Sorry it's been so long guys, college has been kicking my ass! 3 you all, thanks for keeping up faith!
Homeroom was awful, as usual. Sure, she had Butch and HK, but the truth of it was a class with Lawson was a class in Hell. Spinelli sat down in her chair and sunk low, trying to be invisible. It was strange, being so alone, without anyone from the gang to back her up. She thought back on the days not too long ago when this was the norm for her, when she and Teej were on the offs...and the night that had probably saved their friendship.
It was a Friday night, and Lawson (as usual) was looking to party. There wasn't a lot going on, but the Detwielers were out of town and TJ was holding what had started as a small gathering but was now a ridiculous high-school stereotype in the empty house. They had only been there for about an hour, and Lawson was already trashed beyond belief. Spinelli chose to avoid him, hanging out with Kirst and Minnette, two girls she'd never even thought she'd be friendly with before she started dating him. In all actuality, they were great friends, but she still watched whistfully as Vince and Gus tried to get Mikey to do shots. She laughed softly at his vehement refusal, then made accidental eye contact with TJ and quickly looked away.
She understood why he was mad at her. Dating Lawson was bad enough, but going back to him after every drunken fight and cheating incident was pathetic. But Spinelli didn't know how to say no to those blue eyes. At least, not yet.
Lawson stumbled over to her and grabbed her by the arm. "C'mon babe, let's go upstairs and have a little pri- -hic!- Privacy," he slurred.
Spinelli jerked away. "Cut it out. I'm not sleeping with you, we've established this," she snapped.
He burped. "You're my girlfriend, I say we're gonna have some fun," he told her in a beer-warped voice. "Now get the fuck off the couch!" He reached out to grab her other arm, but a hand stopped it rather violently before it reached her.
"I think the lady said no," TJ said, yanking Lawson away from her.
"Mind your own, Detwieler," Lawson spat. "I'm gonna bang MY girlfriend tonight, whether she likes it or not!"
Spinelli saw red. "What girlfriend you jerk? You don't have one of those anymore, we're THROUGH!"
Lawson jerked away from TJ and lunged at her, but TJ was too quick. He slugged him hard in the jaw, then leaned down in Lawson's face and said in a deadly calm voice, "Stay the Hell away from her. And get out of my house." He then dragged the drunk teenager out the door and slammed it behind him.
TJ came back and sat down next to Spinelli. Kirst and Minette were gone now, looking for Lucille, part four of their crew. "You okay," he asked quietly.
Spinelli looked away. "M'fine," she grumbled. "Could've handled him though."
TJ struggled not to roll his eyes or groan. "I couldn't help myself. I wasn't about to let my best friend get raped, especially not in my own house."
"I'm your best friend?" she asked, surprised.
"Of course you are!" he replied, exasperated. "Just because I'm pissed at you for dating that disgusting excuse for a human being doesn't mean I don't miss you!" He paused and noticed that her eyes looked a little wet. "Don't cry," he said.
"I'm not you moron," she sniffed. "My eye just hurts."
TJ laughed, then was serious again. "Gonna hang out with us again?" he asked her.
"Of course I am, jerk! I missed you!" she said, suddenly hugging him.
He hugged her back, somewhat awkwardly.
"Good to have you back, Spin," he whispered.
"Good to have you call me that," she replied.
The bell rang, jerking Spinelli out of her reverie. She stood and headed towards the gym with the rest of her homeroom.
"C'mon Ash!" Kirst called.
"Yeah, little miss traitorn, gonna sit with us?" HK teased. "Since you split with Lawson, it's like you disappeared off the face of the Earth!"
"Sorry guys," she replied. "I just wanted to avoid that scumbag."
"What, you mean Butch? He's not that bad!" joked Minette.
"Hey!" Butch whined, elbowing Minette so hard she ran into Lucille. The pair laughed like hyenas.
"No, Lawson!" Spinelli answered, looking around to make sure he wasn't nearby.
"Yeah, we try to avoid him too," Lucille told her. "He's a creep." She tossed her long, dyed-black hair. Students around them moved away and muttered. Goth-girl calling a football player a creep. THAT was a new one.
The group settled in the bleachers and waited for the rally to begin. First the Ashleys and their fellow cheerleaders did some stunts, which Spinelli was grudgingly impressed by. Then the marching band played the Hey song while the cheerleaders and colorguard danced. Or rather, the guard did hand motions and laughed a lot and the cheerleaders did something choreographed and tried not to hit each other.
Finally, the court was announced. First came Dan Bradley and Sue Bob Murphey, prancing down the basket ball court. Next were Ashley Q. and Jimmy Cratner, then Daisy Morris and Randal Weems. Urgh...Randal. Spinelli fought back the urge to boo. Somehow or another, that brown-noser had gained popularity in the past few years. Last, but not least, came Ashley A and TJ. Each member of the court gave a quick thank-you speech, but Spinell wasn't really paying attention. She didn't like most of them anyway, with the exception of Sue Bob. Finally it was TJ's turn. This was gonna be good.
TJ stepped up to the microphone and coughed slightly. "Students of Third Street High," he began.
"This sounds familiar," Spinelli heard someone mutter.
"I would like to thank you for choosing me to be on your homecoming court. It means a lot to me that you chose me for this position. However, I wanted to inform you all that I won't be attending the dance. I plan on celebrating Halloween with a friend of mine instead. Sorry if any of you voted for me." He stepped away, clearly embarrassed but trying hard not to laugh at the shocked faces in the crowd. Spinelli could clearly see his shoulders shaking, but he managed to keep a fairly straight face.
The rest of rally went rather smoothly. Ashley A and Jimmy Cratner were crowned, while people quietly grumbled about how they'd voted for TJ and that this was ridiculous. Spinell grinned. Of course they'd voted for TJ. He was fantastic. Then it hit her: it was her fault. He could have been crowned in front of the whole student body just now...but he hadn't been. And she was the reason. How craptastic of a friend could she get?
She thought about this crappy prospect the whole way back to class, and right up until she was sitting in TJ's passenger seat.
"Something wrong, Spin?" he asked her as he started the car. "You're real quiet...usually you don't shut up. What's the matter?"
She glared out the windshield. "I screwed up," she said irritably.
TJ's head spun towards her violently. "Screwed up how? Like, Lawson screwed up?"
"No! Oh hell no Teej, I'm not an idiot!" then she sighed. "I shouldn't have made you miss out like this. You were gonna be king!"
TJ shrugged. "Your point?"
"It's my fault your not!" she practically exploded. "I took that chance from you, what kind of best friend does that?"
"I don't actually care," he told her. "I'd rather spend Halloween with you than dancing with a bunch of people I don't like...like Ashley A..." he shuddered. "Skank."
"Really?" Spinelli asked, surprised.
"Yeah, she's really a skank. The whole football team's had a piece of that-"
"Ew! No not A, I know she's a ho, I mean...you'd rather hang out with me?"
TJ laughed. "Of course I would! You're my best friend." He pulled abruptly into her driveway. "Now get out of my car."
Spinelli got out, smiling. "Fine!" she called after him as he pulled out, "but MY COSTUME IS SO GONNA BE BETTER THAN YOURS!"
