I nodded, but did I really understand what he was saying? I focused my eyes one my locker door as I shut it. "I know, you don't have to explain." I lied.
"I'm sorry."
"Really, it's all right." I looked away then turned around and walked downt the hall. I kept my head down until I reached the double doors. As I leaned to open one of them I turned slightly looking for Alex, to see if he was still at my locker. Nope. He was off down the other end of the hallway with Tony. Sighing I slammed open the door and walked out.
"Hey Amara! Wait up!"
I turned around to see Matt Jemson running behind me. It was 2:15 that afternoon and school had left out. I was wasting no time getting to my car to get home .I continued walking until I reached my car. Beside me Matt caught up and walked around the side of the car. "Hey, where are you going?"
I looked up. "Home," I said quickly, "out of this hell they call school. What are you doing here? I thought you and Deke cut 3rd and 4th?"
Matt hated school and school hated Matt. So he rarely came, and when he did it was usually only for the first two periods. After that he would normally tag along with Deke, Derrick, James. Deke had been my best friend since second grade. He almost never came but they still passed him each year.
"We did," Matt answered, "but Deke got worried about ya." He grinned and pointed to his car behind him where a figure stood. When Matt pointed the figure looked up and started walking over towards us. I could tell by the slow, shuffled step that it was Deke.
"Hey Matt, man, your car isn't working. We gotta take mine." He turned to me. "Hey, you look like shit. What's wrong?"
I remembered my conversation with Alex earlier and felt upset all over again, but pushed it and him out of my mind. "Bad day." I said out loud.
He looked at me for a moment then took his hands out of his pockets and shuffled over to me with his arms open. I walked to him as he put his arms around me in a hug and closing my eyes, I put my head on his shoulder. Breathing in deep I smiled a little. He always smelled good.
"Ahem."
We let go as Matt started walking away, and I followed them to Deke's car. I loved his car, a black convertible. Two solid, red stripes ran down the middle. Think Zeke's car in "The Faculty". They got in and Deke started the engine as I stood at the window. He looked up and took my hand. "You wanna come with us? We're going to Crystal's, she said she'll have beer waiting."
I sighed, tempted. "No. I'm pretty tired. I just want to go home and crash."
He squeezed my hand once. "Kay. Have fun. I'll call you around ten when I get home." He revved the engine and I backed away as he pulled out and raced out of the empty lot. I watched them leave then slowly trudged back to my car. I got in and started the engine. I leaned back and sighed thinking about Alex. I thought he liked me, just a little bit.
"Wrong!" I said out loud. Checking behind me, I turned up the radio and left school.
