Kim smirks at me and flips her sister off but we line up in formation and wait for the music. We're doing this dance for the pep rally on Friday, plus we'll also be performing at the basketball game that night. The music starts, Shake it Off, by Taylor Swift, and we start the routine. I will admit, I haven't been practicing like I should because I'm so busy with extra-curricular activities and work and studying that I just haven't had the time. So, it comes as no surprise that minutes into the routine I fuck up and Teri starts screaming.
"Jesus, Bishop! Get your shit together!"
I try to concentrate but I can't seem to remember a damn thing. Finally, Teri stops the music and calls me over.
"What it your fucking problem?" She glares at me with her tiny slits.
"I'm sorry, Teri, I just can't seem to get it together this morning. I'll do better, I promise!"
"You better or you will find yourself off my team, you got that?"
I nod, shrinking under her fury. "Yes, I understand. Sorry!"
Teri rolls her eyes at me and screams for us to line up again.
We go through the routine two more times and I manage to remember all the steps but Teri is still pissed. She sends us off to the showers with a warning about where she'll stick our pom pom's if we aren't perfect by Friday.
We shower and crowd around the mirrors fixing our makeup and hair.
"I'm going crazy," Kim tells me, fluffing her blond waves with her hands. She looks so cute today in a tight white sweater and black floral mini skirt and flats. Her legs are long and tan without a single ounce of cellulite.
"How so?" I carefully line my eyes with my black kohl pencil. I am sporting my usual dressy casual look for school with pale blue skin tight jeans and an oversize white sweater with a light pink infinity scarf and pink tennis shoes. I slip a white and pink pearl bracelet over my wrist and add some gloss. Bubble gum today.
"Fucking Ryan." Kim adds more mascara to her eyes. "He refuses to have sex. I mean, I'm starting to think the boy is gay or something."
"Ryan, gay? I don't think so!" I smile. "Does he not do, like, anything?"
"He likes it when I give him head or a hand job, but that's all. How can a seventeen-year-old guy not want to fuck? I mean, seriously!"
I am trying to get the vision of Kim giving Ryan head out of my brain.
"Wish I had that problem!" We grab our back packs and leave the rocker room, walking through the gym. "That's all Patrick ever thinks about!"
The two of us walk through the halls to Kim's locker.
She smirks. "Wanna trade?"
I know she's joking, because Kim does not share. Ever. There is an unspoken rule in our group that once Kim's, always Kim's. That's why no one goes after Jason, because Kim would never allow it. She might not want a guy anymore, but she's not about to let any of her friends have her sloppy left overs.
"I don't know, I'm seriously thinking of breaking up with Patrick," I tell her.
Kim grabs her lap top and stares at me. "To go with who? Jesus, Taryn, there's no one available right now."
I shrug. "So? Maybe I'll just have a break from boyfriends for a while."
"Oh, my gawd!" She slams her locker shut. "Prom is in like, two months! You have to keep Patrick around at least that long."
We head for my locker, passing some of the basketball players who ogle us on their way by. "I'm sure I can get a date for Prom," I tell Kim.
"Like who?" Kim demands. "Seriously, just keep Pat for now. I'm sure he's not that bad."
"No, he's worse!" I open my locker and an avalanche of shit falls at my feet. At the same time Patrick and Jason leap from behind a garbage can where they've apparently been hiding, filming the whole thing on Patrick's cell phone.
"What the hell!" I glare at them as they crack up and high five each other. "Seriously? Oh my God, Patrick! What are you, twelve?"
"Totally lame, morons!" Kim tells them. She helps me pick up the mess and stuff it back into my locker.
"Oh, come on!" Jason grabs me from behind and lifts me off the floor. "That was funny!"
"Put me down, asshole!" I get out of his grasp and hit him hard on the shoulder. "And why are you filming this? Turn that thing off!"
Patrick is still laughing, his cell pointed right at me. "Babe, it's a joke, you know? This is for our YouTube channel!"
"Stop filming me or I'll flush your stupid phone down the toilet!" I make a menacing move towards Patrick and he puts his phone away.
"What YouTube channel?" Kim asks.
Jason drapes an arm over her shoulders. "Pat and me got our own channel now. 'JayPat'! We do pranks and shit. It's so cool!"
"Oh my God." Kim snorts with laughter and nudges me.
"I don't want to be on your stupid channel!" I glare at Patrick but he grabs me and plants his lips on mine.
"Mmmm, bubble gum, yum!" He goes in for another kiss but I dodge him. I'm so damn sick of being mauled every morning.
"I have to get to class!"
"We're not walking?" Kim slides her arm around Jason's waist and I wonder where Ryan is?
"Nope, not today." Before any of them can stop me, I rush off to Mr. Hayes' room. I'd rather spend my morning with him over Jay Pat!
◆◆◆
"Emily Dickinson." Mr. Hayes walks around the classroom – no he doesn't walk, he glides. I can't take my eyes off of him, his entire body has got this sensual vibe that oozes from every pore. I swear I can smell it. I'm having trouble sitting still, he makes me squirmy but in a good way.
"This woman was a mystery." He continues speaking, holding the textbook in
