None Other Than You Page 8

And that also means Emma and I are stuck her until then because daylight savings time makes it a very dark, dangerous walk home. I'm not kidding about the dangerous part either. Oakridge is more near downtown, meaning there are crazy people out there that you don't want to be out walking home around.

  "Can we talk to Ryan for a second?" He pauses for a moment and blows the whistle.

  "KNIGHT!" He yells, making Emma and I jump. Ryan bolts off from the court and leans his hands on his knees, panting and catching his breath.

  Coach nods to us. "Ryan, can we just take the car home?"

  "What? No."

  "Why not?" I ask. "You can get a ride from any of these guys when practice is over."

  He shakes his head. "Mom told me strictly not to let you drive."

  "Why?" I ask for the second time.

  "She said it was punishment for something you did." He looks at me as if questioning what it is but I'm not going to tell him. I know she's talking about the bellybutton ring.

  "Why can't we just drive home and then drive back and you can drive home again?"

  "Cause it'll waste gas and mom will catch you. She always does." He says simply, standing to his full height.

  I groan and Emma pats my back.

  "We'll be fine then, Ryan." He nods and runs back onto the court.

  I sigh. "Sorry girls." Coach says.

  "I guess we'll get some homework done then." He nods and goes back to watching the boys. His whistle echoes throughout the gym.

  "Zidichowski! What the hell are you doing? Box him out! Don't let Teigan get the ball past you!"

  I let out a low whistle and lean over to Emma as we take up our spots on the benches for the next two hours.

  "He really is pissed." I say. Emma nods and digs through her bag, pulling out her books. I do the same and pretty soon we've both tuned out the Coach, the sound of the ball, the thuds of bodies hitting the ground, (What can I say? Some people on our team are a bit aggressive.) and the shouts coming from the boys themselves.

  Teigan's name is shouted a lot. Ryan's and Tyler's too. They're the three stars of the team. Even in the short time Teigan's been here he's brought up the reputation of our team this year even more. From what I've heard through the grapevine, in other words from Emma who's heard it from everyone else, he was the star of West Lake's team.

  Glancing down at Coach Daniels, I silently say a little prayer for the older man; that we'll win state this year, for him. He's well into his seventies and should've retired before we were even in middle school, but his love of the game made him stay. Staying after practice some days he tells me about his home. He plans on touring the world with his wife, Sophie, and possibly visiting his grandkids in New York for once instead of them coming here.

  He's just hoping that there's one more state trophy in the school before he leaves.

  And I hope so too.

  "Alright!" Coach blows the whistle for the thousandth time. "Wrap it up boys and get in the showers. You smell." With that he starts walking toward his office and I can't help but laugh. They probably do stink though.

  I see Emma's eyes following something and then come back to me. I try to see what she was looking at, but I don't. "I'm going to go and get a snack at the vending machines okay?"

  I blink. "Uh. Okay."

  She scurries off the bleachers and out the gym doors before I can say anything else.

  That wasn't odd or anything.

  I attempt to turn my focus back on the math homework Paxton had given us. I'm sure the class despises me right now because he gave us extra work. His excuse was because I was late and needed some kind of motivation to get to class on time.

  Yeah, giving us extra work is going to do just that.

  I roll my eyes and tap my pencil on the bleacher. Nothing I do seems to be solving this problem.

  "Still stuck on those numbers huh, Ace?"

  I jump, startled by Teigan's sudden presence next to me. "Yeah. Math sucks." He chuckles, taking Emma's seat next to me. "Are you just here to annoy me again?"

  "Nope." He looks at me meaningfully with his blue eyes shining.

  I get it. "I'm not going to ask you for help."

  "And why not? I'm willing to give it and you know of no one else. Ryan told me you asked for help at lunch."

  "Traitor." I mutter.

  Teigan laughs and takes my paper. "Man, Ace, you really need some help. Over half of these are wrong."

  I scowl. "Thanks." Snatching the paper back I glare at it. "You're such a great help." I start shoving my stuff into my bag and stand up.

  "Where're you goin'?" He asks, standing up as well, his duffel bag in his hand.

  "Uh. Home?"

  "With who?"

  "Ryan, duh. Who else would I be going home with?"

  "Me." Teigan replies, smirking.

  "No."

  "Yes."

  "Why?" I ask.

  "Ryan caught me in the hall and asked if I'd take you home. I think he left with Emma a couple minutes ago."

  "No." I say, horrified.

  "Yes."

  I groan, and drop onto the bleachers again.

  "I'm not that bad of company, am I, Ace?" I turn my head and glare. He sighs. "I guess I am. But that doesn't change the fact I'm still your ride. Get up." He says, offering his hand to me.

  Sighing, I take it and he pulls me up. Emma left her bag and duffel so I grab hers along with mine. Teigan takes her duffel from me though and glances at both of them.

  "What do you play?" He asks.

  Looking at him, I grin. "If you'll stop calling me Ace I'll tell you."

  He grins back as we walk out of the gym and into the cold night. "Curiosity killed the cat didn't it?"

  "Satisfaction brought it back." I respond, thinking I had him trapped.

  He stops and turns toward me, his blue eyes flashing again. I notice his black hair is damp from the quick shower after practice and is more ruffled than usual. "I think," He says, taking a step closer to me. "I find more satisfaction in the way you're eyes twinkle in irritation every time I call you Ace."

  Chapter Eight: Bus Ride

  Walking into the school I can feel the stares of every person looking at me. Checking me out. Questioning what the hell I'm doing wearing this… thing.

  Quite frankly, I don't why I am know either, but its all Emma's fault. She roped me into this, and she's completely ignoring the attention she's getting from the people we're passing by. It isn't as if this is the first time I've had to wear it. I just get more and more irritated every time I do have to.

  Anthony Thompson whistles as I walk past him.

  I flip him the bird.

  I am in no mood to mess with right now. I'm in a skirt, a very short skirt if I might add, and it's thirty some odd degrees outside. My stomach is showing just barely (but enough) and my shirt is a tank top that reveals a bit too much chest. It's blue with black and silver trim, the word Jaguars scrawled across the front.

  Yup, you guessed it. The practice I was at the other day was in fact, exactly what you are thinking. I'm a pretty, perky, fabricated, preppy little—

  "Ace?" I turn around to see none other than Darren Teigan, his jaw hanging slightly open.

  "What? Didn't expect to see me at school?" I fold my arms and stare at him, awaiting an answer.

  Stammering, he points. "Y-you're a…"

  "Cheerleader, yes. I didn't know you lost the ability to talk whenever you saw one." Emma giggles beside me.

  "Be nice to him Duke." She whispers.

  "I would if he wasn't such a pest to me." I say, turning away from him.

  "Wait a second, Ace." I growl at the sound of his nickname for me. "Why won't you let me talk to you?" He asks, lightly grabbing my arm.

  "Because I'm not in a good mood."

  "Can I ask why?"

  "Because I have to wear this outfit all day and I don't enjoy it at all." I really do hate the cheerleader uniforms. We're required to wear them on game days just like the boys wear s
lacks, button-up shirts and ties.

  Speaking of which, Teigan's in black slacks, a white shirt with blue stripes and a dark blue tie. The tie brings out his eyes. It's a deep, dark blue, just like his eyes that are constantly catching mine when I least expect it. Staring up at them I notice they're even darker than usual.

  "The uniforms aren't that bad, Duke." Emma says softly next to me. I almost forgot; she's the one who designed them.

  "They're not, Em. They just… aren't me."

  "I sure as hell think they are." Teigan says, his eyes scanning my torso.

  "I didn't ask you anything. Now buzz off, I've got homework to finish." I storm towards the common area. He follows.

  "Math homework?"

  "Now why would I tell you that?" I ask, not facing him.

  "Because I'm pretty." I snort and Emma laughs at his comment.

  "Hey, Emma." Ryan says, coming up the hall. Both of them blush and I roll my eyes.

  Ryan finally asked Emma to the dance yesterday. I helped him do it. We had the pep rally for the game yesterday because both the cheerleading squad and the basketball team are leaving at ten for the game. As one of the leading members of the basketball team, and his senior status, he was on the floor already, telling everyone about tickets to the game that could get them out of school to support the team in the deciding game for state finals. (Needless to say there are at least one hundred students traveling in buses to the game behind us today.) After Tyler got in a few words, as well as Teigan, Ryan took the mic back and told everyone he had something else to say.

  Here's where I came in. See, I told Emma I had to go to the bathroom, while I really slipped out of the auditorium to grab a poster with Jake that Ryan had made the night before. There were balloons too, (of course) and we walked into the gym as he asked Emma to come out of the crowd. The tech crew cued Edwin McCain's song, I'll Be, and he asked her to the dance in front of all of Oakridge.

  She was completely smitten of course, and said yes on the spot. They hugged and he walked her back to the stands. Her face was red for at least three hours.

  Since then the two of them have been a little awkward around each other, and both refuse to admit that they're on the verge of coupledom. I roll my eyes and take a seat on the steps. They'll sort it all out at the dance this weekend.

  "Hey Ryan." Emma says softly keeping her eyes on the floor.

  "Hey. Uh… I was wondering if… if you wanted me to… uh…"

  "Spit it out Ryan." I say offhandedly, trying to figure out my math once again.

  "Can I walk you to class?" He blurts out hurriedly. I grin as Emma nods and Ryan takes her books from her arms. Without another word they walk down the hall, both with the slightest of blushes on their cheeks.

  "Now isn't that cute?" Teigan says, once again taking a seat next to me. I glare at him.

  "Why won't you just go away?"

  "Because, Ace, bugging you is very amusing to me."

  I growl. "And quit it with the nickname!"

  The bell rings and again he smirks. I don't think he'll ever quit with his evil smirk and his blue eyes.

  "Whatever you say, Ace." He raises his eyebrows. "You'd better get to math so Paxton can pick on you again."

  "He wouldn't pick on me if you'd leave me alone and let me finish my homework."

  "He'll pick on you no matter if you finished it or not if you're late." I once again notice the halls emptying around me.

  I curse softly under my breath as I bolt up the stairs. Damn Teigan for making me late, I'll get him for this.

  * * *

  Coach Daniels gathers the team and cheerleaders around at nine fifteen. Paxton may have glared daggers at me when I pulled into the classroom out of breath and a second before the bell, but I got out of math early and didn't have to turn in the homework.

  Score!

  "With the amount of students traveling with us today and the number of buses the school has the budget to give us," He sighs, "the basketball team and the cheerleaders will be riding in the same bus. We all fit together and it'll keep the team separate from the fans."

  A whoop of hollers and cheers goes up among the basketball team and cheerleaders. With twenty eight members on the basketball team, fifteen cheerleaders, Coach Daniels and Coach Brown to watch over the girls, that means every seat is going to be occupied by two people.

  No person will have a single seat.

  This is big. They never let girls and boys travel on the same buses together, even on the chess tournament buses. (Yes we have those) There's too much risk of… stuff happening.

  "I don't want any fuss in the seats. Ya hear me? You know what I mean. I'll be checking up on you every hour so keep it civil. Now load the bus. The students will be out in half and hour and we've gotta be on our way by then." Coach Daniels shouts. He likes to use a loud voice most of the time. He says it gets peoples attention faster.

  "Duke!" Emma says, tugging on my arm as she stands next to me. "I left my duffel in the locker room!" She starts dragging me back into the school and away from everyone getting the good seats.

  There goes my seat with any decent person that'll be on the bus.

  "Emma," I whine, "how could you forget your duffel?"

  "I don't know but I did!" I roll my eyes and follow her. Sometimes Emma can be so blonde. We grab her duffel from the locker room and by the time we get back over half the bus is loaded. We stash my duffel (left on the ground when I was pulled in the opposite direction) and Emma's into the bottom of the bus and get at the end of the line to load.

  We end up being the last two to get on. Lucky for Emma, Ryan waves her down and she rushes to his seat to sit next to him. They'll have a fun bus ride. I suppress a chuckle and start searching the bus.

  Now for my seat…

  "Hey, Ace, back here." In the seat behind Ryan, Teigan's waving at me, patting the only empty seat left on the bus.

  Coach Daniels gives me a look from his seat at the front that says 'we're waiting on you.'

  I sigh. This is going to be a long bus ride.

  I make my way towards the back where Teigan is sitting and fall onto the seat. "I hate you." I say simply.

  In the seat across from Teigan, Jake laughs. "You know, he told me you didn't like him but I didn't believe him." He laughs again.

  "Ah, so not only do you annoy me to no end, but you talk about me to your friends too?" I ask Teigan in a sweet voice. Make him think I'm playing nice. "Oh I feel so special!"

  Tyler laughs in his spot next to Jake. "Your pretty much Darren's topic of interest."

  Now that thought just sent chills down my spine.

  "Oh now that's just not somethin' I wanna hear about my lil' sis." Ryan says, turning around to talk to us. I hear a short, curt laugh from the seat in front of Jake and Tyler and, to my dismay, I see Allison sitting next to Patrick. His arm is around her waist and she's leaning against him, glaring at me over the seat.

  "Honestly Darren," She says, her eyes still trained on me, "I don't know what it is that fascinates you about her. She's not that interesting." Her eyes scour my appearance and she sneers. "She isn't even that pretty in my opinion."

  I glance at Teigan and his eyes shine. "Maybe I don't find your opinion all that interesting?" He replies sweetly.

  Do my ears deceive me, or does Teigan dislike Allison as much as I do? He flashes me a grin that says he does. He reaches an arm over my shoulders. I get that same, sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Glaring at him, I lift his arm over my head and back to his side.

  "Darren, you're new here. Maybe you haven't noticed it yet, but my opinion is everything at Oakridge." Glancing at the group around me I see five pairs of eyes roll subtly.

  It is partially true however. Allison's opinion matters to a lot of people at Oakridge simply because she is, undeniably, the prettiest girl. Therefore, she is popular and has power. She knows this fact all too well, and uses her 'power' to manipulate people into practically claiming her as royalty.

&nb
sp; I guess you could claim her as royalty. She was homecoming queen. (Though I think, just to be sure, she made Jessa stuff the ballots.)

  Speaking of Jessa, I notice her near the front of the bus sitting next to a bunch of equipment that couldn't fit in the compartments below the bus. She's staring back at Allison, jealousy dancing in her eyes. She wanted to sit back here with everyone. I feel sorry for her until I recall her calling me a bitch yesterday for picking up her pom-poms at practice by accident.

  They all look exactly the same. It was a little extreme for me.

  "You really do have a few things to learn Darren." Lily Parret purrs behind us. I hadn't noticed her there until now, but turning around I see her there in all her big chested glory.

  "And why is that?" He asks, his intense gaze staying on Allison. "I mean, I've only been here two weeks but I seem to have influence of my own. I've got looks just like she does."

  Allison scowls. "Yeah," Lily says, leaning forward in the seat so her chest is right near Teigan's head, "but Allison's been here all four years. She has standing status from the past. We're all still wary about you."

  "You're wary huh?" Teigan raises an eyebrow at Lily.

  "Well yeah. I mean, what all do we know about you?"

  "What do you know about me, Lily?"

  "Well," She says, looking up and biting her lip. I think in her mind that's a form of suggestive language. "I know you're a good kisser," She looks down and winks at him, flicking a finger out for each trait, "You were basketball captain at your old school, you're hot, you've got girls fawning all over you from schools all over the city, you've got an amazing—"

  "I think I've heard enough." I mutter, cutting Lily off. She glares at me.

  "Nobody asked your opinion again, Little One." I growl at the comment.

  "I'm not that short." I sink lower in my seat and fold my arms. Teigan snickers next to me.

  I smack his leg.

  He rubs it as Allison sits up in her seat to get a better look at me. "You are too short. You're what, five foot three? That's short, Knight. S-H-O-R-T."

  "Allison," Emma warns.

  "And you really don't have any breasts either." Lily chimes in. I glare up at her. Says the girl who got a boob job at thirteen.