Senior Year Box Set

Today, my badass girlfriend was finally going back to school. She had served her three-day suspension for getting into a fight with Destiny. Not in a million years would I ever have imagined Brook Davis would get into an actual fistfight. I couldn’t ever remember her even getting into a verbal confrontation before.

Her cheerleading coach, Pam Lowden, had made both Brook and Destiny come in yesterday afternoon to lay down the law. If they even looked cross-eyed at each other, they would be off the team. It had the same effect it would have had on me if Coach Hope had made a similar threat to Alan and me. I would put a smile on in public, but he might get a butt-kicking off campus.

Paul pulled up to Brook’s home, and she came bounding out. Her mom stepped out after her.

“No fighting!” she called and then waved at me.

Brook got in.

“Just drive,” she ordered Paul.

“I take it you talked with your mom this morning,” I said.

“She’s decided I’ve gone over to the dark side or something. I swear you’d think me getting into a fight was a daily occurrence.”

“You’re just lucky it isn’t David’s mom on your butt. Now that woman can make a believer out of you,” Paul said.

“You’re such a wimp,” I told him.

At one time or another, all my security people had experienced the wrath of my mother. It might have been for not putting a toilet seat down, eating the last cookie, or allowing Mexican bandits to try to kidnap me. I contended that they’d only had to endure her moods for a short time, whereas I’d lived it. Paul didn’t have a snappy comeback, so I focused on my girlfriend.

“What’s the plan for today?” I asked.

“Ignore her as much as I can. I won’t give her the satisfaction of getting under my skin again.”

I had my doubts, but if that was how she wanted to play it, I would be the dutiful boyfriend. Even if it meant I had to throw my body between them when they launched themselves at each other and tried to remove more hair from each other’s heads.

When we pulled up, I saw Destiny holding court with the JV cheerleaders.

I also saw my half brother with Jill Lacier, his new girlfriend. Her joining the ranks of Lincoln High had been interesting. If I’d been my brother, I might be suspended for fighting on more than one occasion if it hadn’t been for my little ninja, Cassidy. She’d made it her mission to make sure everyone knew that Jill and Phil were going out, and they had best back off with their advances.

It looked like half the school had turned out to watch the expected catfight.

“Hang on; let Paul get the door. Let’s make a show of this,” I said.

That seemed to fit Brook’s agenda. Paul got out and followed his security routine of identifying any hostiles. When he found none, he came around and opened the door. I hopped out first and made a display of assisting Brook out of the car.

Most of Lincoln High was used to me having security and a driver by now, but the expression on Destiny’s face was worth it. Brook caught it and was all smiles. She was soon greeted by all the cheerleaders, including the ones Destiny was trying to impress.

I watched Destiny while Brook made her grand entrance. Destiny’s eyebrows came together, then her face changed to a cheery smile as she came towards Brook.

“Incoming,” I said under my breath.

Brook acted like she didn’t notice Destiny, but I could tell by her body language that she had. I stepped up beside her and put my hand against her lower back to let her know I was there. She seemed to relax a little. I noticed that Cassidy had appeared on her other side, with Destiny’s brother Don a step behind her.

“Welcome back to school,” Destiny said in an overly sweet voice.

“Destiny, I hope we can put any unpleasantness behind us,” Brook responded in kind.

I felt we were in a bad episode of The Real Housewives of Lincoln High, the reality TV show where all the women acted like they were friends. If I remembered correctly, the term they used was ‘frenemy.’

“Yes, yes. Water under the bridge,” Destiny said, and then her features hardened. “I just have one question.”

I slowly slid my hand around Brook’s waist so I could pull her back if things went south.

“Yes?”

“What was your slutty ass doing sitting on my brother? I thought you had a boyfriend. I didn’t realize that you gave your charms away so freely,” she said as she pulled her phone out and showed our picture from Saturday night.

Everyone tensed, waiting for Brook to retaliate in kind. To my surprise, Brook began to laugh. Destiny saw her ‘ah-ha’ moment going up in smoke when everyone joined in.

“Slow your roll, Big Sister. That was a picture of four friends enjoying dinner, nothing more,” Don said, and then looked at Cassidy. “I can only imagine what this one would do to me if I actually did what you’re implying.”

Cassidy gave him a nod.

“We need to have a talk,” Don said, then grabbed Destiny by the elbow and walked her away from the crowd of onlookers.

I had a bad feeling that this wasn’t the last of the Brook/Destiny feud.

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