end of junior year we got to pick any locker in the senior hallway for the next year, so Kendall and I made sure our lockers were right next to each other. That was before she started dating Derek. The two of them have been inseparable since the last day of school, when he showed up at her house with a dozen roses and a song he’d written about her.
I don’t trust Derek. I know he likes Kendall, but I also know a lot of girls flirt with him and he flirts back. In a moment of male weakness, he can crush Kendall’s trusting heart.
“Just an FYI,” Kendall says, wincing as if she’s about to share some bad news. “Marco’s locker is right across from ours.”
A wave of anxiety rushes through me. “Please tell me you’re lying.”
“I wish I was.”
After we broke up, Marco got in really deep with the Latino Blood. I know he’s been selling drugs and getting in fights a lot. Something happened last year to the guy who ran the gang, and the LB presence in the south side of Fairfield got broken up. I heard Marco started hanging out with other gangs besides the LB. He’s gotten meaner and tougher. I used to think he had a hard exterior but was sweet once you really got to know him. Marco is anything but sweet now.
Derek is walking down the hall, heading straight for us. Of course he’s stopped by practically everyone who calls out his name. Girls are enamored with him because he’s ridiculously gorgeous with blond hair, a model’s face, and a very chiseled body. Guys like him because he’s a major athlete. As a sophomore, he made it to the state championships in tennis. When he hurt his shoulder before junior year, he decided he didn’t want to play tennis and instead went out for the soccer team. He was voted MVP last year at the end of the season, which surprised nobody.
Derek stands beside Kendall, but she turns her back and pretends to be interested in something in her locker.
“I can’t believe you’re still mad,” Derek says.
Kendall shoves books in her locker. “I’m not mad. You can go to college wherever you want, Derek. You don’t have to get permission from me to apply out east.”
He puts his hand on the small of her back and leans toward her. “Why won’t you even look at Ivy League schools?”
“Because they’re not in the Midwest,” she tells him. “You want to go far from home, fine. I can’t.”
Kendall isn’t saying it, but she’s committed to staying near Fairfield for college because her mother got diagnosed with cancer last year. She’s gone through chemo and the doctors say she’s in remission, but Kendall doesn’t want to be far away.
“What are you saying, that if I go to school out east it’s over between us?” Derek asks.
“I don’t know.”
I decide to put my two cents in the discussion for a reality check. “The percentage of couples who stay together after high school is, like, less than five percent, you guys.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Nikki,” Derek says sarcastically.
“Just being real,” I tell him. “No need to have you guys living in Fantasy Land.”
“I hope you never go to Disney World,” Derek says to me. “You’ll probably tell all the little kids there that Mickey Mouse is just a guy in a costume.”
“Probably,” I tell him.
Kendall sighs. “Derek, leave Nikki alone. She’s just protecting me.”
Derek shakes his head, frustrated. “Dammit, Kendall. When are you gonna realize you don’t need protection from me.”
“Nikki’s my best friend.”
“And I’m supposed to be your boyfriend.” Derek walks away with a bitter look on his face.
Kendall leans her head against her locker. I know she’s scared. She was scared of losing her mom, and now she’s scared of losing Derek. I know about being scared, which is why I tell it like it is. Yes, Derek might leave her for another girl. Or go to a college far away and forget about how much he loves her. Or maybe he’s been lying to her about how much he
I don’t trust Derek. I know he likes Kendall, but I also know a lot of girls flirt with him and he flirts back. In a moment of male weakness, he can crush Kendall’s trusting heart.
“Just an FYI,” Kendall says, wincing as if she’s about to share some bad news. “Marco’s locker is right across from ours.”
A wave of anxiety rushes through me. “Please tell me you’re lying.”
“I wish I was.”
After we broke up, Marco got in really deep with the Latino Blood. I know he’s been selling drugs and getting in fights a lot. Something happened last year to the guy who ran the gang, and the LB presence in the south side of Fairfield got broken up. I heard Marco started hanging out with other gangs besides the LB. He’s gotten meaner and tougher. I used to think he had a hard exterior but was sweet once you really got to know him. Marco is anything but sweet now.
Derek is walking down the hall, heading straight for us. Of course he’s stopped by practically everyone who calls out his name. Girls are enamored with him because he’s ridiculously gorgeous with blond hair, a model’s face, and a very chiseled body. Guys like him because he’s a major athlete. As a sophomore, he made it to the state championships in tennis. When he hurt his shoulder before junior year, he decided he didn’t want to play tennis and instead went out for the soccer team. He was voted MVP last year at the end of the season, which surprised nobody.
Derek stands beside Kendall, but she turns her back and pretends to be interested in something in her locker.
“I can’t believe you’re still mad,” Derek says.
Kendall shoves books in her locker. “I’m not mad. You can go to college wherever you want, Derek. You don’t have to get permission from me to apply out east.”
He puts his hand on the small of her back and leans toward her. “Why won’t you even look at Ivy League schools?”
“Because they’re not in the Midwest,” she tells him. “You want to go far from home, fine. I can’t.”
Kendall isn’t saying it, but she’s committed to staying near Fairfield for college because her mother got diagnosed with cancer last year. She’s gone through chemo and the doctors say she’s in remission, but Kendall doesn’t want to be far away.
“What are you saying, that if I go to school out east it’s over between us?” Derek asks.
“I don’t know.”
I decide to put my two cents in the discussion for a reality check. “The percentage of couples who stay together after high school is, like, less than five percent, you guys.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Nikki,” Derek says sarcastically.
“Just being real,” I tell him. “No need to have you guys living in Fantasy Land.”
“I hope you never go to Disney World,” Derek says to me. “You’ll probably tell all the little kids there that Mickey Mouse is just a guy in a costume.”
“Probably,” I tell him.
Kendall sighs. “Derek, leave Nikki alone. She’s just protecting me.”
Derek shakes his head, frustrated. “Dammit, Kendall. When are you gonna realize you don’t need protection from me.”
“Nikki’s my best friend.”
“And I’m supposed to be your boyfriend.” Derek walks away with a bitter look on his face.
Kendall leans her head against her locker. I know she’s scared. She was scared of losing her mom, and now she’s scared of losing Derek. I know about being scared, which is why I tell it like it is. Yes, Derek might leave her for another girl. Or go to a college far away and forget about how much he loves her. Or maybe he’s been lying to her about how much he
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