Jacob – Past
It’s the last class on Friday. I’m already in my seat when Layla walks in wearing her cheerleading uniform. Her friend Amie is beside her, even though she doesn’t take this class. They are talking to Mrs. Milton.
Alex and Parker come in next, both wearing their football jerseys. They play regularly, but it’s usually only the seniors who start every game. Amie waves goodbye to Mrs. Milton, and when Layla turns slightly, I see what they were doing, cupcakes.
Alex places his hand low on Layla’s back and grabs one. He takes a single bite before tossing the rest into the trash right in front of her.
I don’t know why he’s been getting under my skin more lately, but he is.
Layla turns toward the class, holding the box of cupcakes. She smiles wide when we make eye contact.
“I saved you one.” She hands it to me before taking her seat.
“Thanks.”
After what Alex did, I want to tell her even more that these cupcakes are the best I’ve ever had.
“Where were you yesterday?”
“Busy.” I slip the cupcake into my empty lunch box for later.
“On a school day?” she presses. When I don’t answer, she tries again, “Are you going to the game tonight?”
She leans back and fixes her ponytail. There’s a white ribbon tied through it today.
“No.”
“Why not? You might like it.”
“I’m busy.”
“I’m busy,” she mimics in a deep, exaggerated voice.
It makes me laugh.
She starts giggling.
“Care to share with the class what’s so funny, Miss Hart?” Mrs. Milton’s voice cuts through the room, snapping all conversation to a halt.
“Sorry, Mrs. Milton,” Layla says, still trying to hide her laughter.
Mrs. Milton peers at her over the rim of her glasses, then returns to her computer screen, shaking her head.
“Come to my house for the party,” Layla whispers. “It’ll either be a celebration or a commiseration, but either way, there will be one.”
“I don’t think Rhett would be okay with that.”
“Half the school goes, Jacob. He won’t even know you’re there. He drinks too much to care, anyway.”
“I work Friday nights.”
“What time do you get off?”
“I’m not going, Layla.”
“Okay. Where do you work, anyway?”
“On Friday nights? Harry’s.”
“I love Harry’s,” she says, her eyes lighting up.
The bell rings. We haven’t done a single bit of work.
As she starts packing up her things, she asks, “Can I come to your house on Monday after school to work on this?”
I don’t want to say yes. But I also can’t seem to say no.
“Rhett doesn’t want me back?”
“No, it’s not that. He doesn’t decide who I invite over.” She hesitates. “It’s just… my dads off on Monday and…” She lets the sentence trail off.
“He wouldn’t be okay with me coming over.”
She presses her lips together. Everyone else is starting to file out of the classroom.
Alex walks up behind her and throws his arm around her shoulders. “You better be cheering for me tonight, Layla.”
She shrugs his arm off, and the flicker of irritation on his face is unmistakable.
I smirk. “Okay.”
“What did you say, Evans?” Alex snaps, jaw clenched.
“Can you leave us alone, Alex. We’re trying to have a business meeting, and I don’t want you stealing our ideas.”
Alex blinks, clearly surprised she asked him to back off.
He recovers, flashes her a smile, and says, “You better be fun tonight.”
Then he disappears out the door after the rest of his friends.
Mrs. Milton is still seated at her desk, quietly watching us.
“So,” Layla turns back to me, “was that an okay you can come to my house, or was that some kind of nervous tick?”
I shake my head and sling my bag over my shoulder.
We walk out of the classroom together.
“You can come to my house,” I say, “but it’s not like yours.”
“Then I already like it more.” She grins.
She turns down the hall toward the girls’ locker room, then spins on her heel mid-step.
“I’ll see you on Monday, Jacob Evans,” she sings.