Rebecca widens her eyes holding her breath and hits her foot on the ground in anger.
- It won't stay that way, Ryder Taylor! - she says in a threatening tone. - He won't be! Keep my words!
I swing my head from side to side as it moves towards the elevator.
- Rebecca? - I call with my velvety voice. She looks at me, smiling, like she thinks I've changed my mind. - If you're really desperate, the front door holds great parties for girls like you.
- You bastard!
She snorts into the elevator and I laugh. I knew Rebecca very well. I knew she'd go out with Bruce and Shane, even having sex with both of them at the same time. Besides, I never repeated the girls, even though Rebecca was very hot. I swing my head locking the door and climb into the bedroom. I'd take a bath, pick up Viola and meet Brooke at the game.
Chapter 07
Brooke
I look around to see if I could see Ryder, but there wasn't even a sign of him anywhere. Impatient, I look at my watch and I see that I arrived very early, so I go out in search of a place to sit down. I meet Jace and Amanda, who were sitting next to Lucius and Jane. I smile and smile when I realize that Jane hadn't gone to the dorm the day before because she was with Lucius. I was relieved she didn't go to Phi Iota One again.
- Have you seen Ryder? - I ask when I sit next to Jane. - He should be here by now.
Jace made a face.
- He was supposed to pick up Viola, but he should be on his way by now. - Jace answers, kissing Amanda's cheek, which was sitting on her lap.
- I didn't know Viola would come, but it'll be great company.
- Looks like they arranged it this afternoon when Mel went to Ryder's apartment. - said Amanda. - She's frustrated about the dress she'll have to wear to a stupid dance.
- I know what it's like! - I grumble while I roll my eyes.
I knew the drama Viola was going through. My mother pushed me through every dress, even though she knew that it was unnecessary and that my presence was not obligatory, but promise is debt and I made an effort to keep it. Only it was being too painful.
I was distracted by her thoughts when one of the boys on the team stopped in front of me and handed me a note. Seeing as it was Ryder's, I frown strange that he asked one of the boys on the team to turn me in. Knowing how much he loved to play tricks on me, I open the note, which asked for a meeting behind the bleachers of the south sector, saying I had a surprise. Ryder had been teaching me how to fight, maybe I wanted to train my reflexes. Looking at the clock, I smiled when I realized I still had plenty of time before the game.
- Ah! If you're trying to catch me, I'll surprise you! - I whisper, laughing with evil.
- Where are you going? - Jace asks me to watch me get up.
- Ryder asked to meet you on the south side.
- Why would Ryder do such a thing? - says Amanda. - The south side is under construction.
- He's teaching me self-defense, so I think he wants to test me.
Jace and Amanda have a laugh.
- Typical of Ryder, putting his knowledge to the test. - Say Jace.
- Still, be careful! - Amanda amendment. - There's a lot of loose siding out there. And rats! Lots of rats!
I let out a laugh and sign before turning around and heading south, doing the lap around the gymnasium to get to the other side, passing behind the bleachers. Along the way, I come across several couples in unusual occasions.
The gym was big. In the extremities there were two pairs of dressing rooms for the championship days. At the southern end the changing rooms were being renovated, just as Amanda had mentioned. So there was the idea of making another pair of changing rooms at the other end last year when they deactivated the bathrooms for retirement. Now the visitor restrooms were in the central part of the gym. The campus constantly hosted several championships and the gymnasium had capacity for a generous number of spectators. I stop in front of the old locker rooms and look around. I breathe deeply, staying alert for any movement. I spend a few minutes walking in the darkness and no sign of Ryder. Realizing it was a trick, an angry snitch...
- That idiot and his jokes! - I grumble to hear the girls of the cheerleading squad begin their performance. - That's great!
He sighed in disappointment at having once again fallen into one of Ryder's footprints and I turn to return to the bleachers. When I heard a noise coming from inside the corridor of the locker rooms, I frowned and turned towards the entrance. With a malignant smile on my lips, I'm headed for the sound. I do as Ryder taught me, and I go on alert. Foot before foot, I walk down the dark corridor hoping to scare Ryder, but I'm the one who's screaming scared, when a huge leftover jumps in front of me.
- Shane, that's not funny at all! - I squirm with my hand over my chest while he laughs. - What are you doing here?
- Having a little fun before the game. -
