“You’re not.”
“I mean, I don’t quantify myself that way. I’m trained in all genres.” She reached into her bag, taking out a pack of gum, and offered me a piece. When I declined, she stuck it back in, zipping it shut, then looked up at me. “Although I do like the faster stuff, if only because it’s more fun to play.”
I opened my mouth, still shocked, but no words came. Before I could form any, Dave suddenly plopped down beside me. “Hey,” he said, shrugging off his backpack. “What’s going on here? ”
I turned to look at him. “Deb,” I said, “is a drummer.”
“Holy crap!” he said.
“I know!” I said. “Isn’t that crazy? I just—”
“What happened to yourface?” he asked.
So much for it hardly being noticeable. “Riley punched me,” I told him.
“She what?”
“That’s the rumor,” I said, picking up my water. “At least according to Deb.”
“I heard it in the bathroom,” Deb explained.
Dave looked at her, then at me again. “Whoa,” he said, leaning in closer. “She really got a good hit in.”
I just looked at him. “Do you really believe she’d do that?”
“To you?” he asked. “No. But she does have a good arm on her. That, I know from experience. What was this fight supposedly about?”
I looked at Deb, who quickly busied herself looking for something in her purse. Finally, I said, “Apparently, it was a jealous rage spurred by seeing us together at the game.”
“Ah,” he said, nodding. “Right. The jealous rage thing.” He carefully raised a hand, touching my cheek. In my peripheral vision, I saw Deb’s eyes widen. “What really happened?”
“My locker door attacked me.”
“They’ll do that.” He dropped his hand, then smiled. “You need some ice or something?”
“Already got it at the nurse’s office,” I told him. “But thanks.”
“It’s the least I can do,” he said. “Since I was the cause and everything.”
I smiled. “You joke, but the rest of the school totally believes it. Just look around us.”
Dave turned, scanning the courtyard. Since he’d joined us, we had even more of an audience. “Whoa,” he said, looking back at me. “You’re not kidding.”
“People can’t resist a love triangle,” Deb said.
“Is that what this is?” Dave asked. He was talking to her, but looking right at me, and I felt my face flush.
“No,” I said.
He shrugged. “Too bad. I’ve always wanted to be part of one of tse.”
“Oh, no you don’t,” Deb told him, shaking her head. “It’s no picnic, let me tell you.”
I snorted, which made Dave laugh. Deb just looked at us, not getting the joke. “Deb,” I said, “is there anything you don’t have experience with?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“It’s just . . .” I looked at Dave for help, but of course he gave me none. “You’re an expert on tattoos. A drummer. And now, you’ve been in a love triangle.”
