don't know—"
"Girl, what has gotten into you? I've never seen you ramble so much."
"Sorry. I'm a mess."
"Clearly." She tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and then pulls a paper towel out of the holder. She roughly rubs under my eyes and pinches my cheeks.
"Do I look normal now?" I ask her, a strangled laugh bubbling out of me.
"Not normal, but better. We'll get you fixed up in no time."
"Thank you, Lisa. For everything."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
the build up
Lisa and I walk back to the student center together. Our table is considerably fuller. It immediately reminds me of last year when I first came to DGA. The table was crowded and loud. Kara squeals and jumps up when she sees Lisa and darts towards us. Her arms wrap around Lisa's tall body.
"Oh my God, oh my God; I missed you!" Kara yells as they jump together, moving around in a circle. I smile and stand back, watching them with pure elation.
I let my eyes roam over the new faces, but they suddenly meet Ari's. He holds me there, refusing to let me see anyone but him. He stares at me with concern clouding his vision. He looks like he's about to stand and come over to fix me. I nod my head, letting him know that I'm okay, and he visibly relaxes.
"Come sit, Ryder," Mikey says, and I saunter over to him. I take my seat next to him, letting him place his arm over my shoulders, and take a bite of a cereal bar. I say hello to Carter quickly, noticing him sitting next to Junior across from me.
"So, fill me in on the summertime sadness," Lisa says as she sits beside Kara. Junior is on the other side of her, and the second that Kara sits, Junior kisses her temple and wraps his arm around her. "Clearly, that's still going on." She looks at me and rolls her eyes, sticking her finger in her mouth and pretend gagging.
"Nothing really happened," I say, shaking my head at her.
"Other than Ryder's sick birthday bash. You missed out." Mikey tightens his hold on my shoulders, tugging me towards him as he speaks.
"What's the plan for today?" Junior asks.
"Professor Onassis said we all should be in the training center around noon. She's going to discuss the game plan," I tell everyone.
Lisa and Kara talk about their summers. Apparently, Lisa already moved her things into the dorm room next to ours. She will hopefully get a new roommate since Megan is gone, and it hurts me to think of Lisa having to be alone. I almost volunteer to let Kara and her room together, but the selfish part of me holds back. I just can't do it. I don't want to be the one alone.
"Martin!" I yell as I see him enter the student center. I jump up from my seat and give him a hug, squeezing his skinny body. He chuckles, his voice low. I can feel it where I touch him. I let him go and step back.
"It's good to see you, too," he chuckles as he returns the action.
"I'm so glad you came."
"Me too." He smiles, and I notice when I pull back and look at him that he's not wearing glasses anymore. He must notice my curious look, because he nods before answering. "Got some contacts, so I can see better."
"You look great," I tell him honestly.
"Come sit, Martin!" Mikey calls, patting the spot beside him.
We walk over together and sit back down. I swear, I've been up and down, up and down a hundred times so far today. But I'd do it again to see Shane walk through those doors.
Kara, Lisa, and I walk to the student center together at five before noon. The guys are about ten steps behind us, shoving each other around. I glance back and see Martin laughing with Mikey and Carter. I'm glad that they've accepted him into the group.
"Stop freaking out," Kara says as she takes my hand in hers. I turn back around and walk with her. She squeezes my fingers, but her touch provides little comfort. My nerves are skyrocketing through my body, my stomach full of bubbles.
"We've got your back," Lisa agrees, taking my other hand.
I look at these two girls beside me and want to burst into a fit of
"Girl, what has gotten into you? I've never seen you ramble so much."
"Sorry. I'm a mess."
"Clearly." She tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and then pulls a paper towel out of the holder. She roughly rubs under my eyes and pinches my cheeks.
"Do I look normal now?" I ask her, a strangled laugh bubbling out of me.
"Not normal, but better. We'll get you fixed up in no time."
"Thank you, Lisa. For everything."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
the build up
Lisa and I walk back to the student center together. Our table is considerably fuller. It immediately reminds me of last year when I first came to DGA. The table was crowded and loud. Kara squeals and jumps up when she sees Lisa and darts towards us. Her arms wrap around Lisa's tall body.
"Oh my God, oh my God; I missed you!" Kara yells as they jump together, moving around in a circle. I smile and stand back, watching them with pure elation.
I let my eyes roam over the new faces, but they suddenly meet Ari's. He holds me there, refusing to let me see anyone but him. He stares at me with concern clouding his vision. He looks like he's about to stand and come over to fix me. I nod my head, letting him know that I'm okay, and he visibly relaxes.
"Come sit, Ryder," Mikey says, and I saunter over to him. I take my seat next to him, letting him place his arm over my shoulders, and take a bite of a cereal bar. I say hello to Carter quickly, noticing him sitting next to Junior across from me.
"So, fill me in on the summertime sadness," Lisa says as she sits beside Kara. Junior is on the other side of her, and the second that Kara sits, Junior kisses her temple and wraps his arm around her. "Clearly, that's still going on." She looks at me and rolls her eyes, sticking her finger in her mouth and pretend gagging.
"Nothing really happened," I say, shaking my head at her.
"Other than Ryder's sick birthday bash. You missed out." Mikey tightens his hold on my shoulders, tugging me towards him as he speaks.
"What's the plan for today?" Junior asks.
"Professor Onassis said we all should be in the training center around noon. She's going to discuss the game plan," I tell everyone.
Lisa and Kara talk about their summers. Apparently, Lisa already moved her things into the dorm room next to ours. She will hopefully get a new roommate since Megan is gone, and it hurts me to think of Lisa having to be alone. I almost volunteer to let Kara and her room together, but the selfish part of me holds back. I just can't do it. I don't want to be the one alone.
"Martin!" I yell as I see him enter the student center. I jump up from my seat and give him a hug, squeezing his skinny body. He chuckles, his voice low. I can feel it where I touch him. I let him go and step back.
"It's good to see you, too," he chuckles as he returns the action.
"I'm so glad you came."
"Me too." He smiles, and I notice when I pull back and look at him that he's not wearing glasses anymore. He must notice my curious look, because he nods before answering. "Got some contacts, so I can see better."
"You look great," I tell him honestly.
"Come sit, Martin!" Mikey calls, patting the spot beside him.
We walk over together and sit back down. I swear, I've been up and down, up and down a hundred times so far today. But I'd do it again to see Shane walk through those doors.
Kara, Lisa, and I walk to the student center together at five before noon. The guys are about ten steps behind us, shoving each other around. I glance back and see Martin laughing with Mikey and Carter. I'm glad that they've accepted him into the group.
"Stop freaking out," Kara says as she takes my hand in hers. I turn back around and walk with her. She squeezes my fingers, but her touch provides little comfort. My nerves are skyrocketing through my body, my stomach full of bubbles.
"We've got your back," Lisa agrees, taking my other hand.
I look at these two girls beside me and want to burst into a fit of
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