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�Road To Nowhere� Chapter 12: The Things You Say Courtney ran after Matt. "What were you talking about back there?" "Court, you know that you and Dan are different. I just want you to be safe and I don't want you to get hurt," Matt was completely sincere. "I'm a big girl, Matt. I don't need you to protect me," Courtney was angry. "Court, come on. I'm just trying to help you," Matt tried to explain. "How many times do I have to tell you? I can handle myself," Courtney turned around and ran back to homeroom. Courtney ignored Matt all through homeroom. Josh and Matt tried to make Courtney understand that they wanted to help. Dan stayed out of it. He knew that Courtney and Matt's fight was because of him. In chemistry, Matt went up to Dan. "Dan, if you hurt Courtney, I will hurt you. I promise you that," Matt said. "Matt, I'm sorry that you and Courtney had a fight, but I'm not going to hurt her," Dan replied looking Matt straight in the eye. "Just don't," Matt said. "I won't," Dan replied teeth gritted together. Matt walked away leaving Dan wondering what was going on. He would find out soon enough. * * * * Courtney stood in line to buy a soda. She felt an arm wrap around her waist. Surprised, she spun around. Dan was standing there smiling at her. "What are you doing?" Courtney asked. "What's going on with Matt?" Dan responded to her question with a question of his own. "I don't know. Did he talk to you?" Courtney asked, paying for her soda. "Yeah, he told me not to hurt you. Court, are you and Matt more than friends?" Dan asked wearily. "No!" Courtney said taken aback. "He's my best friend. I've known him forever." "You should talk to him then. He needs to understand that I like you and don't want to hurt you," Dan said as they sat down at their table. "Okay Dan, I'll talk to him, but I don't think I can change his mind," Courtney said. * * * * "Courtney Evans," her world history teacher called out. "Yes?" Courtney asked. "They need you in the office immediately," her teacher replied. Courtney grabbed her books and her purse and walked down to the front office. Coach Summers and some of her fellow cheerleaders greeted her. They had a ladder and a bunch of posters and decorations. "Okay girls, we need you to decorate the cafeteria for spirit day tomorrow. Just take some tape and put these up wherever you think is appropriate," Coach Summers said. "Some of the football players will be there shortly to help you reach the higher walls." Courtney and the other girls went and started their task. Courtney climbed up the ladder first. "Okay now hand me the one that says 'Panther Pride'," Courtney said as she reached for it. Just as she put the sign up, the double doors swung open. Matt, Josh, and a few other football players came barging in, ready to take this into their own hands. Matt came over to the ladder Courtney was standing on. "Need some help, Court?" he asked her. "Okay, just hand me those posters over there," Courtney pointed to the stack of colored paper. Matt handed the first one to her. "It looks good, Court." "Thanks," Courtney replied. "We need to talk, Matt." "About what?" Matt asked innocently. "About Dan," Courtney said as she put the last piece of tape on the sign. "What about Dan?" Matt said avoiding the subject. "Matt, Dan likes me and he's not going to hurt me and even if he did, I could handle it," Courtney paused. "You just have to understand." "Court, you said the same things about Mike and who helped you when no one else could?" Matt asked her. "Court, you called me. You needed me." "Okay, fine. I needed you then, but this time is different," Courtney said not paying any attention to what she was doing. "Dan really cares, okay?" "Courtney, you barely know the guy! How can you defend him like that?" Matt asked outraged that she wasn't listening to him. "Just forget it," Courtney said getting down from the ladder. Courtney and Matt worked in silence as they put up the last of the decorations. There was definitely more to this fight than either of them were letting on. * * * *
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