Chapter three

Struggle for balance

By the end of the day they all managed to keep the peace, but it was only the end of the school day there was still basketball practice and usually Jason had a few remarks before and after practice so Emma decided she's wait for Craig and Jimmy instead of walking home to make sure that Jason and his friends didn't start something with them. As she walked down the hall her mind wondered about the coming party. She was nervous mainly because she didn't know if she could pull it off. She wasn't the girl you saw in a dress. She hated to feel so vulnerable and delicate. She was the furthest thing from it. The last time she remembered wearing a dress Jimmy laughed and she ended up rolling around in the mud with him… ok so that was in elementary school but still. She thought with a smile on her face. Emma walked into the gym and found it empty she looked around and walked to the bleachers and took a seat. As she situated herself someone else walked into they gym. She heard the doors close and looked up to find none other than Jason Hoggart looking at her. She huffed and rolled her eyes pulling out a book and started to look for the last page she was reading.

Jason was on his to the gym and still couldn't quite figure out Craig's little friend. She seemed to be like him as far as the company she kept. He had to agree with Alex that she did seem to be as close to her friends as he was with his, but didn't mean he was going to start being nice to them. He sighed and adjusted his bag on his shoulder and nodded to a few sophomores and turned the corner to go to the gym. He pulled the handle and walked inside and was surprised to find little miss goody sitting on the bleachers. He looked around and smiled. He decided he'd see what she was like when no one was around to back her up. He caught sight of her noticing him and half expected her to become uncomfortable but she seemed more irritated by his presence. He gave her a good look over. She was in jeans and a t shirt… typical Alex wear he thought as he watched her hair fall into a veil over her face. He stood in front of her and waited for her to decide he was worth her time and effort. He sighed loudly and she brushed the hair behind her ear and turned the page. He huffed, "You know it's rude to ignore someone." Emma chuckled, "Well it s when it's someone important." She looked up and into his eyes, "And I don't see anyone important enough for me to care about right now." He laughed, "Wow you're a feisty on huh?"

She rolled her eyes and looked at her book, "Go away Jason…. Don't you have a freshman to beat down or a girl to hit on?" He smirked and put his bag down which caused her to look up at him and he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I could just hit on you." Emma's mind was racing, 'He's too close he's too close… Emma hit him make him back up he's too close…' She sighed, "But Jason it wouldn't work. I have a brain between my ears." She tapped the side of his head and his eyes narrow, "You know Emma… despite what you and my so called sibling think I'm smart…and I'm smart enough to know you're bitch." Emma scoffed, "Well I'm only a bitch to you, so it's not like it's that hard to figure that one out." He growled and reached down to grab his bag and walk off and Emma huffed, "And never call me a bitch again… it's rude and mean." He stopped and spun around on his heal, "What you gonna do send your precious Craig and Jimmy after me?" She stood up, stomping her foot and dropped her book and stormed up to him, "First of all they don't fight my battles for me and second never say their names like that again." Jason was growing more and more annoyed with this girl, "Don't tell me what I can and can't say little girl." He patted her head and she lost it and pushed him, "Don't you dare touch me." Jason looked at her like she'd lost her mind.

Craig and Jimmy were walking down the hall to the gym and Alex and Manny were on their way as well. Both sets talking about their own things but as they neared the gym the war going on behind the doors was clearly heard. Alex looked at Manny, "Is that…" Jimmy looked at Craig, "Was that Em…." Manny and Craig said in unison, "OH no…" Both the girls and boys ran for the door, but neither saw the other and soon collided. Jimmy fell and Alex landed on top of him and Craig and Manny bumped then Craig being the excellent basketball player he is quickly spun them around and wrapped his arms around her waist protectively and landed on the floor with a loud thud. All four teens remained motionless and just tried to regain their composure. Alex looked in Jimmy's brown eyes and smiled. He looked at her as she looked through her dark spiral curls and saw into her green eyes and smiled, "Sorry." She smiled and said softly, "It's ok." Manny tired to get up but slipped and fell on Craig' chest. He let out a grunt and she looked up and into those blue eyes again and smiled. He let out a breath and took a deep one in and the smell of her hair invaded his senses. He looked at her as she spoke, "Wow that was a freak accident huh." He chuckled and made her vibrate on his body and he kept his hands where they were, "Yeah it was lucky I caught you right?" She smiled and subconsciously licked her lips and said, "Yeah well we should get up." He nodded and neither made a move to do so as did Jimmy and Alex but that all changed when they heard.

"Don't you touch me." They all scrambled to their feet and Jake tore the gym door open to find Emma and Jason yelling at each other. "You of all people should never put your hands on me." Jason laughed, "I just patted your head sweetheart. If you want me to put my hands on you I can do that too." He moved closer to her and she stepped back, "You're a pig!" He laughed, "Well oink oink baby." She huffed, "Don't call me baby." He laughed, "Fine sweet cakes." She spun around and walked away, as Jason stood in the middle of the court with a satisfied look on his face. Craig grumbled, "Why's he have to be such and asshole all the time?" Manny huffed, "What… why's she got to be a bitch all the time?" Jimmy sighed, "Em is not a bitch." Alex joined in, "Well Jay isn't an asshole." Craig scoffed, "I beg to differ." She rolled her eyes, "Look keep your little friend away from Jay Come on Lex." Alex looked at Jimmy and glared and they walked up to Jason as he was walking off the court. Craig and Jimmy rushed over to Emma, "Em you ok?" She sat on the bleachers arms folded and grumbling, "No that ASSHOLE was harassing me." Jason heard this and turned around and yelled, "Well stop being a bitch to me." Manny grabbed his arm and tried to turn him around but not before he caught sight of Emma jumping up trying to get at him, "That girl is crazy." Alex sighed, "Go change for practice." He nodded and walked off with her by his side.

Craig caught Emma mid air, "EMMA!… Em it's not his fault he's a moron ok." Jimmy took her in his arms and walked out of the gym and Manny walked up to Craig and tapped him on the shoulder, "Excuse me but where do you get off calling my friend a moron and asshole?" Craig turned and sighed, "Look if he would have left her alone I'm sure they wouldn't have been fighting in here." She put her hands on her hip, "And you're saying that he started it… what if she did? Did you ever think of that?" Manny knew in her mind it was all Jason but she wasn't going to admit it and certainly not to his half brother. Craig groaned, "Look he started it and if he wants to argue with her fine but tell him not to call her a bch." Manny lost her temper and as her face turned bright red she yelled in his face, "Tell her not to call him and ASSHOLE." She stomped off to the locker room and Craig just shook his head and sighed thinking, 'She'd be perfect if she wasn't friends with him.' He headed for the locker room just as Alex came out and with a glare walked out of the gym. Jimmy took Emma outside to calm down as he set her on the ground, "Em, take a few breaths and chill out ok?" She nodded and stared at the building angrily. He sighed, "I thought we were going for no trouble today?" She looked and her features softened, "We were but umm I guess I didn't follow through with that." He smiled and took her in his arms and said, "Just relax and come back when you can be in there and not kill him ok?" She nodded and he kissed her forehead and walked back in the building.

He dug through his bag for his notebook to write down something he just thought of but couldn't find it. As he came to the gym he bumped once again into Alex. "Watch where you're going." Alex said with anger dripping from her voice. He stepped back and noticed she was reading his notebook, "What are you doing with that? Give it back." He snatched it out of her hands and flipped through it as she sighed, "Sorry I didn't know whose it was." He nodded, "No I'm sorry I shouldn't be rude to you… crap I have to go coach will kill me for being late… um thanks for finding my book." She nodded and he rushed in the doors. Emma was on her way back and saw Alex standing by the door. She took a breath and started for the door and as she passed her Alex said, "Look I'm sorry for Jay's behavior I'm sure he started that in there and I'm sorry for him calling you that." Emma sighed, "No I'm sorry I knew what he was trying to do and I walked into it and I'm sorry for calling him that name too." Alex nodded and Emma opened the door just in time to hear, "LEXY get you butt in here now." She smiled, "Oh that's my cue gotta go bye." She walked past Emma and rushed into the locker room. Emma simply let out a breath and walked to the bleachers and took a seat again. Craig and Jimmy were a few lockers over from Jason and neither wanted to look at him. As he finished getting dressed he walked past them and mumbled, "Sorry for calling her a bch." Jimmy smiled and Craig shook his head, "Today is just too long." Jimmy laughed and got dressed and patted Craig on the shoulder, "See out there."

Craig nodded and finished getting dressed thinking, 'He only apologized cause he didn't want a bad practice.' He tossed his shirt in and closed the door and rushed out to the floor. As Craig came out of the locker room, Manny was yelling at her cheerleaders, "Alright move your butts. You forget about those boys I will not have saggy cheerleaders." Jason soon ran up to her, "Manny take it easy on the girl." She turned to him, "Excuse me… do I tell you to take it easy on the court… back off." Jason put his hands up and walked away. He knew better than to talk to Manny during practice… she was a completely different person once it was time to work. Manny watched his retreating figured and sighed, she'd have to apologize to him later for that. She shook her head, "Lets take it outside." She started to run past Lucas and he couldn't help the smile the graced his lips and she in return gave a slight hint to one building on her lips. Alex was at the door and holding it open and she glanced at Jimmy as he was doing his stretches and bit her lip, but turned her head as he looked at her.

Jimmy watched her walked out of the gym and sighed. He had to get past all this crap that was between their two groups of friends… but didn't want to betray Emma or Craig. He shook his head and continued to stretch. Emma on the other hand couldn't take her eyes off Jason. From the second he walked back into the gym her eyes didn't leave his form. She was still livid with him for his behavior… although she could have handled it better herself she still refused to see that at the time. He was out of line… with his getting too close and his flirting and his cold blue steel eyes roaming over her body. She shook her head, no she was angry and she hated him. Jason came out of the locker room and glanced at Emma and found her the same as he left her completely irritated. He smiled at that idea. She was small and feisty but she was hot when she was angry. And when she was yelling it made his mind wandered to other places but she was also annoying and presumptuous… Jason wanted to find Alex and kick her for making him read so much. But it did come in handy for people like her thinking she was so smart and he was so stupid. He grabbed a ball and felt her eyes on him. He wondered if she was trying to get under his skin. Craig and Jimmy finally joined the team on the floor and Jason tossed a ball to each other them and they all started to shoot. It was business as usual and as if the fight never happened.