Junior Year Box Set

I did a double take because this wasn’t the class list I’d signed up for last spring. I’d specifically decided not to take any AP classes. As it was, I would miss a couple of weeks at the end of the semester for the new movie I would be making with Halle. I didn’t need college-level classes to complicate my already busy schedule. The first person who came to mind who would do something like this behind my back was Tami. I suspected her collaborator was Alan. I would need to have a talk with the two of them.

My first class was PE where I saw Mike talking to Jim, Wolf, and Ty. I found Coach Diamond, and he assigned me a locker so I could store my street clothes. I hadn’t talked to Wolf or Jim since I punched them, so it worried me a little that they might be pissed at me. My locker turned out to be right in the middle of where the guys were talking.

“You’re a dumbass,” Jim told me.

“Really, what makes you say that?” I asked.

“If you had let Wolf and me stop you from killing Mike, a girl might not have embarrassed you,” he said to the amusement of everyone else.

“Funny guy. I think that girl could have kicked all our butts combined. There’s no shame in having Cassidy Hope take you down.”

Jim and Wolf had dated Cassidy and were well aware of what she was capable of.

“I still need to thank her for that. It looked like you were getting ready to give me a serious beatdown,” Mike said.

“David, just so we’re clear. I’m a lover, not a fighter,” Ty said.

We found Tim already in the weight room. Wolf and I paired up like we had last year. Tim and Jim decided to lift together, leaving Ty and Mike as a team. We had lifted all summer, so we knew our routines. It felt good to lift again after a three-day layoff.

◊◊◊

By the end of the day, I wondered if the three new cheerleaders were stalking me. Zoe was in all my AP classes. Her mom had done well in preparing her for public school. Art and Physics I had with Halle. In History and Geography, I was joined by Brook.

Lunch was interesting. Alan and I found a table first. Mona sat next to me, and Halle, Zoe, and Pam sat across from us. Brook came up and saw Alan sitting next to me.

“Move it,” she ordered.

Alan looked at me, just shook his head and moved over. When Gina got to the table, she saw me surrounded.

“Dead man walking,” Gina announced.

I had to agree.

Phil entered the lunchroom and looked like he was surveying the room, trying to find somewhere to eat. I stood up and motioned him over. He was with Yuri, and I waved him over too. Tracy, Sammie, and Kim joined us as we filled up our two tables. I introduced everyone to Alan, Phil and Yuri.

Phil had gotten his hair cut like mine. If he was going to be a mini-me, I needed to start calling him and telling him what I planned to wear the next day. I wasn’t sure if it amused or irritated me to have my half brother try and copy me. I would never have done that with Greg. Then again, Greg wasn’t as cool as I was.

I thought I would give Gina a little payback for her earlier comment.

“Did Gina show you her pictures from her fashion shoot yesterday?” I asked.

“I, uh, didn’t bring them,” she answered.

“It’s a good thing I’m your friend,” I announced and brought up her pictures on my tablet. Everyone gathered around so they could see.

I had created a slide show and put it to James Blunt’s song You’re Beautiful. At first, Gina wasn’t sure if I was making fun of her, but then she saw me get up and come to her to give her a hug.

“Don’t let all this other stuff get you down. You’re a sexy woman,” I said as I held her.

I thought she was going to get choked up, but she got it together and then told everyone about our day yesterday. Gina then told them about how I’d gotten her and Cassidy clothes. I was happy to give my friend a little boost since I knew she was hurting because Mike had cheated on her. I honestly hadn’t come to grips with it either. Mike and I were no longer friends. As far as Mona was concerned, I needed to talk to her. I was almost positive that I was done with the faux-girlfriend bit, but I’d made a commitment to help her achieve her dream to be Homecoming Queen.

◊◊◊

At practice, Coach Hope announced we were going to have an Orange and Blue game, and Mike and I got to pick the teams. To make it more interesting, we would also get to choose our coaches. The only rule was you weren’t allowed to take both the first- and second-string player at any position. They wanted the game to be as competitive as possible. Our first pick also had to be a coach to assist us, but we were allowed to take other coaches at any time.

Coach Zoon did the honors of the coin toss.

“Mike, you have the honors. Call it in the air.”

“Tails!”

“Tails, it is,” Coach Zoon called after he checked the coin.

“With my first pick, I select Coach Hope,” Mike said with a satisfied smile.

I had more devious plans and needed an accomplice, not a coach. I also wanted to stick it to Coach Zoon.

“I pick Coach Douglas,” I said.