Bending Under Pressure (27 page)

Today, I failed at that.

M
y second period class is weight lifting. Thankfully, one of the nicer assistant coaches is the one who supervises us. Otherwise, it would suck having this in the middle of the day. We don’t have the option to shower afterward. Coach would surely run us hard enough to get sweaty and filthy. As long as we’re doing something and not goofing off, he leaves us alone.

Weight lifting I like.

The talk that seems to happen during it, I don’t like.

We’re guys and I get that we like to brag and talk about our latest conquests, but some of these guys are ruthless.

“Picking a truck over a car was the best damn decision,” Wade says. “There is plenty of room for Bianca to ride me. I thought she was going to bust my windows, she was screaming so loud.”

I roll my eyes. Wade has supposedly slept with all the cheerleaders. I don’t think he has that much charm or whatever it is he needs to convince them. Some of the guys are clearly impressed though, always eager to hear about his conquests.

“Have you banged the new girl yet, Keelan?”

At this, I turn to see all eyes seem to have landed on me. “It’s October. You don’t know the new girl’s name?”

Laughter barks out of them and Wade says, “I’ll take that as a no.”

“We’d ask Cameron, but he always ignores us.” That is true. Cam doesn’t even acknowledge the fact they’ve asked him.

“If he hasn’t tapped Jess by now, he’s an idiot,” Wade comments.

“Change out!” the assistant coach shouts from his office.

We begin shuffling to the locker room and I glance at Cameron. As usual, their comments don’t faze him. It’s reassuring after what happened between them. Once the bell rings, Cameron and I head outside and to the main building for lunch.

“So, have you banged the new girl yet?” Cam mocks their question.

“No, and it’s not in the foreseeable future.” Haley isn’t ready, my parents are obviously going to do their best to make sure it doesn’t happen, and honestly, I’m ninety-nine percent happy with just making out. That other one percent is a horny teenager who doesn’t care about waiting and only wants to come, but I’m ignoring the one percent. There’s way too much going on for me to tack on something like sex.

Besides, the waiting and anticipation is what makes it worthwhile, right?

I
’ve been a little withdrawn today, only because I’m already missing tennis. We have two games this week and then our season will be over. The end of a season always leaves me with the same set of questions. What am I supposed to do every day after school now? Which of the girls will want to keep playing to stay in shape? What am I going to do? It’s not as if I’ll have more time with Keelan because football season is nowhere near done. They still have a month to go and that won’t count the games for the championship.

Sliding into my seat next to Seth for my fourth period class, I realize that while I won’t have tennis, I’ll have more time to do anything I want. A guy sits down in front of me, but immediately turns to face me.

“Haley, right?”

I nod. I can’t place his name, but I know he’s on the football team.

He leans forward, his eyes seemingly laughing at me already, and then asks, “So, why haven’t you had sex with Keelan yet?”

My jaw drops, my eyes widen, and I stare at him. Did he really ask me that? How does he know what we have or haven’t done?

“Wade, you’re such a prick,” Seth says with annoyance. “Leave her alone.”

Wade holds up his hands and laughs. “I was just curious.” Then he stands up and sits down in his normal seat.

“Haley,” Seth begins.

“What was that about?” I ask him, though I doubt he knows.

But the funniest thing happens. He gets an almost guilty look on his face. “Nothing really. Wade was being a jerk after some talk during weight lifting.”

Some talk during weight lifting?

“Sort of like locker room type talking?”

Seth nods. My stomach plummets. Keelan was talking about us like that?
My
Keelan? I can’t believe it. Something was obviously said though; why else would Wade ask me such a question? Before Seth can say another word, the bell rings and our teacher starts talking. I sink into my seat, feeling as if every single person now knows that I haven’t had sex with Keelan. They shouldn’t, but I don’t know who overheard Wade. Or who he’s mentioned it to since their second period class.

Suddenly, I don’t feel so well. My hand shoots up before I can change my mind.

“Yes, Haley?”

“Can I go see the nurse?” If I complain enough, she might send me home early.

My teacher nods. “Go ahead.”

I bolt out of the room, ignoring the snickering, which is probably coming from the annoying football player at fault here. When I make it into the office, it turns out the nurse isn’t here today. I call my mom instead. I want to leave. I don’t want to face Keelan. I don’t want to face anyone. I want to go home.

“Hello?”

“Mom,” I begin.

“Haley? What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

“I think I’m getting sick. Can you tell the secretary I have permission to go home early?” I can drive to school, but can’t check myself out early without permission.

“What’s wrong? You don’t think you can make it through your last class?”

“No. Please, Mom?”

She’s quiet for a moment before I hear a small sigh. “Okay. Let me talk to her.” I hand the phone back to the secretary.

A few minutes later, I’ve retrieved my things and am on the way home. I’m almost scared to hear the full story from Keelan. This will buy me more time before I have to ask him about it. I know if I were to see him after school, and I would have, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from asking.

At home, I get my homework done and out of the way. The moment I see school is out for the day, I realize my biggest mistake.

I’ll miss practice today.

Which means I can’t play in the game tomorrow.

One of the last two we have.

Fantastic!

My phone beeps with a text, and I reluctantly check it.

Keelan: Seth told me what happened & that you left early. Can I come by after practice?

What does it mean that he hasn’t tried to explain or say sorry yet? I don’t want to avoid him anymore than I already have though.

Me: Yes. Mom and Walter should be here.

He told me at lunch what his parents said. I don’t want to get him in trouble. I feel bad enough that they think I’m a bad influence. Me! I’m not the girl who is racing. I’m not usually the one asking Keelan to sneak out. And I definitely wasn’t the one who started climbing up water towers first. Jess thought it was hilarious his parents are implementing that, which tells me there is no such rule with Cameron. They are the ones who need it!

But whatever. It is what it is. I like his parents too much, despite this, to react in any way other than just going with it.

Today is going to be hard enough as it is. I’ve yet to tell Mom about Dad’s wedding and I can’t put it off too much longer. I’ll most likely have to spend the night there and come home in the morning, and because Keelan is going, I don’t know how that is going to work. We can’t book a hotel room; we’re too young. Our parents wouldn’t allow it anyway. I don’t want to ask Dad what to do. Unless Mom is okay with me making the two-hour drive late in the night, then I don’t know how I’m going to the wedding. I still don’t even know if I want to attend.

I spend the next few hours preparing dinner. Mom will know something is up the moment she gets here and sees me cooking, but I don’t care. Plus, I don’t have anything else to do. Maybe this will help when she realizes I’m not coming down with something and I really had no reason to leave school. God, it’s been a stressful day. I’m ready to grab a book and get lost in someone else’s problems. Let them be the stressed ones.

“Haley?” Mom’s voice carries from the front door.

“In the kitchen,” I call back.

“You cooked?” Walter asks and I nod as he comes to inspect the food, now sitting on the table. Mom is already eyeing me with suspicion. “Thanks, Haley. That was sweet of you.”

“Yes, it was,” Mom agrees. We sit down at the table. “What did you do?”

I laugh. “Mom, what if I’m only trying to be nice?”

“Then I’ll apologize. Are you feeling better? Or is that what you did?”

“That’s not it, but yes, I’m feeling better.” I wait until we’ve plated the food. I was hoping to hold off longer, but Mom is watching me too much. A heavy sigh deflates my chest. “Apparently, Dad is getting married and he invited me,” I blurt out.

They both calmly set their forks down, which worries me. Walter glances between us, keeping quiet for now. Mom doesn’t look surprised though. In fact, neither of them seems too shocked by my news.

“You knew?” I ask incredulously. “Why am I always the last to know what’s going on! Why didn’t you warn me before I had lunch with him Sunday?”

Mom takes a deep breath. “An invitation came shortly after we moved here. I knew what it was the moment I saw the envelope. I trashed it because that’s not the way to tell you he was seeing someone else and remarrying. He was barely around and I wasn’t doing that to you. I didn’t warn you because I didn’t know that’s what he had planned Sunday.”

I drop my fork and lean back in the chair. Why can’t I figure out how I’m feeling?

“Are you going?” Walter asks.

“I said I would,” I grumble.

“Because you want to or because you’re trying to please your father?” Mom wants to know. I shrug because it could be both, but I’m pretty sure it’s the latter. “When is it?” When I tilt my head, she adds, “I never looked past the wedding bells at the top.”

“Next month. Keelan is going to be my date; I just have to tell Dad. But I don’t know how I’m supposed to go.”

“What do you mean?” Walter seems confused, so I explain the situation. He surprises me when he provides the solution. “We’ll book a hotel room and drive y’all. That way we’re there if you need a pair of getaway drivers,” when he winks, I can’t help but laugh. “You won’t have to drive home that late. Think it’ll work, Rita?”

She nods. “It seems like the only option.” She picks up her fork and points it at me. “But I’m telling you right now, if your father screws this up for you somehow, he will be hearing from me.”

My mouth is begging to open and defend him, but I can’t. He still can’t fulfill his promises and commitments to me. Not completely anyway. So, I nod. Walter starts talking about tennis. They’re both going to attend my last game since it’s at home.

“Are you looking for a tennis partner with the season ending?”

“Maybe. Why?”

“I thought I’d give it a try.” He pats his gut. “It would help get me in shape, right?”

“Really? You want to play? Do you know how?”

Walter laughs. “No, but I figured if my stepdaughter can play for her high school, surely she can teach me the basics. What do you say?”

Stepdaughter.
I gulp because he’s never said that before. How do you have a stepdad and a dad? Half the time, I don’t know what to make of my relationship with Walter. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with it. Sometimes, it feels like a betrayal to my dad to like Walter and to let him be a sort of father figure for me. He’s staring expectantly, so I answer him. “Let’s see if you have any potential before I agree to play with you.”

He and Mom laugh, making me smile. I like Walter. He seems like a decent, cool enough guy. Maybe I need to take what happens as it comes since I don’t know what else to do. It’s not necessarily bad if Walter is supportive, interactive, and can keep his promises. It’s only bad when Dad isn’t. Right? I don’t know.

Thankfully, I can stop thinking about it as they take over the conversation. Since I cooked, they relieve me of dish duty. Well, Walter takes over, sending Mom and me into the living room. We sit next to one another on the couch and she wraps an arm around my shoulders.

“How are you doing, really?”

“I only said yes to please him,” I confess. “And I don’t know if I want to meet his new family.”