17. Drive Home

Lilith

I was grabbing my stuff from my locker to take home, after practice. Some of the other cheerleaders approached. “Lilith so can you tell us about the new guy. I mean he watched our whole practice.” Clemintine said. I never considered any of these girls my friends, but we weren’t unfriendly with one another. Juliet had told me more than once if I wanted to be popular, I could be. I was in cheer and other sports. I was always invited to things, but mostly I just didn’t care.

My schedule was usually pretty full. The only time I hung out with anyone besides Juliet and the people who went to Rob’s gym was when I went to parties that some rich kid through. “Is he single?” Brittnay asked. “I think so.” I said and Clemintine said “So, you and he are not together?” I shook my head. Brittnany and Clementine both smiled huge. “He is so hot.” Someone said. I didn’t know who but clearly whomever did was listening into this conversation. I rolled my eyes.

Clemintine then said “Maybe you and he want to come hang out with all of us. We are going to go grab a bite.” I knew the girls did this often after practice. I normally was invited but didn’t ever tag along. “Nah, we have plans.” Brittnany and Clemintine looked crestfallen. Polly came out of nowhere. “I thought you said you weren’t together Lilith. If you have plans together doesn’t that mean you're an item?” I scowled. “Nope, just friends.” I said, wanting to get out of there.

Polly blocked the way “What did you talk about with Jacob today at lunch. I saw the two you.” I looked at her. I wasn’t going to lie, she asked so I bluntly, so I said, “He asked if I knew what happened to his nose, if I had seen anything Friday.” She looked at me quizzically, so I went on “I ran into him with Caleb and Joshua.” I leaned in and whispered in Polly’s ear. “It was an illegal fight; you know I am here on scholarship. I was not in a good part of town, which you probably know. But anyways we talked a bit, and I rushed off. I don’t know what happened, but Jacob got hit, he told me he and the others were also robbed. I don’t really want to share this kind of stuff since it was illegal, but you should know.” I leaned back.

It was best not to fight with Polly if I could help it. She was queen bee, and I didn’t need the kind of drama she would bring if she thought I had something with her boyfriend. But the fact I made it seem like a secret made her more likely to trust me. She figured I didn’t want it getting out that I had been at an illegal fight and so had her boyfriend. But I told her enough to make her feel like she had gained a secret from me. Doing so made her feel like I was confiding in her and she felt some sort of power being let in on the secret. In all honestly, I gave no craps about any of this.

She nodded. “Thank you for telling me Lilith. If you see anything else, you know along those lines will you let me know?” I nodded. Assuring her, I would be her eyes and ears if Jacob came back to another fight. “You have my number, right?” She asked. “I sure do.” I plastered on a fake smile. Of course I had her number. We were on Cheer together, why wouldn’t I have it.

She stepped back. “You know you really should come out with us to eat. Some of the guys are going to be there from the football team. Since you are not with that new guy, I could maybe hook you up with someone.” I recoiled at the thought. Sure, I had made Polly trust me, but now she would try to include me in her weird friend group. “Thanks, but I got to go.” I said quickly slamming my locker and rushing out. I ran up the bleachers where Noel was sitting. “If you don’t want to be swarmed by cheerleaders then I suggest we hurry up and get the fuck out of here.” Noel moved so fast, both of us practically running to the car.

We slid in. “home right.” I sighed. “Yes, but stop at a service station, I am starving.” He nodded and took off. “So why would the cheerleaders swarm me?” Noel asked. “They all think you're hot. They probably were going to invite you to go out to eat with them and some of the football guys despite the fact I told them we have plans.” He nodded. “Anything else happen in the locker room?” I nodded. “Yeah, told Polly that I saw Jacob at the fight on Friday, which since I made it seem like a secret, she thinks we are now friends, like I confided in her or something. My goal by acting that way was to get her off my back. I don’t want drama with her. But instead, now she thinks we are buddies.”

“Wait you are not friends with the other cheerleaders?” He asked and I looked at him like he was nuts. “No, we are acquaintances. Didn’t you see I don’t eat lunch with them? We are nice and I get along with them, and the other jocks, but I don’t call them my friends. We are nice to one another, and I get invited places but never go. I only show up for practices, games, and the outrageous parties they throw.” He looked confused. “Your high school is weird.” He said. “No, it is typical.” He shook his head. “The Pack school, everyone is friends, maybe because we are like a family, and everyone has mind link so we are all connected in a way but there is none of that cliques your school has.” I shrugged.

I pointed to a station and Noel pulled in. “Do you want anything?” He gave me his request and I walked in. Grabbing what we wanted and walked out. “That was fast. Oh, I forgot to ask did you need any money to get the food and drinks.” I looked at him like he was nuts. “What?” He asked. “I don’t pay for my snacks.” He looked horrified. “So, you stole all that?” I raised my eyebrow. “No, Kali and I like free food. Besides I didn’t do it at the pack, so it is fine.” He looked concerned. “Oh, calm down I do this every day.”

“Thart doesn’t make it any better Lilith. You should pay. Stealing is wrong.” Kali growled in my head, but I calmed her saying we would do it tomorrow too. She smiled, she was wicked, and I knew it. “Noel, I have to do these things for Kali, she loves it, okay so please drop it and get on board. Besides I have never gotten caught, not from a gas station, a bodega, or even with the cars.” His face was twisted. “You steal cars too?” I rolled my eyes. “Would you rather Kali doesn’t get her kicks, would you rather I pent her up until there was no semblance of control. We work as a team. I give into her cravings here and there and she gives me control, now stop lecturing me and eat your dam chips.”

I pushed his Doritos at him. We got back on the road; he was silent for a while and then said, “So you are a flew at cheer.” Good he had changed the subject. “Yes, I am one of the flyers for the team.” He nodded. “You know when Eric sees you in that outfit, he is going to lose his mine.” I looked down at my cheer practice clothes. I had a few sets, but everyone on the team wore the same thing for practice. “It is just spandex shorts with the school logo and a top with some snarky cheer print.” He raised his eyebrow. “He is going to be feral, and I don’t even want to know how he will be when he sees you in your uniform.”

“He will be fine. I am sure your high school the cheerleaders wore the same thing.” He shook his head. “What do they wear then?” He looked at me. “We don’t have cheerleaders, or sports.” I raised my eyebrow. “That is pretty sad.” He nodded. “Yeah, the school is pretty lame, I would have much rather attended yours maybe I would have learnt something. But the cliques I could never get used to.” I snorted. “So, what are you doing when we get home?” he asked. “Going to the training field. Eric told me when they start, but I will have about thirty minutes, so I am going to run.”

“You never stop, do you?” “I have to be active, plus Kali loves that I excerpt myself so much.” He breathed out heavily. “When do you have the time to do your homework?” I responded. “Free Period.” He nodded. I had done it all before Cheer. “Do you practice cheer every day?” I shook my head. “No, it is Monday through Wednesday. Thursday, we rest, and Friday is games.” He just shook his head, “You do too much, when do you make time for fun?” I sighed. “The weekends, either parties or something fun, usually with Juliet, but Eric said she can’t come visit, and I mean I get it, so probably will have to come down to the city to spend time with her.”

He paused “When are you going to do Luna stuff?” I was quiet. “I talked to Eric about this, mostly on the weekends. But most of it will be next year when I am not in high school.” He nodded. “Yeah, that is how younger Lunas have done it in the past. My grandmother was in your situation. She became Luna at 16. At least you are 18.” Both of us were quiet for a moment. “Can I put on some music?” He nodded. I noticed there had been improvements to Erics classic car and my phone was able to sync to the stereo. I turned up the volume, so it was blasting a mixture of Rap and Pop.” Noel laughed so hard I thought he may crash. I had no clue what was so funny.