Part III: Cafeteria Boredom

Alex was trying to solve a Trigonometry exercise due by the afternoon. Her friends, Dianne and Bianca were eating their lunches. Tiffany and Ching read their Harry Potter books. A few tables away from Alex were Marissa. She sat with Summer. They were busy doing their respective homework. Summer casually gave Alex glances. She tried to be discrete to avoid being caught.

"She looks like a nice person. You sure you don't want to have her as a buddy?" Summer whispered to Marissa.

"She IS a nice person, SUM."

"That's not what you told me a week ago." Summer rolled her eyes.

"Why are we talking about her? You're into her?" Marissa asked.

"OF COURSE NOT! I'm straight, remember?"

"You're saying I'm gay?" Marissa raised an eyebrow.

"No… I'm just saying…"

But before she could continue… Marissa threw a piece of paper at her to shut her up.

A guy walked to where Marissa and Summer where. He put his books on the table.

"Hi girls." Luke said.

"Uh… do we know you? And please take your things off OUR table!" Summer said extremely annoyed.

"Cool it. I'm not here for you." Luke smirked then turned to Marissa.

"Your friend sure is interesting." He took Marissa book.

"Give that BACK! I'm doing my homework. Unlike you, I like to pass." Marissa threatened to scream.

Alex although away from their table, heard them. She was about to stand up.

"Don't Alex. They'll be fine. Just another jock." Tiffany said as she took Alex's hand.

"I'm just going to ask about our homework." Alex smiled.

She stood up, took her book, and then went to Marissa's table. Luke still had Marissa's book. He looked as if he intended to hold it for the rest of the break period.

"Hey buddy. Can you excuse me for a while…" Alex took the book from Luke's hand.

"I'm just going to ask my friends here about our homework." Alex smiled as she handed Marissa her book.

"Thanks." Marissa smiled back.

"Who do you think you are twerp?" Luke held on to Alex's shoulder.

"Oh nobody. I'm just trying to ask help about my homework." Alex pointing at her Trigonometry book.

"Right. Look… go wherever you should be… like the library or something. These girls got a date with me." He grinned and tried to pose like a muscle man of some sort.

"Oh… I'm sorry. I didn't know they were into brainless, varsity wannabes." Alex made a mock apology.

"Wannabes? I'm the captain of the basketball team freshman!" He replied angrily.

"As far as I know Damien Carter is the Captain of the men's basketball team. Are you sure? Or were you talking about the girl's team?" Everybody who was by an earshot chuckled with Alex's reply.

This didn't make Luke happy of course.

"Ok twerp. You and me on the gym, tonight at six. We settle this by a game of one on one basketball."

"Sure." Alex replied without looking at Luke.

She scanned her book pretending to look for a particular page. Luke pushed her left shoulder.

"I'm going to make you look like an ass for meddling twerp."

Alex slowly brought her gaze to Luke. Her eyes were filled with confidence and fire.

"Bring it on…" She smirked.

----

It was 3PM, and the class was attending their biology subject. The professor was writing notes on the board for their experiment. Marissa felt she had to say something to Alex. She felt she owed the girl.

"Hey…" Marissa gently nudged her seatmate who was writing her notes in pure concentration.

"Oh… Uh… Hey…" Alex smiled.

"I don't know what's going to happen later but I want to thank you for helping us out." Marissa smiled back.

"Anything for friend." Alex said casually, turning away from Marissa to write again.

Marissa looked at Alex for a few seconds. She smiled then continued to write her notes too.

----

"That girl is going to pay!" Luke screamed in the men's locker room.

"Who?" Another jock asked.

"ALEX COHEN! I'm going to make her eat basketball dust!" Luke exclaimed slamming his locker.

"I doubt that." Luke heard another voice say.

"Who are you to say that?" Luke turned to see the person.

"The school was scouting her to field in the girls' team. She got in but she refused to play." It was Damien, the Captain of the basketball team.

"UCONN and UCLA were after her too." He added as he took off his shoes.

"That doesn't mean she can beat a guy. On court, one on one." Luke replied grinning.

"I sincerely doubt that."

"What makes you say so?" Luke asked.

"I hear she practices with her brother, who's taller than you are. And considering you're almost as tall as her, she can either beat you off the dribble or shoot over you."

"I can put up a good defense. I spent a month training with the team!" Luke replied proudly.

"I guess I could give you that." Damien smiled.

----

"So are you going to watch?" Summer asked.

They were in the library doing some research.

"What time is it?" Marissa stood up to check the library clock.

"30 minutes to go. Are you going to watch?" Summer asked again.

"I have to. She shouldn't be doing that if it weren't for me…" Marissa buried her face on the book.

"There… There… You got a… girl knight and shining armor… for a friend." She rubbed Marissa's back reassuringly.

"I hope she wins. I don't want her to embarrass herself because of me…" Marissa tapped her hand on the table.

"I'm sure she will." Summer smiled.