Chapter 9
NINE
Fall Semester, Sophomore Year of High School
GEMMA WAS GATEFUL FOR HER new friend. Darbie had helped make the first month at Westmore High School tolerable, if not entirely enjoyable.
The girl was unlike anyone else that Gemma had met here, delighting in the task of taking her under her wing.
Apparently, she needed to learn a lot about her peers, and not many people were eager to befriend the new girl.
On a Monday morning in mid-October, Darbie and Gemma decided to enjoy the crisp autumn air and walk to school instead of their usual carpool.
“How’s soccer going?” Darbie asked, using the time to catch up on Gemma’s life.
“Good, just waiting for my chance to start.” Gemma had made varsity as their second-string goalie. She was happy to be part of a team again and hoped that she’d get her opportunity to play soon.
“And how’s your BFF, the captain of the cheer squad?” Darbie teased, bumping her shoulder into Gemma’s.
Gemma blushed. Since that first day, she hadn’t seen much of Caitlin. They’d shared a few brief polite conversations in Spanish class. And of course, there were the times when Gemma’s eyes would stray across the quad, only to find Caitlin’s attention already on her.
“I think she was just going out of her way to be nice on the first day of school. We haven’t really spoken since.”
“Well, I guess you’ll just have to settle for me.” Darbie sighed overdramatically, making Gemma smile.
“You’re the best part of Westmore High.” Gemma threw her arm around her friend’s shoulder.
“Look, it’s us.” Gemma pointed at the house they were passing, the lawn decorated for Halloween.
Two skeletons stood in the front yard, wearing pink and blue wigs, holding a blow-up guitar and drum, posed as if they were in a band.
The two broke out into cackles, debating who would look better in pink hair as they made their way up the path toward their school.
It may have just been the side effect of a Monday, but every class was extra boring that day. Gemma’s notes had started to contain more doodles than information by the time the bell rang for their last period.
Gemma perked up as she walked into the Spanish classroom, excited to see Caitlin. Her smile faltered as she watched Troy lean across the aisle to kiss Caitlin. Feeling unexpectedly embarrassed, Gemma averted her eyes and took the scenic route toward her own desk.
During the teacher’s lesson on nouns—or was it verbs?
Gemma looked up from her phone, which she had been hiding under the wooden surface, scrolling through Instagram.
Caitlin was turned around in her seat, staring back at her.
This time, unlike the others when Gemma had locked eyes, Caitlin didn’t jerk her attention back toward the teacher like she had been caught doing something wrong.
Unable to look away, they held each other’s gaze for what felt like the rest of the period.
When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Gemma shoved her notebook into her backpack on the floor.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a folded piece of paper land upon her desk.
By the time she looked up to see who the culprit was, the long auburn hair was already flowing out the door.
Curious, Gemma peeked at the note.
Text me sometime, mi portera :)
555-467-1414
Gemma beamed like a kid entering the largest toy store in the world with unlimited cash.
She’d have to look up the translation for that Spanish word later, but for now, she folded the white lined paper and carefully tucked it into her bag.
Darbie would be waiting for her outside, and she would have to hurry to get to soccer practice, so she decided that she’d text Caitlin later.
“Ugh, I’m so glad this day is over.” Darbie groaned, falling into step with Gemma once she hit the hallway. It had become an unspoken ritual for Gemma and Darbie to walk together any chance they could, using the time to gossip about whatever high school drama Darbie had updates on.
“What happened?” Gemma eyed her curiously. She had just seen Darbie two periods ago, and she had been in her usual high spirits.
“Nothing. I just hate school. My classes suck this year.” She hesitated, before finishing the next thought. “Although… I did talk to this boy, Jake, in History today. We got paired up to do a project, and he’s kind of cute.”
Gemma asked to be filled in on all the details regarding this new crush before they ultimately had to part ways, arriving at the school gym.
“To be continued on tomorrow’s podcast episode of ‘What will happen between Darbie and Jake?’” Gemma mimicked a podcast host but ended up sounding more like a Monster Jam announcer, and the girls broke into laughter.
They hugged each other goodbye for the day, and Gemma headed into the girls’ locker room. The air was filled with the smell of sweat and sweet floral perfumes, the hum of the girls’ soccer team mingling with the chatter of the cheerleading squad, simultaneously getting ready for practice.
Standing in front of her locker, she spun the black dial to the left, then the right, and back to the left again, overhearing a sound more beautiful than birdsong. Gemma peeked around the row of dark gray lockers to find Caitlin in the next aisle, laughing brightly at something her friend had said.
Distracted, Gemma passed the last number of her lock combination and had to start over again.
Successful this time, Gemma pulled her black Nike duffle bag out of her gym locker and sat on the wooden bench that took up the center of the aisle.
Attempting to sneak one more glance at Caitlin, Gemma leaned back casually as she pulled on a sock over her shin guard, only to find the blue eyes already on her.
She sat up straight, embarrassed that Caitlin had caught her.
Well, technically, they had both gotten caught by the other.
Trying to play it cool, Gemma adjusted her lightweight navy polyester shorts and started to pull on her shirt over her sports bra.
“Nice outfit.”
Gemma would know that voice anywhere.
Scrambling to find the opening for her head in her bright orange goalie jersey, Gemma found herself stuck inside the long sleeve of the T-shirt like it was the first time she had ever dressed herself.
“Need some help?”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Finally, Gemma found the correct opening for her head and emerged to find Caitlin giggling, leaning up against the locker next to hers.
“Hey,” Gemma said, lightly grazing her palm over her hair, hoping the shirt hadn’t ruined her slicked-back ponytail.
“You know, you’re a better goalie than her.”
Gemma quirked her eyebrows in surprise. “Have you been watching me?”
A shy smirk spread across Caitlin’s face. “Maybe.”
Before Gemma could respond, Caitlin pushed herself off the locker and spun around, running to catch up with her squad as they left the locker room.
What was that all about?
Gemma shook her head, smiling softly and certainly intrigued.
THE NEXT DAY, GEMMA WALKED to her third-period class alone.
Darbie hadn’t been feeling well, so she was currently in the nurse’s office.
Whatever it was, Gemma hoped it wasn’t contagious.
She couldn’t afford to miss soccer practice right now, not while she was still trying to prove her worth.
Lost in her own world, she felt someone nudge her shoulder.
“Oh, hey!” Gemma’s lips turned upward as her eyes met Caitlin’s.
“Hey yourself. Wanna walk to class together?”
“Sure.” Gemma would never turn down a chance to exist in Caitlin’s bubble, even for a few minutes.
“So, where’d you move from?” Caitlin asked, holding a notebook tightly to her chest, a tote bag full of textbooks slung over her right shoulder.
“Detroit, Michigan.”
Caitlin turned toward her, and Gemma caught the sparkle in her eyes. “I’ve never been.”
For a moment, their gazes locked, something unspoken surged between them. Gemma had never felt anything so intense as this charged, undeniable desire to know the girl beside her.
“You aren’t missing much. It’s freezing cold and snows for like half of the year. But what about you? Were you born and raised here in New Hope?”
“Yup. My parents are workaholics, so I’ve never even left the area.” Caitlin paused. “What did you do for fun, back in Detroit?”
Out of the corner of her eye, Gemma suddenly spotted a small yellow ball flying toward them from across the quad, a heartbeat away from Caitlin’s head. She reflexively blocked the ball with her forearm before it could hit Caitlin.
Caitlin flinched, too late, before her muscles relaxed, realizing that Gemma just saved her from being clobbered by the heavy lacrosse ball. Recovering from the shock, an appreciative smile lit Caitlin’s face, her lips curving so high they nearly reached the corners of her eyes.
Gemma’s arm would definitely have a bruise tomorrow, but she would do anything to make Caitlin smile at her like that again.
“Hey babe.” The boy running toward them broke the momentary spell between the two girls.
“Nice stop,” he said, grinning at Gemma.
“Sorry, Alex over there has horrible aim.” He leaned down to kiss Caitlin, and Gemma felt an instant pang in her core as she watched their lips meet. “Who’s your friend?”
“This is Gemma. Gemma, this is my boyfriend, Troy. Gemma just moved to town.”
“Cool. Nice to meet you, Gemma.” The tall boy wrapped an arm around Caitlin’s shoulder. “I’ll walk you to class, babe.”
A silent, sorrowful look passed between them, just before Troy pulled her away.
Gemma deflated, turning down the opposite path toward her next period as the bell clanged throughout the quad.
After school, Gemma ran to her respective goal line, noticing that cheerleading practice was being held next to their field that day.