Chapter 2

Trent is shifting through his locker when he hears her voice. It is the only voice that sounds as sweat as his sister’s. As he peaks around the door of the locker he sees Christy Chayes. He watches her talk with her friends, trying not to look noticeable himself. Then she looks his way, catching her eye and smiles.

Quickly, Trent ducks back behind the door. He keeps an ear out, listening to her voice. When he hears her saying goodbye to her friends, he peaks back around the door slightly. When he notices her walking in his direction, he ducks back in again, pretending to busy himself with the contents of his locker.

“Hi Trent,” Christy says from behind the door.

Trent swallows hard and pulls it so that they are face to face. “Hi ... ah, Christy,” he says stumbling. “H-how are you this morning?”

“I’m fine,” she answers with a grin. “I noticed you seem to be having trouble with something over here.”

“Trouble?” he asks looking form her to the locker and then back. “No.” He shakes his head. “Nope, no trouble here.”

“Are you sure?” she asks. “These lockers can be some trouble. Sabrina McMillian had a problem last week and it too Bryan Gears to get it open for her. Just before that Tonya, damn I can never remember her last, got locked out. She knew her number, and when the janitor came to open it he said the number was correct but something happened with the lock.”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Trent says. “I’ll be honest with you, I was...”

“Hey there Christy,” a guy’s voice breaks into the conversation. “What are you doing?”

Trent turns his head at the same time as Christy to see Thane, Christy’s boyfriend, walking up.

“Hey, baby,” she says cheerfully. She slides around Trent, giving her boyfriend a quick hug. Their mouths come together to melt into a long kiss.

“So what are you doing this weekend?” Thane asks the moment the kiss ends.

“I have to study with Janet for the history test on Monday,” Christy answers. “I have to babysit on Saturday and my dad wants me to go to his house so he can take me shopping. I swear that man thinks all I want to do is shop.”

“What do you mean?” Thane asks. “You do like to shop.”

She giggles. “I know right? If every man would just learn that then there wouldn’t be an unhappy woman in this world.”

“I’m sure that would do it for you,” Thane remarks.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Christy asks defensively.

“Nothing,” he quickly answers. “I was just making an observation.” He turns to Trent and says, “Come on man, back me up.”

Trent is thrown off guard a little, but he quickly recovers. “Yeah, yeah ... uh ... I ... Uh think what Thane meant was that you really like shopping and that it ... uh ... makes you happy.”

“Yes, baby,” Thane says pulling Christy in close to him. “That is exactly what I meant.”

“Good,” Christy says, giving him a quick kiss. “Maybe after school you can take me to the mall and buy me something to make for the misunderstanding.”

“Maybe,” Thane answers, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her away with him.

Trent stands at his locker, watching until they are both out of sight and around the corner. He sighs heavily, pushing his locker closed, wishing that it was him in Thane’s place.

“Dude, you’re never going to get her if you keep pussing out,” a voice says from behind.

Trent doesn’t have to turn around to know who the voice belongs to. “I don’t see you trying, Dwayne,” he says sliding his bag pack over his shoulders.

“Nah, man,” Dwayne says readily. “She’s way too much maintenance for me. You can have her.”

“She’s out of my league anyway,” Trent admits as he heads for class.

Dwayne follows, walking next to him. “Yeah, as in you don’t have the money to support that shopping habit.”

“She’s not really like that,” Trent says, defending her. “She just acts that because of her parent’s divorce.”

“How the fuck do you know that?” his friend asks. “Did she tell you?”

Trent shakes his head. “No, man, I just know.”

“Well, since you’re s psychic now, why don’t you tell me if my parents will ever get along,” Dwayne says sarcastically.

“There is no hope for your parents, Dwayne,” Trent says, trying to hold a straight face. And when his friend casts him a glare, he bursts out in laughter.

Dwayne joins him. “Seriously man, don’t beat yourself up about her. She’s just a stuck up bitch and so long as Thane,” he says with as much animosity as he can, “is around, you’ll never have a chance in hell with her.”

“Well I can hope, right?” Trent asks.

“You can do whatever you want,” his friend answers. “Alright, I’ll see you in third period?”

“Not unless you plan on skipping,” Trent says truthfully.

“Nah, I got nothing to do today except being here,” Dwayne says. “Say, have you checked out that new store off Wright Street?”

“That antique looking place?”

“Yeah, I hear there is some really cool junk in that place,” Dwayne says. “Want to check it out after school?”

“I’ve got nothing to do later,” Trent says with a shrug.

“Alright then,” his friend says nodding enthusiastically. “I’ll see you in third, man.”

Trent gets to class just before the bell sounds and quickly takes his seat in the back. Being one without many friends, he is generally left alone and forgotten about. For the most part that is how he likes it, especially with classes like this one: English Lit.

It isn’t even ten minutes of hearing the teacher drone on about whatever the subject is today when his mind wonders off. He thinks about Christy ever since she walked off with Thane. He runs scenario after scenario through his head of what he could have done differently. Slowly his eyes grow heavy and he rests his head down on his arms. It isn’t the first time he has fallen asleep in class, and he is pretty sure Mr. Russo isn’t going to notice.

Trent lifts his head from the desk a while later. The classroom is empty. Somehow he has missed the bell. Hell, somehow he has managed to sleep the day away, and gotten through every period without anyone noticing him. He looks to the windows to see that it still is still day time. At least he hasn’t missed too much time. Gathering his books up, Trent prepares to jet out of the school and hopefully catch up with Dwayne.

He stops short when the door to the classroom suddenly swings open. He looks up to see Christy, of all people, standing in the doorway wearing a plain white shirt that looks several sizes too small and the shortest pair of shorts he has ever seen. Without a word, she goes to the middle of the classroom, pulls out her cell phone and begins flipping through it.