The rest of the morning passed uneventfully. Though I wasn't pleased with the outrageous rumors and unwanted attention I received, I had to admit that it was nice to be back in an actual classroom. Granted, I'd done pretty well while I was at Steel, but it had always irked me that no one was interested in actually learning anything. I guess that's to be expected when your classes are filled with juvenile criminals, but it had annoyed me none the less.
As promised, Kris was waiting for me at the entrance to the cafeteria. A wave of anxiety suddenly crept over me as we walked through the doors. I'm not sure what I was so nervous about. I'd already seen several people I'd have preferred to never see again. And though the aroma from the cafeteria was near nauseating, I couldn't pin the anxiety on that either.
Kris and I went through the motions, grabbing our trays and paying for our food, slowly sliding our trays along the silver rails. As I turned to leave the cashier stand, I walked right into the now sturdy and much fuller chest of one David Hale. Internally, I grimaced. I'd almost forgotten about David and his puppy dog like loyalty.
"Hey, Tara! I'm so glad you're back!" he exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear. He reached out to hug me and I begrudgingly leaned in to him, thankful for the tray in my hands giving me reason not to fully embrace him. I could practically hear Kris roll her eyes at him.
David looked at me expectantly before he decided to continue. "You guys should sit with me today" he offered motioning to a table to the left of us, filled with letterman jackets and those who clearly desired one. My eyes shifted back to him as a group of bubbly cheerleaders sat down alongside the football players.
"Uh, it looks a little full already, David, but thank you for asking" I replied as politely as possible. Truth be told, David wasn't a bad guy. It was just; he had this thing about being my personal savior. As though his influence could suddenly turn me squeaky clean again somehow. I'd known him since we were little, and I never wanted to be rude knowing his intentions were good. But our paths just weren't one and the same and no amount of trying on his part could change that.
I stepped to the side to leave but he planted himself firmly in front of me.
"Come on, Tara. You don't mean to tell me you're scared of a couple cheerleaders?" he teased, raising his eyebrows at me. I silently fumed. I wasn't sure if he'd said it knowing it would elicit some sort of response from me, maybe that I'd try to prove him wrong. But sitting at a table full of meathead jocks and gossipy cheerleaders was the last thing I wanted to do, even if he was trying to challenge me. My eyes narrowed at him but before I could open my mouth, Ryan Sinclair and Harry Winston stepped in to save the day.
"Sorry David, but I don't think those preppy posers are the people Tara wants to surround herself with on her first day back" spoke Ryan with a devilish gleam in his eyes.
Immediately, David's face flushed scarlet with anger.
"Oh, and you think you and your MC wannabes are the people she should hang around? If you haven't forgotten, Tara's on probation and can't consort with other criminals" he paused before looking back at me "Sorry, Tara. But it's true".
I sighed, rubbing my right temple in frustration. "No, I know, David. Really. I appreciate the offer, but Ryan's right. I'm not really sure I'd be welcome over there" I acquiesced, eyeing the table again. If David couldn't see the difference between me and the girls he sat with, he clearly needed to get his eyes checked.
David followed my gaze and then looked back at me, resigned. "Okay, you win Tara," he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "But really, stay away from these guys" he looked pointedly at Harry and Ryan. "They're just going to get you in more trouble" he said with a razor sharp edge to his voice before turning on his heels and walking back to his table.
Kris laughed quietly behind me.
"You guys really didn't need to do that" I reprimanded them. "Seriously, he was just trying to be nice" I scolded gently, slightly embarrassed by the absurdity of the situation.
"Oh, come on Rocky. We know you didn't want to sit with him, admit it. That boy has been annoying you since you were in pigtails" Ryan laughed.
"It's true" said Kris slyly, nudging me playfully with her elbow.
"That's not the point" I said exasperated, trying to keep a straight face but knowing they were right. "So where to now, Kris?"
Kris looked toward Harry expectantly.
Harry laughed. "Well, I wasn't actually planning on sticking around; I just couldn't resist a chance to punch Hale in the heart"
"You guys are so mean. Some things never change" I huffed, blowing a straggling hair from my eyes as I turned to walk out of the cafeteria.
"We could always go sit under the bleachers" Kris offered.
"Yeah, cuz that doesn't scream troublemaker or anything. Remember, I'm trying to go incognito here" I reminded her.
"Oh, please. It's not like we're gonna smoke a joint under there or any–" her voice cut off as she noticed the look Ryan and Harry exchanged with one another.
Ryan looked sheepishly at Kris. "Well, I guess we don't have to…"
"Um, please don't get me in trouble on my first day back in gen pop guys. I really don't feel like sleeping on a concrete slab tonight" I half-pleaded.
"Okay, okay, we'll save it. But only cuz it's your first day back" Harry conceded.
As Ryan held the door open for us, I stopped quickly in my tracks. Looking up at both guys I asked, almost afraid to know the answer, "Jax isn't….?" I didn't need to finish my sentence for them to know what I was thinking.
Ryan cleared his throat."Uh, I don't think he made it today, Tara."
I searched his face, looking for a sign that he was lying. Convinced that he wasn't, I followed them out to the courtyard. It was hard to miss the stares we got as we clamored down the walkway but for the first time in a long time, I didn't care. It was good to be with good people, people who weren't fake and weren't trying to impress anyone. People who weren't getting in trouble to prove a point or to prove how big and bad they were. Ryan, Harry and Kris were just straight up good people, and I didn't realize how much I'd missed that.
XOXOXOX
We hung out for the rest of the lunch hour just goofing off and catching up on all I'd missed over the summer. When they told me the story about stealing Piney's van only to accidentally crash it into a pole not even a few blocks from his house, I thought my stomach would burst from laughing so hard. I had missed this, missed these guys. Being away from everything for so long, I'd forgotten how good of friends we'd all been back then; before me and Jax had been me and Jax; when we were all friends, partners in crime.
I silently cursed myself for ever letting myself get involved with Jax in the first place and ruining all of this. It was my own fault. We were far too serious and far too angry for junior high kids and things had gotten ugly, really ugly. It was hard not to pick sides. No matter how close I was to Ryan and Harry, their loyalty was ultimately tied to Jax and the club. Even if they hated choosing sides, they had to and I accepted that.
The bell rang to indicate the end of the lunch hour and I grudgingly stood, picking up my bag. I didn't want to leave the comforting shade the bleachers provided but I also didn't want to get detention either. As we walked across the open football field, Ryan and Harry started to veer toward the parking lot.
"Where are yall going?" I asked curiously. "Isn't it a little early to be playing hooky?"
Harry rubbed the back of his head nervously, avoiding my eyes. "Oh you know, just club stuff," he shrugged.
"Seriously? You guys aren't even old enough to prospect yet. Don't give me that." I wasn't stupid and I really didn't appreciate them thinking I was that naïve.
Before either one of them could answer, I saw a vision of long blonde hair, black Pantera t-shirt, baggy jeans and a familiar set of Vans walking along the chain link fence, cigarette in hand. My breath caught in my throat as my eyes met his.
"Ah, yeah. Okay. I get it. You guys have fun. See you tomorrow then?" I asked, still a little shaken by the figure walking casually toward the school parking lot.
Harry looked from me, to Jax then back to me. "Oh yeah. Of course, Tara." He responded like it was the silliest question he'd ever heard. He leaned down to give me a small hug and Ryan did the same. As they started to walk toward the lot again, Harry turned around and added, "It's good to have you back, Knowles."
I just smiled in response. It was good to be back.
