The Boy Next Door

I started to get back on my feet, when Lexi snapped at me. "What are you doing? Stay on the ground so he can help you up." Oh yeah I'm suppose to flirt. "Be a damsel in distress."

So I stayed on the ground, pretending to be in distress, and Derek finally got to where Lexi and I were. "Hey, Sydney. Um, are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah, I just lost my footing, I guess. Can you help me up?" Lexi smiled in approval. Derek grabbed my hand and pulled me up.

"Well, you should be careful. Lucky for you, it wasn't that far of a fall." He said, jokingly. Again with the height jokes. Lexi spotted Shane, and they went off on their own. Most likely to make out. I looked back at Derek, who was staring at me, still smiling. "So, what's up?" He asked.

"Nothing much. How about you?" Is it me, or is this really awkward?

"Nothing. I have a basketball game tonight," Yep. Derek is on the basketball team. And yes, this means he is pretty tall. "And, um, I was wondering, if, uh, you could, maybe, come?" Aw. He's so cute when he's nervous.

"I don't know. What time does it start?" Of course I can go, but I don't want to seem too eager.

"Seven, but I'd get there early, so you can get a good seat. It is the championships, you know."

"I'll see if don't already have something going on. But, I'll definitely try to be there." Lexi would be so proud.

"Cool. I hope you can come. Oh, and there's gunna be an after party at my house, win or lose. Ha, like we're going to lose." Derek then went to talk to some guys from the team. I have no clue if our team is good or not, but we must be, if we're in the championships.

---

Spanish is the easiest class I have ever been in. I don't speak it or anything, but I grew up listening to it. My mom is Hispanic, so when I was little, my grandma was always trying to teach me how to speak it. I started to, but it never really stuck. I can read or listen to it, and understand though. If you know enough words, it's not that hard to figure out.

"Senorita Susana, traducir un numero, por favor." Senorita Fluentes called on me. Everyone has their own spanish name, and mine is Susana. I read number one in my head We are going to the game at 7 o' clock in the afternoon. How ironic?

"Vamos a la partida a las siete de la tarde." I said, without even stopping to think about it. As if I had spoke in english. Everyone in the room looked at me, completely shocked.

"Muy bien, Susana. Class, you should all be more like Susana." Thanks Senorita, make me feel more like a nerd.

My phone buzzed in my front pocket. Allie, or Alicia, sent me text.

how did u kno that?

y did u txt me, when ur sitting 2 ft away?

cuz i don't want to get yelled at for not talking in spanish

muy intelligente, alicia

i have no clue wat u just said. so u goin to the game 2nite?

u really havent been paying attention, have u? of course i am.

kewl. sit with me & josh.

Great. I love being a third wheel. Maybe I'll get Matt to go, no, then Sophie will have to come. Unless...

"Sophia." Her spanish name was pretty much the same as her real one. "Do you-"

"Espanol, chicas." Senorita Fluentes said.

"Tienes planes esta noche?" I asked if she had plans.

Soph was doing as well as me in this class, and had no problem understanding. "Si. Tengo que ir a mi abuela la 70a fieste de cumpleanos." Poor girl. She has to spend her Friday night at her grandma's birthday party. But that means Matt can come to the game.

---

The crowd cheered and roared. The basketball game was a mad house. "So, are we still winning?" I asked Matt. I am beyond confused. All I know is, what basket is ours and the ball should go in that basket.

"Yeah. Now we're ahead by ten points."

"I thought we were ahead by eight?" Between the noise, mixture of smells from all the people, and my confusion, my head was starting to hurt.

"But then Derek gave us two more points." I could tell Matt was starting to get annoyed.

"Oh, okay. Sorry, it's just a lot to keep up with" I turned to Allie, who was laughing with Josh. "Your going to the party at Derek's, right?" I asked.

"Duh! You know I never pass up a chance to party." She doesn't, partying is like, in her blood, or something. "Is Matt going?" She asked, doing that thing with her eyebrows, that hints at something.

"Yeah. He said I could only go. if he went to." Allie gave me one of those looks. "He's afraid of something happening to me. You know, my drink being spiked, getting raped, and blah blah blah."

Allie laughed. "He's just looking out for you. Matt cares about you. He would be devastated if anything happened to you. Your like, his whole world." She became serious.

"Wow. That was deep." It was very deep.

"Well, it's true. I can see it by the way he looks at you." She pulled me further away from Matt. "He's not over you, Sydney." I think my stomach just did a back flip. He's not over me? As in, he has feelings for me? I looked over at the boy, who I've wasted so many tears on, and wondered if what Allie just told me was true.