"For the last time, Owen, no," I said. I slammed my locker and tried to walk off from the big football player. But, he stepped around me and blocked my way again.
"Why not? I'm not asking for much," he said. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Just one date."
"Why should I go on a date with you?" I asked sharply. I had plenty of reasons to stay away from Owen Milligan. Apart from the obvious Adam-related issue, he wasn't my type. I liked nice guys- well, guys who were polite. Owen was a pig. He was also large, and bulky. I didn't find him very handsome.
"Why shouldn't you?" he asked. "Don't you ever take a risk?" Of course I took risks. I took plenty of risks, and my almost criminal record could prove that.
"Why should I?" I countered.
"I know what your problem is," said Owen. I tried to step around him again, but he wouldn't let me.
"I'm going to be late," I said, even though I knew that wouldn't stop him. Truancy wasn't much more than an afterthought to him.
"You're afraid," said Owen. "You're afraid that you might actually like me."
"I'm not afraid of liking you," I said. There was no way in Hell that I would ever have a romantic notion towards Owen. Never ever.
"Alright. Prove it," he said.
"No. I don't have to."
"Clare, I know you. You're the type of person that can't say no to a challenge."
"I can, and I will. Goodbye, Owen," I said. He finally let me pass him.
"Fine. I just thought you would be woman enough to handle me. I suppose you're not. I bet that Jenna girl is, though. Maybe I should give her a call?" I fumed. I knew he was just trying to rile me up, but that didn't stop me from getting mad. In some stupid, gorilla way, Owen was a smart cookie.
I turned around and called back to Owen. "When and where?" I said. I was so happy that the bell was about to ring, and the hallway was empty. I wouldn't have anyone to explain this lapse of judgment to.
"Meet me at the park at four thirty. Near the swings." I turned and walked off without another word. This was stupid. And, with all the stupid things I do nowadays, I have to make sure Alli doesn't know. Not yet, anyway. We still weren't the best friends we used to be before the Jake incident. All she would do was spill to her other friends, like Jenna. I still wasn't very keen on Jenna, but I bit my tongue.
Telling Eli and Adam were also out of the question. It just was. Before Christmas, Eli wanted to get back together with me, I think, but his therapist changed his medication over the break, and his relationship drive, among others, had fallen to the wayside. Besides, he had thrown himself into his new play, and he had little time for my problems. And Adam . . . Adam would understand my motives, but I know it would hurt him.
Something told me that Owen wouldn't be dishing to any of his macho bastard friends. He needed to feel me out first, because his friends probably wouldn't approve of me, just like my friends wouldn't dare approve of him.
I barely missed the late bell getting to my first period class. Science. I bumped the snake's habitat as I walked to my seat. I didn't like that snake. He looked at me sometimes, like he remembered seeing me and Jake making out in this room a few months ago.
It hissed at me. "Oh, shut up," I muttered at it. I took my seat next to Alli. Jenna sat behind Alli, and Adam sat on the other side of me. Adam was there, like he always was.
"Good morning," he said. He pulled the ear buds out of his ears and shoved them into his pocket. "You look pink," he said. "Have you been running from something?"
"Oh, I just rushed to class," I said, which was true, but that wasn't why I was pink. I couldn't tell Adam that I was flustered because Owen asked me on a date.
"Did you do last night's homework?" he asked, pulling his notebook out. We were supposed to answer questions about the energy pyramid. Of course, I did my homework yesterday in class.
"Yeah," I said. I handed him my tattered notebook. It looked very different next to his almost new one, but that was just because I used mine, and so did Adam. "You know, your grade would be better if you actually did your work."
"I know, I know. I just don't have the time," he laughed. "With my bumping social life, I barley have time to eat and sleep, much less do this trivial homework."
"You fell asleep in front of the Xbox again, didn't you?"
"Yes. You know me too well." Adam worked to copy my work.
"Clare?" asked Alli from my other side. "Do you know if Eli is done with his script yet?"
"He's done with most of it," I said. He told me about the plight he was facing last night. "But that girl he has to work with hates it. They've been fighting ever since they teamed up."
"I wanted to audition for a part. Do you think you could put in a good word? I want to be a star!" Alli said with a smile. I didn't say anything, because Eli's play would be a little to alternative for Alli's taste. She didn't mind alternative lifestyles, but I know she'd rather watch Cinderella or The Wizard of Oz.
"I'll try. I don't know if they'll ever get done pouring over the script," I replied.
"I remember when Declan directed that other play. It was fun to be the star," said Jenna. "But I don't think Eli is as easy to work with."
"Oh, he's not," I said. "He's not known for his flexibility."
"And you would know about Eli's flexibility, wouldn't you?" asked Jenna jokingly. I turned away to Alli, so Jenna didn't catch me roll my eyes.
"No one knows him better than Clare," said Adam. Had he been listening in?
"Hey, is that Owen?" asked Jenna. Her wandering eyes compelled her to change the subject, like a small child, or a monkey. She pointed to the door. Owen was standing there, leaning against the doorframe, looking like an idiot.
"Yes it is," said Alli. "Has he always been that buff?"
"Yeah, he was really ripped when he tossed me through that glass door," said Adam sourly.
"Maybe he's changed," said Jenna without taking her eyes off of Owen's body. I don't know why, but I felt like Jenna was staring at something that wasn't hers, and she needed to back off. Gosh, I hadn't even gone on that stupid date yet, and I felt jealous already. I wouldn't like Owen. I couldn't like Owen. I didn't like Owen, but I didn't like Jenna more than I didn't like Owen, so, normally, I would hate everything she does.
"Yeah, isn't his little brother gay?" asked Alli.
"Yes, he is. That just makes what he did worse," I said. "Why are you on his side? Don't you remember the BRI?" I abbreviated because Adam didn't know about how Owen offered Alli money for a hookup in the boiler room, and I didn't know if Jenna knew. She probably did. BRI stood for Boiler Room Incident.
"That was a long time ago, and it wasn't exactly his fault," she said. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Alli had always had a weakness for handsome men. Not that I thought Owen was handsome, but Alli probably did. "People change, Clare. You know that."
I didn't reply, and the conversation lulled. I was thankful when the teacher started our lesson. Alli had started to pour over math with Connor. Something about algorithms and macular degeneration, while I was still studying in my book, trying to understand the concept of an energy pyramid. I've always hated pyramids of all kinds. They always had a way of making me feel inadequate.