FAR FROM NORMAL ── REGGIE PETERS

16. OLD NEWS

     "Having a band is supposed to help your social life, not ruin it."

     "Ex-band." Ashley spoke up, remembering the events of last night where both her and Julie had basically broken up their band before they had even begun.

     "Right. Sorry. Ex-band."

     "It's all so messed up." The girls stretched, following their teachers actions as Julie spoke. "I thought they were in this with us. But obviously, I was wrong."

     "Hey, don't blame yourselves." Flynn piped up. "You guys can only be so strong when three cute ghosts ask you to be in a band. Ash, you obviously weren't going to say no to your brother, neither of you are to blame for this."

     Ashley shrugged as they knelt down.

     "And speaking of cute, have you talked to Nick today?" Flynn was smirking at Julie now, her eyes bright. "He was pretty chatty at the dance."

     "And Julie was blushing like a madman." Ashley had to grip the floor to stop herself from toppling as Julie shoved her shoulder. Ashley laughed.

     "Shut up, for one, and no, I'm kinda dreading it." She focused equal parts of her words onto Ashley and Flynn. "At least I know I won't see him in this class."

     As if the world hadn't already handed Julie a problem on a plate the night before, as soon as she spoke aloud that she wouldn't see Nick in that class, low and behold, the boy walked through the door with a group of boys.

Julie almost fell over.

     "What are they doing here?" Julie hissed from behind Ashley.

     "Right on time Coach Barron."

     Ashley heard the name of the school's lacrosse team coach and her stomach dropped. The girl froze in her tracks for a moment, knowing exactly who would be standing amongst that group of boys, before she stood up straight again, not even looking at them. Who said she had to look? She didn't have to.

     "So, students," their dance teacher addressed them and Ashley, feeling rude for having her back turned, spun so she was facing the boys but refused to look up at them. She felt Julie pull the girl almost behind her, as if acting as a protective wall, "the lacrosse team will be part of our class for a few weeks. Many pro athletes have used dance to help them with coordination and mobility."

     "This isn't about flirting with girls." Coach Barron's comment got a snicker from the boys but they shut up when they saw his look. "It's about making us better so we can actually win a game. We lost against Burbank. Burbank!"

     Julie, Ashley and Flynn all shot each other a look and a snicker as their dance teacher tried to calm Coach Barron down, talking about compsure in dance.

     "Everybody pair up!"

     Ashley felt like her inside had rolled over. Pair up? Oh lord.

     Julie and Ashley shot each other a look which read, "Help me!" as the boys scattered amongst the girls in the dance studio. A boy Ashley only faintly recongised from being on the lacrosse team came and took Flynn by the hand to lead her away, even though Julie tried to beg her not to leave them, but then it was just the two of them, waiting for what they knew was about to go down.

     There was a reason Ashley had avoided the lacrosse team since the beginning of her sophomore year. There was a reason she made sure never to go out onto the field when they were practising, or even walk past it if she could help it.