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Chapter 2 – That Girl Was Never Here Friday August 26
I came back from my run to find the custom SUV parked in the driveway. Fritz had borrowed it to update some of its security features. I let Duke in the back door and ran upstairs to take my shower. When I entered my apartment, I found Halle, Zoe, and Cassidy talking to Brook. I wondered if we were switching off whom we gave rides to school to.
“I thought I was picking you up.”
“You failed miserably on your first day. This is probably better,” Brook said.
“Easier for me. Thanks,” I said, then hurried to the bathroom before she could make a comment.
When I came out, I found Halle in my bedroom. I dropped the towel that was around my waist.
“Do we have time?” I asked.
She gave me a big sigh.
“How long did it take you to forget you have a girlfriend?” she asked.
I just waggled my eyebrows at her.
“I need a favor,” Halle said.
“Anything.”
“I need you to take care of Bandit. I got the movie and will be on location for some of it.”
“Which one?” I asked.
“The one at the studio you and my mom warned me about. I didn’t get the other movie, so we signed to do this one.”
“When do you leave?”
“Next Wednesday.”
“Why are you going to school today? I would expect you’d just be focused on packing.”
“I want to say goodbye to everyone.”
“We need to have a party,” I suggested.
“I suppose you think I should organize it. Shouldn’t my best friend do that?”
I blinked because I never imagined that she would consider me her best friend. My other issue was where we would have the party. I knew my parents wouldn’t go for it. Then I had an idea. I grabbed my phone and made a call.
“Hey. I need to use Our House for a party tonight.”
“We already have reservations and a band,” Caryn said.
“Offer them a free meal if they’ll switch to Saturday or next week. Let them know it’s been booked for a teen party. That should help them decide.”
“Why are you throwing a party?” Caryn asked.
“Halle landed a role in a movie and will be leaving Wednesday.”
“Do you plan to eat the cost on this?” she asked.
“Why don’t we make it ten bucks a head and set up an appetizer buffet and free soft drinks? If people want anything else, they can pay for it,” I suggested.
I figured that was more than fair for some food, drinks, and a live band. We also wouldn’t trash someone’s house.
“I’ll contact Lily and have her use social media to get the word out,” Caryn said. “Let’s start the party itself at nine. We could offer people a chance to come in and eat and plan to close at eight-thirty. That would make it so we don’t have to give away free meals.”
“That’s why you’re the brains behind this. Thanks,” I said and hung up.
Brook came in and found me naked and half aroused. I challenge anyone to be around Halle James and not at least show some interest.
“What are you two doing?” Brook asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
“She’s making me do things,” I said in a whiny voice.
“Pleeease,” Halle said as she started laughing. “You know David. He just likes to strut his stuff.”
Cassidy came bounding into the room, followed by Zoe.
“I say we skip school and see if we can wear him out,” Cassidy offered.
My half-aroused state changed to fully aroused.
“Get dressed,” Brook ordered.
“What about Cassidy’s idea?”
The look Brook gave me had me scurrying to do as she ordered. I admit I bent at the waist to pick up my towel so they got a good look at my butt.
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Over breakfast, Halle told them about her leaving and the party I’d arranged. She also announced I’d agreed to take Bandit for her until the movie was done filming.
“I didn’t think Bandit and Precious got along,” Mom said.
“They’ll work it out,” I said.
At least I hoped so.
Paul took us to school. I smiled when he gave them the full treatment.
“Hold tight, ladies. Let me get the door,” he said as he jumped out.
This was just part of his security protocol, but he made a big production of assisting each one out. I offered him my hand like the girls had done, but all I got was a dirty look.
Brook, unfortunately, had been suspended, so she gave me a quick kiss, and Paul took her home.
I found Bryan and Brock Callahan waiting for me.
“I take it your girlfriend told you that you had to kick my butt because my girlfriend kicked hers,” I said as a greeting.
“Something like that, but Brit heard what she said to Brook,” Bryan said.
I was sure when they’d heard she threatened to steal me away, they’d figured out where they stood with her.
“If you’re in the mood to kick someone’s butt, you could track down Alan for me.”
I then told them what he’d said to the coaches.
“So, you really aren’t protecting him anymore?” Brock asked.
“God, no. I haven’t since the spring.”
“Funny, he tells a different story,” Brock said.
“He’d been one of my best friends up until this spring. I actually thought about working things out with him when I came back. Someone I trust told me that we’d been friends too long not to at least try to make things right. Then he pulls this crap.
“It sounds like he’s been acting like a jerk to you guys as well,” I said.
“I could never understand why you liked him. He’s a mean-spirited spaz if you ask me,” Bryan said.
“Okay, I might have an issue if someone kicked his ass,” I admitted.
“But if he ended up in a dumpster?” Brock asked.
“Shit happens,” I said with a shrug.
I think I made their day.
I walked inside to my locker to drop off my backpack. They arrange lockers alphabetically by class, so Douglas and Dawson weren’t that far apart. Alan was focused on getting his books out of his locker when my hip checked him into it.
“What the … David!” Alan protested.
“What? It was just a joke. You shouldn’t be so thin-skinned. People will think you’re a prima donna,” I said to let him know I’d heard what he told the coaches.
He just gaped at me.
“Word of warning: I let everyone know that I’m not protecting you anymore, so you better watch your mouth.”
That seemed to concern him more than me knowing about him lying.
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In PE, I was happy to see Coach Fletcher, our strength and conditioning coach who had been hired during the winter. He’d gone to school at Oklahoma and worked with their training staff as a grad assistant. He also had gotten a certification with NSCA, the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Once certified, Coach Fletcher had been an assistant trainer for three years at Florida State. He’d just moved to the area to take care of his mother. He eventually wanted to be the head trainer at a Power Five school.
“I didn’t expect to see you back. How’s your mom?” I asked.
She hadn’t been doing well the last time I’d seen him.
“She passed.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” I said.
I was never sure what you were supposed to say to something like the loss of a parent.
“Thanks. I did land a job, though. I’m the strength coach at State for their basketball team. They told me I could also freelance, so I offered to keep working here.”
He measured me, and I weighed 225 pounds and was six-four and a quarter. I’d also improved in all my measurables. The extra ten pounds were all muscle. He showed me a picture of myself before I started working with him and now, and I was even more defined. My most significant improvements were in my core muscles around my midsection and my explosiveness. I’d added nearly four inches in my vertical jumping ability.