Chapter 36: Next Morning before 1st bell
"So… Des how about we go check out costumes for the ball after
school?" Dani asked as she and Nate joined Destiny at her locker.
"Actually, I can't I have something I have to do." Destiny answered
smiling at her two friends as she grabbed her English text.
"What something you have to do with Buchannon?" Nate asked
obviously annoyed as Dani looked on accusingly.
"What's wrong with that? Matthew's my best friend!" Destiny
challenged returning their accusing stare.
"Whatever." Nate replied shrugging his shoulders dismissively.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Destiny asked grabbing Nate's arm.
"Just saying that you've been spending an awful lot of time with Matt
since even before you and Darren broke up." Nate replied pulling his arm
free and looking at her expectantly.
"We didn't do anything wrong. Matthew listened. He gets me." Destiny
explained before letting out an irritated breath and turning to close her
locker door.
"Yeah he gets you alright, and probably could in more ways than one."
Nate mussed under his breath with a snicker sizing Destiny up from
behind.
"What was that?" Destiny asked slowly turning to face him with a look
of shock on her face.
"Come on Des, You know you want him! Nate pressed before
continuing. "The problem is that he's never going to want you!"
"Nate's right Des, you're not Matthew's type." Dani interjected
grabbing Nate's hand and reaching to grasp Destiny's wrist as Shane and
Jamie appeared around the corner.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Destiny fired back yanking
her arm free and slugging Nate in the jaw before taking off down the
hallway.
"Hey Des wait…" Shane called fixing Nate with an angry glare and
dashing after her sidestepping Jack as he tried to trip him.
Sneering at Jack, Jamie turned to face Nate and Dani and asked
angrily. "What happened? What did you say to her?"
"Hey we just tried to save her some pain." Dani replied gripping Nate's
hand tighter and taking a step backwards as Jamie approached.
"Yeah Matthews' not right for her. She'd be better off begging Darren
to take her back." Nate stated rubbing his jaw with a snort.
"One Des doesn't have to beg anyone for anything. And two, who the
hell died and left you boss, Salanger?" Jamie asked looking at Nate in
disgust as Jack joined the group.
"Don't blame Nate. He didn't mean it like that. We're just trying to do
what is best for Destiny. Matthew's not right for her. Darren is!" Dani
retorted winching in sympathy as Nate continued to rub his jaw.
"Yeah, just like Morasco aint right for you, girl." Jack chimed in
stepping in front of Jamie and grabbing her wrist before threatening. "This
is your last chance. Dump the loser and come to the dance with me. Or
else!"
"Or else what?" Jamie challenged before circling her wrist so that Jacks
arm was twisted in a painful position and kicking him hard in the knee.
"You'll pay for that you bitch." Jack snarled clutching at his knee.
"I'm scared." Jamie replied in disgust before turning back to Dani.
"And you, don't you think Destiny should be the judge of who she wants to
be with?" She asked pushing harshly between the two and shoving Jack
out of her way as he made a second grab for her arm before heading off to
find her friends.
"I mean it. I'll make you pay." Jack called after her thinking quietly
"or better yet I'll make wheezy pay" with a malicious smile before
sending a quick text.
Cut to separate hallway:
"Des come on wait up!" Shane called out of breath and grabbing her
elbow before asking. "What happened back there?"
"Please don't Shane." Destiny pleaded looking straight ahead, her face
red with hurt and anger.
"Don't what Des? Don't congratulate my friend on her dynamite right
hook?" Shane asked draping his arm over her shoulders and squeezing
with laugh before asking. "Now what did Salanger do to deserve it?"
Letting out a sharp breath, Destiny explained. "He suggested that I
would have cheated on Darren with Matthew if Matthew was desperate
enough to want me."
"What?" Shane asked hotly clenching his fists and looking down at
the way he had come. "Dam that fool Salanger, If he had half a brain he
would know that Matthew was not desperate enough for Destiny. He was
desperately in love with her." Shane thought fighting the urge to go back
and finish what Destiny had begun.
"Yeah, I can't believe he thinks I would cheat." Destiny replied shaking
her head sadly.
"Because that's something he would and has done Des." Shane
explained gripping her bruised hand lightly before turning to escort her to
her class and continuing. "And as for you any guy would be lucky to have
you as his girl."
"Thanks Shane that's sweet." Destiny replied with a smile as the pair
arrived at her English class.
"I'm just stating the truth." Shane admitted grabbing Jamie's hand as
she caught up to them and confessing. "As a matter of fact, if it wasn't for
this amazing girl here I just might have made a pass at you myself."
"Hey eyes off her buddy." Jamie stated grabbing a fist full of Shane's
shirt and pushing him back against the lockers before whispering with a
possessive smile. "You're mine Morasco and don't you ever forget it.
"Never" Shane capitulated, his eyes skimming the hallway before
leaning in to wipe her smile off with his lips.
"Alright, Miss Vega, Mr. Morasco, get to class." Marcy stated suddenly
appearing in the hallway with Matthew at her side as the first bell began to
sound.
Breaking the kiss, Shane hit his head against the lockers. His face
turning beat red.
Giggling at her boyfriend's embarrassment, Jamie grabbed his hand and
encouraged. "Come on Shane, we'll be late for math.
Snickering, Matthew placed his hand on Shane's shoulder as he passed
by and razzed. "Hey relax Casanova it could have been Mr. Vega catching
you."
"You're not helping Matthew." Shane responded shaking his head still
embarrassed as students began to fill the hallway.
"Be nice." Destiny admonished smacking Matthew on the chest and
looking at Shane with a proud smile.
"I am nice." Matthew defended himself with a smirk which turned to a
look of concern once he saw the bruised knuckles. Encircling her hand with
his own; Matthew lifted it to get a closer look at the bruising before asking
tightly. "What happened?"
"Oh this, it's nothing." Destiny replied quietly sliding her hand free and
leading the way into class to avoid looking Matthew in the eyes.
"You've got a regular champion there." Shane stated gripping Matthew
on the shoulder and nodding his head towards the retreating Destiny
before Jamie dragged him into the math room.
"Ladies please grab a card off my desk before you take your seats."
Marcy called from her desk as the students entered the room.
"Confused by Shane's statement and undeterred by both Destiny's
evasiveness and Mrs. Mcbain's interruption, Matthew followed Destiny into
the room and grabbed his seat as she picked a card off the desk. "It's not
nothing and you know it." Matthew challenged as Destiny took her seat
next to him.
"Matthew…" Destiny pleaded hoping he would drop it.
"Don't worry Des. I'll find out." Matthew promised with a chuckle
before grabbing the card from her hand and continuing. "And I hope you
were not planning on keeping this."
"Hey give that back." Destiny cried laughing and reaching for the card
as Matt pulled it back and out of her reach.
"Nah, I think I'll be keeping this. I have very important plans for it."
Matthew replied with a knowing smile relieved that come Saturday Destiny
would be allowed no secretes.