Just Swimmingly

Chapter 7

Scott

I couldn't wait until lunch; I would sit with Jennifer again no matter what. Should I ask her about kissing that guy, though? No, I decided. That would seem too creepy. It's none of my business anyway; I'm just here to be her friend. I pulled into the parking lot, right next to Ryan's truck. He was probably the only guy that was indifferent to the fact that I had dumped Kinny, and I really appreciated that. As I turned off my car and looked over, I noticed Ryan was talking...to Jennifer? The image of her in a wedding dress flashed before my eyes, and I forced it away. How did they even know each other? She walked away and I got out of my car.
"Hey, Ryan!" He turned around.
"Oh, hey Scott."
"You uhm...know that girl?" He looked toward where Jennifer was walking.
"Haha, yeah, she's my sister!" What?! They barely looked anything alike! I glanced at his eyes. That's what had seemed so familiar about him.
"Oh...cool."
"Well, see you at practice." He gave me a weird look and walked away. I had just befriended Jennifer's brother. I couldn't decide if that was a good or a bad thing.

Jennifer

Surprisingly, people left me alone today. Even the teachers didn't call on me in class to answer a question they knew I couldn't. I had been left alone, and strangely, that left a void in me. But wasn't that what I had been wishing for? Jack's Mannequin crooned in my ear. Someone passed by the door, quickly glancing in. It was Scott. Dark blue, dark blue. I seemed to be the only one that noticed him, and he smiled. Have you ever been alone in a crowded room? I smiled back and my heart sped up a little bit. But why? Well I'm here with you. Scott smiled and waved. I slightly waved back and turned my attention back to the teacher, faking interest in the subject. I saw another girl frantically waving out of the corner of my eye.
"Yes, Kinny?" The teacher paused his lesson and now everyone in the class had their eyes on...Kimmy?
"Oh, my hand wasn't raised, sir," she said confidently. "I just thought I should wave at the love of my life." The class was silent. This girl was in love with Scott?
"Continuing on...." started the teacher. I said, the world could be burning and burning 'til there's nothing but dark blue.

Scott

I didn't know Jennifer had third period math. The smile stayed on my face as I walked to my locker. She waved back to me. At least she was acknowledging that we were friends. I opened up my locker, and ten notes fell out. I glanced at the big pink one with a big red heart and a collage of lipstick-slimed kisses covering it. Gee, I wonder who that one was from. I decided to slightly dismantle my lunch and quickly drank some water, ate a small bag of chips, and skimmed through all the other notes. Jerk, wimp, unmanly, jerk, uncool, nobody, I'm glad I never dated you, why are you such a bad person, and jerk. Cool, fan letters. I hesitantly opened the big one. Panties fell out and music began playing. And who do you think you are? Running 'round leaving sca- I closed the card, partially because of the song accusing me of being a serial heartbreaker, but mostly because of what was written, placed, drawn, and suggested inside of that card. I glanced down at Kinny's underwear. Of course it was a G-string. I took a pencil out of my backpack and picked it up with the eraser side. I was about to throw the underwear away, but then I saw a part of my lunch and an opportunity way too tempting to turn down.

Jennifer

I walked out of math hearing uproarious laughter. Someone had glued a G-string onto the principal's painting and put a banana in it. I pushed through my laughing classmates and to the lunch room. This time I would definitely have my own spot, and I would even have a better selection of tables, but I would still choose the same one. My phone rang as I paid for my lunch, and I ignored it. Not today. I already got what I needed from him, and hadn't I told him countless times to leave me alone? I walked back over to my table, but there was already someone waiting there.

Scott

"Hey, lunch buddy!" I greeted Jennifer as she walked to our table. She gave me a weird look and quietly sat down. "So, how was math?"
"Fine." I waited for her to elaborate, but when she started to eat her pizza I knew I was going to have to initiate the majority of this lunch's conversations.
"So, did you see the G-string in the hallway?" She barely glanced up.
"Yeah."
"So...?"
"So what? It was just," she paused, her lips trembling and fighting a smile. She was about to laugh! "Lacy, red panties on our male principal."
"With a banana inside," I added.
"Yep." She continued to eat her pizza and I continued to smile. "What?"
"Do they have any idea who did it?"
"I don't know."
"Okay good, because it was me," I spilled. She raised an eyebrow.
"Nice one." It was silent again.
"So, can we listen to something?"
"No thanks."
"Can we look at something? Like my masterpiece in the hallway?"
"I'll pass."
"Can we talk about something?"
"Like what?"
"Like anything." This girl really was a hard nut to crack.
"Okay," she said, putting her pizza down. "Let's talk about why you're really here."
"What?"

Jennifer

"Hey, lunch buddy!" said Scott cheerily as I walked to my table. God, he's so hot. I snapped myself out of it. He's too hot. Why is he here again? I gave him a quizzical look and silently sat down. "So, how was math?"
"Fine." I said shortly, taking a bite out of my pizza. Why did I do that? I wanted to scream and bitch about how much I hate that class!
"So, did you see the G-string in the hallway?" Yes, it was fucking hilarious! Whoever came up with that is one cool dude.
"Yeah."
"So...?"
"So what? It was just," I paused, fighting a smile. He couldn't know that I found that as hilarious as I did. "Lacy, red panties on our male principal."
"With a banana inside."
"Yep." Yes, and that was the best part! I went back to my pizza, hoping he'd just leave before I got too attached. I saw him smiling. "What?" Did I have something in my nose? Pizza sauce on my chin?
"Do they have any idea who did it?"
"I don't know." But I think I do.
"Okay good, because it was me." I wanted to high five him and laugh with him and call him an evil, hilarious genius. But I stayed silent and gave him a weirded-out look.
"Nice one." Dammit! That wasn't supposed to sound sarcastic. He would give up right about now, probably. Just the thought made my heart heavy, which scared me.
"So, can we listen to something?" Huh. So he actually does share my music taste. Or he's a great liar, which would clash with him being a horrible liar yesterday. But maybe he was lying about being a liar.
"No thanks." I had been listening to Dark Blue ever since I saw him and now it was practically a reflex to hit repeat. For all I knew, maybe the thing would be stuck on Dark Blue forever. Strangely, that idea appealed to me. The fact that it appealed to me scared me again. I couldn't let this guy get to me.
"Can we look at something? Like my masterpiece in the hallway?" And be close to you, and- I made myself stop.
"I'll pass."
"Can we talk about something?" Or everything?
"Like what?"
"Like anything." I decided to test him again.
"Okay," I agreed, putting my pizza down. Time to come clean, cut all ties and false appearances before anybody got too attached. "Let's talk about why you're really here."
"What?" He honestly looked confused. He was a good liar.
"You can't just show up out of the blue, start caring about me, and act like that's normal, Scott."
"Why not?"
"Because that's just not how people are. People are selfish, and only in it for themselves." He gave me a look that strongly resembled pity. It turned my stomach.
"Oh, Jennifer."