“Sounds good. Come join me when you’re done. We’ll start another Marvel movie. I’m grabbing some brownies,” Zander tells me.
“Ok I will.” Heading back to my room, I get the arnica cream applied, then grab my laptop. I go through all the syllabi I got today and add the quizzes, tests, and assignments to my calendar. I search for the sports team schedules on the school portal and include the track and diving meets as well. Placing my onlineorder for herbs and oils, I pay a large fee for rush delivery. Hopefully, it gets here quickly.
Zander and I watch the second Captain America movie while I lie on the couch stretching. Seb texts asking how I’m feeling and if I’ve used the arnica cream yet. These guys gossip as much as old ladies, I swear. I make lunches for Zander and me before going to bed.
Chapter 26
Seb and E are waiting at my locker when I get to school on Tuesday morning. “Sunshine! I missed you. You look like you’re walking okay today. Did the arnica help?”
“It’s helping Seb. I saw you yesterday and texted you last night. It hasn’t been that long,” I say, shaking my head with a smile.
“But it seems like forever! I was so distraught, E had to hold me all night.” Seb wraps an arm around E’s waist, wiggling his eyebrows at me.
“I might change your nickname to Drama instead of Hurry.” I roll my eyes at him.
That gets a chuckle out of E. “Nope, veto Sunshine. You can’t call me Drama. Now, what are we doing after school today?” Seb says, looking between us.
“Seb, it’s Tuesday. I have to call Jake after school,” I quietly remind him.
“Who’s Jake?” I turn around to see Alex and Bay approaching. Seb cringes, mouthing sorry to me. Oh boy. Closing my eyes, I lean my head back and suck in a large lungful of oxygen. I wasn’t expecting to have this conversation this morning, and definitely not at school. How much detail do I tell them?
“Jake is her best friend from Virginia, you nosey bastards,” Seb says to the group, covering for me.
“Did you call someone else nosy?” E says, putting his arm around Seb’s shoulder, pulling him closer.
“Yup, you guys can be nosy too, ya know. It’s not just me. Now, who’s bought their tickets for the tournament this weekend?”
I glance around at the guys. Alex is watching me, but the others are talking about basketball. He’s too observant, that one. “I purchased you a ticket this morning, Summer,” he says, holding out a printed slip for me.
“You didn’t need to do that, Alex, but thank you. I’m paying you back this time.” I give him my best stern face.
“Good luck with that, Sunshine,” Seb interrupts. “He won’t take your money, or ours. We’ve tried plenty of times.”
I look back over at Alex. “I’ll figure something out,” I smile at him.
Alex smiles back as we disperse, heading to morning classes. AP Biology is a two hour lecture today. I sit beside Bay in AP English, but we don’t really have time to talk. In the library during AP Seminar, I take out my laptop and start taking notes while reading the history text.
Alex and I head to lunch together and find the guys sitting outside today. Gabby comes over to me before we get to the table, asking to talk, so I wave Alex on. “Hey Gabby, what’s up?”
“I wanted to apologize for Cara yesterday,” she says. “She can be a bitch sometimes, but I’ve never seen her act that way before.”
“I take it she’s the one who pushed me yesterday?”
Gabby nods. “I dragged her out of the cafeteria and told her we weren’t friends anymore. No one should treat people that way, especially not towards my other friend. I’m so sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize, Gabby. You aren’t responsible for others’ behavior.”
“So we’re okay?” She asks nervously. Gabby seems genuinely upset about her friend’s behavior.
I reassure her we are fine. “Good,” she replies with a sense of relief on her face. “I’ll let you go eat your lunch now. Bye.”
I say goodbye and walk over to sit with the guys. Seb has a spot open between him and E again. I take a seat and grabmy lunch from my backpack. “Everything good with Gabs?” Seb asks, leaning over.
“Yeah, all good,” I smile. I make a point of saying hello to Reesa sitting beside Alex again, and I get a smile in return.
“So what’s everyone doing after school?” Seb asks, gobbling down a sandwich with big bites.
“Reesa and I are attending a fundraiser with her parents tonight,” Alex informs us.
