You're partners with Peter Parker in Physics, right?"

"She regarded me curiously. "Yes. Why?"

I folded my hands under my chin. "I'm partners with Zoe Lucky. I was wondering if you wanted to switch partners."

"Why would I want to do that?" Taylie narrowed her eyes. "What do I get out of it?"

Hmm. What did she get out of it? "Zoe and you are friends, aren't you?" That was me grasping at straws. But they were both cheerleaders, so that had to mean something.

"Not really. Zoe's too timid." Taylie used her thumb nail to pick off a large piece of polish from her finger. "You're going to have to give me a better reason than that."

I leaned back in my chair, leveling my face into a neutral expression. "I want to be partners with Peter so I can have help with Physics. You're already good at Physics, so why would you want him as a partner?

She smiled and raised her eyes to look at me. "Because he guarantees an A in Physics for me. Why would I give that up for a B plus?"

Taylie wanted something. She wasn't going to switch unless I gave her something worth her while. She was smiling like she knew the conversation was over, and that she had won. Either way she would win—but I needed to win too. The situation seemed one-sided, but I had been in many problems like this. There was always a way out, a back door to not necessarily win, but to not die either.

"I'll owe you," I said, leaning forward on my elbows. "A favour. You can cash in anytime you like, and I'll do it no matter what."

Her smile faltered, and a shady look passed through her eyes. "A favour." She said it with no emotion, just calculating regard. "How do I know you'll keep your word?"

"Because I never break a promise." I stared unflinchingly at her, and she seemed to realize I was being serious.

Taylie raised her chin. "Alright. You can have Peter." She stood up, and grabbed her baseball cap that had been resting on the table. She placed it over top her long sleek hair. "You owe me a favour. And I don't forget who's indebted to me."

She stalked away, and I smiled. Deal done. Whatever Taylie had me do in the future, I had Peter as my partner. Farewell bad Physics grade, and hello debt.