RE: Trailer Trash 61 pt 4

/// Much longer bit today! Rather than one teaser, this one's more like three teasers trying to disguise themselves in the same trenchcoat to sneak into a theater.

    “But the lack thereof would leave me empty inside~!” Tabitha sang.

    “Swallow my doubt! Turn it inside OUT!” Bobby cried out, headbanging to music only they could hear.

    ““Find nothin’ but FAITH IN NOTHIN!!”” They sang together.

    Tabitha burst into a fit of giggles at the sheer spontaneity of their little moment here, while Bobby had his eyes squeezed closed and was continuing to jam out to the rest of the lyrics as they took the walkway past the quad towards track and field. For once they were walking to class slow today, taking their time and in no hurry to arrive. Normally there was a good five minutes or so before the next bell went off for class to actually start.

    Having an impromptu karaoke session here in the slowly emptying halls with a friend was exactly the silly sort of teenage fun she had been searching for this morning. It was one of those things that she didn’t think she’d be able to manage as a more self-conscious ‘adult,’ and Tabitha intended to try to enjoy embarrassing herself and others as much as she could get away with while she was still a kid that could do that.

    I think at this age we’re already right on the cusp of not being comfortable with just… busting out random songs, Tabitha mused to herself as she watched Bobby rocking out to his own singing and giggling again. Gary was already unable to! Which is just so sad. Poor Gary.

    “Hahhh,” Tabitha laughed, feeling her cheeks hurt because she was grinning so hard.

    Bobby was just the right kind of goofball charismatic for this—he wasn’t the least bit concerned with looking uncool, and as she subtly examined his cute features she found him more and more charming. Because him fooling around even helped put her at ease, it made her feel it was okay to relax a little. He made her feel secure enough to not take things too seriously all the time, which she needed, because these encounters with certain combative high school girls and their massive egos who were just completely full of themselves really drained all of the joy out of being young.

    They just take themselves SO seriously, Tabitha wanted to sigh in dismay. Why. SO. Serious?! Hah—it’s weird how much Bobby resembles Heath Ledger. It’s… WHACK. That’s the word of the day. Yes, it’s totally whack. He doesn’t have EXACTLY the same looks, but something about his eyes is just really… soulful? Deep, soulful eyes. Doesn’t Heath Ledger debut in his first roles here, pretty soon? Maybe he has already. A Knight’s Tale, and then I think… Ten Things I Hate About You? Was one of those SHAKESPEARE MODERNIZATION ones. Will have to ask around if either of those are out yet.

    “Sooo—we’ll all watch Willow together in like, as a big group thing?” Bobby gave her a glance. “And, uh, yeah I know you’re more comfortable with that and that’s totally cool! Sounds awesome. More people need to see Willow anyways, yeah. But uhh. I dunno, would you ever want to hang out with just like, you and me? Doesn’t have to be a date! Just, spend time together, or somethin’. I dunno.”

    “I’d like that!” Tabitha smiled. “I—sorry, I guess I didn’t mean to turn Willow into an everybody thing.”

    “Naw, it’s cool. It’s cool!”

    “Just think watching things with more people is more fun?” Tabitha shrugged. “I don’t know!”

    “We could hang out sometime, or—I don’t know?”

    “Well, I’m gonna be super busy trying to get back into running and exercising,” Tabitha mentioned. “Do you run at all?”

    “Run? Oh yeah, I run all the time. Tons.”

    “Hah ha—well I mean, I was probably gonna run in the mornings before school?” Tabitha said. “Find some circuit through the neighborhoods, or something. Elena wants to run with me, but I’m sure we’d both feel a lot safer if there was a guy with us.”

    “Elena there too, huh,” Bobby nodded. “Gotcha. And I mean yeah—who doesn’t love waking up super early before school? That’s totally me. I’m all about that early morning life.”

    “Ugh, I’ll think of something!” Tabitha giggled. “I promise. Something we can do that’s just you and me. Something cool.”

    “Hey, no worries! Right?” Bobby assured her. “No biggie. We’ll think of something. Don’t want to like, force it or anything.”

    “I uhhh I do appreciate your interest!” Tabitha tried not to wince as she laughed. “Bobby I really do, it’s, it’s a huge confidence boost? And, I do like you! You’re great. I’m maybe a little interested. Just—and this is just me, but the whole first dating thing? For the first time? Intimacy, boundaries, attraction? All of that makes me super freaking nervous.”

    “No, no, I get it,” Bobby said. “I get it. Right there with you.”

    “I don’t want my fears and hangups and stuff to like… sour my first go at anything?” Tabitha tried to explain. “That and, uh. Like, I’m already this total hot mess and just barely dealing with anything going on in my life. Then on top of that, worrying that I’ll become responsible for your feelings, have your fragile heart in my hands? Your self-confidence, our um, trust between us, our—figuring out boundaries stuff without either of us being frustrated, or hurt, or guilty—I, I uh, I really don’t know. I’m not ready.”

    “Okay,” Bobby said. “No worries. Hakuna Matata.”

    “Hakuna Matata,” Tabitha echoed with a sigh. “Yeah.”

    “I just—hey, I like spending time with you,” Bobby explained, locking eyes with her in that dreadful charming way of his. “That’s the way I look at it, my uh, my mindset. Look forward to being around you, I have fun when I’m with you. Don’t want to uhhh feel like I’m throwing all that buncha whatever stuff on you or dragging you down? We’ll figure something out? I mean—I’m just saying, don’t think of my feelings as too fragile. You can Stretch Armstrong me. A little. You can bouncy ball me, or treat my heart like silly putty. Nickelodeon Gak. Floam? Or—y’know, whatever. Metaphorically speaking, of course.”

    “Riiiight,” Tabitha grinned again.

    “See? You’re overthinking it,” Bobby nodded to himself with confidence. “Me, on the other hand? I’m underthinking it. That’s why we’d fit together so well, uh, we’d like, complement each other. You can be the brains of this operation, I’ll have the good looks and my amazing bod and all the killer pickup lines. Match made in heaven.”

    “Riiiiiiight,” Tabitha laughed. “I’ll think about it.”

    “Plus, just like—you’re too cute to be single,” Bobby shook his head in dismay. “S’why you keep getting all these rumors, or jealous bee-otches all up on your case about this or that, or people trying to start drama. If I’m your boyfriend? Pssh, all of those problems’ll just disappear.”

    “Uh-huh,” Tabitha couldn’t hide her skepticism. “Or, instead everything just gets way more complicated and messy?”

    “Yeah I mean, or that,” Bobby nodded in agreement, completely unphased. “That was the other way it could go. Good catch. See? You’re the brains, here.”

    “I don’t think I’m ready for anything like dating, yet,” Tabitha admitted. “But. Tell you what? How about when we all watch Willow, I make sure we sit next to each other. We can maybe hold hands for a bit. So long as no one sees. Super sneaky.”

    “Whew,” Bobby held his chest and took in a deep, exaggerated breath. “Yeah, that—yeah, sounds good. Deal? Deal.”

    “Deal,” Tabitha giggled.

    * * *

    Although they arrived before the next bell, they were still a lot later than usual—even Vanessa was already visible in the distance running around the track. Tabitha however had little time to spare thinking about her friends in this class as Coach Baylor checked off her and Bobby’s attendance on her clipboard—because the trio of cheerleaders from earlier were standing off to the side here, huddled together with crossed arms and a few scowls.

    Great, Tabitha schooled her expression into a neutral face and didn’t let her eyes linger in their direction. Just... great.

    “Girls,” Coach Baylor prompted, motioning them forward with a jerk of her head.

    The cheerleaders stalked forward together in unison, each wearing the same Springton Spirit jacket Tabitha had on, each of the girls in clear solidarity to oppose her for that fact. They walked past the row of backpacks and jackets strewn across the first row of the grandstands from the Personal Fitness kids and stood right next to the coach—as if they were an amoeba intent on quickly absorbing an organism, if only to deny it from their opposition. Coach Baylor seemed to see through their attempt to display familiarity with her right away and took a clear step back, motioning Tabitha forward—using her body language to indicate her impartiality here.

    “Good morning?” Tabitha said.

    “Good morning,” Coach Baylor replied. “This is Heather Whittlesy, my Cheer captain. I believe you’ve already met Desiree and Faith. Go ahead, ladies.”

    Heather was a tall and beautiful brunette with a placid expression—Tabitha realized right that moment that Heather was copying Coach Baylor’s normal no nonsense expression. Unlike the two behind her who couldn’t hide their open irritation, Heather at least had the look of being unbiased to the situation as her eyes glanced over Tabitha. In return Tabitha openly observed the Cheer captain’s appearance and found herself more than a little intimidated—moreso than anyone she had encountered at Springton High, Heather radiated that ‘pretty popular girl’ energy. Heather was tall and sported natural great looks, amazing figure, and what was clearly a talent for applying makeup and styling her hair with a subtle amount of what was surely expensive product.

    “...I can’t speak about whatever happened yesterday,” Heather began. “I wasn’t there. But, this morning? This morning, I was there with Desi and Faith when they tried to apologize to her. She blew them off. Without even trying to hear them out.”

    “Tabitha?” Coach Baylor turned her full attention to Tabitha for an explanation.

    “I did!” Tabitha nodded in agreement. “I blew them off. I was having a really good morning for once, and it looked like I was going to be alone and cornered by three cheerleaders. Rather than dealing with two of them while with my friends. After how how antagonistic they were yesterday—”

    “Oh, PLEASE,” Faith scoffed. “Yeah we hardly put you in agony or antagony or whatever that even means! Um, exaggerating much??”

    “‘Antagonistic’ means you were acting hostile to—”

    “Um, news flash?” Desiree butted in. “We didn’t ask for your opinion on what it means. We know what it means.”

    “I… rest my case?” Tabitha turned to the coach with her eyebrows raised. “Antagonistic.”

    “Oh, hello??” Faith began to snarl. “Nobody cares what—”

    “—Girls. Girls,” Coach Baylor interrupted. “Faith—you’re a sophomore. I know you know what ‘antagonist’ and ‘antagonistic’ means.”

    “Except she wasn’t,” Faith scowled. “She’s lying. If she’s all being in agony or whatever? Yeah, had nothing to do with us. We didn’t even do anything wrong.”

    “Yeah,” Desiree chirped in agreement. “Exactly. Like—please. ‘In agony?’ Oh my God, could she be any more flipping dramatic about this? Hello?”

    “Yeah, what’s your major malfunction?” Faith was quick to heap on more criticism at any opportunity. “Cry me a river.”

    Part of the Personal Fitness class tasked with jogging around the track loop was passing by them now, but all of the kids running by were being conspicuously quiet as they all attempted to catch snippets of what the cheerleaders were here for. Shifting to reposition the way the arm of her jacket sat over her cast, Tabitha happened to catch Grace giving her a concerned look before she too went on past. Stragglers scattered about behind that first running group were all looking her way with blatant interest, so Tabitha quickly fixed her sleeve and focused her attention back on their present conversation.

    “I will freely admit to being a little petty, but—” Tabitha started to say.

    “There! See?!” Faith waggled a pointing finger towards Tabitha’s face. “She even admitted it!”

    “—But, they approached me with no intent to actually apologize,” Tabitha held up her hands as she gave everyone a helpless shrug. “Their words were only like ‘yeah we were meant to come over and apologize.’ They were scowling at my friends and I, their arms were crossed, and they called me a psychopath for failing to immediately accept their, well, ‘sincerity.’ Which had been a blatant bad faith non-apology and instead was conveyed as a warning. Or a threat.”

    “Bullshit!” Faith blurted out. “That’s totally bullshit! We apologized!”

    “Yeah!” Desiree joined in. “We said sorry, and she can’t say that we didn’t. So, she’s lying. She’s totally freaking lying.”

    “Girls,” Coach Baylor motioned for them to simmer down. “Please.”

    “But, she’s lying!” Faith swore, her voice rising in pitch. “Coach Baylor, you know us. We’re your girls. All this weirdo is trying to do is mess things up for the team, because she hates us and has like, this jealous vendetta or whatever against us. She’s specifically out to get us—you have to see that.”

    “Like, yeah,” Desiree nodded along. “She’s just trying to hurt the team!”

    “Yeah,” Faith said.

    “All I saw was this girl totally blowing them off when they were really trying to apologize,” Heather repeated, rocking from one foot to the other with her arms still crossed. “So…?”

    “I’m going to be honest, here,” Tabitha felt familiar anger rising up within her. “I’m not interested in receiving a forced apology that they don’t mean. What I want to understand is why they were looking to start trouble with me. Taking my towel, specifically? Was not an accident. So, if—”

    “It WAS an accident!” Faith insisted. “You weren’t even there when it happened! How would you even freaking know anything about it? Liar.”

    “Yeah,” Desiree made a disgusted face.

    “I think this is all being blown out of proportion?” Heather turned a skeptical look towards Tabitha. “Somebody grabs the wrong towel, and suddenly this is cause for Tabitha to try to pull several girls off of the cheerleading team? For grabbing the wrong towel? I’m sorry, that’s just super… suspicious?”

    “Yeah!” Desiree said.

    “I didn’t have anything to do with that, though?” Tabitha shook her head.

    “Oh, please,” Faith scoffed. “We all know you did.”

    “Happened before I even found out about it?” Tabitha could only give them a shrug. “Apparently.”

    “Girls,” Coach Baylor took a deep breath. “I was the one who said you’re off the team until this is resolved. Okay? If we—”

     “But, that’s NOT FAIR!” Desiree all but shrieked in disbelief, stomping her foot. “We didn’t even do anything wrong, and you want us to apologize, and yeah even when we do apologize, she just lies and says we didn’t no matter what, and—”

    “Exactly!” Faith was growing equally flustered. “We didn’t freaking do it on purpose or like to bully her or anything. Oh my God. We just grabbed the wrong towel. It happens all the time, so why is this suddenly this huge insane ordeal all of the sudden?!”

    “They keep saying ‘grabbed the wrong towel,’ as if they just needed to use something to dry off, or as if it was an honest mistake,” Tabitha pointed out. “Was that the case? Because, if so—why was it put in a bag to take elsewhere? Like it was being stolen?”

    “Oh, please,” Desiree rolled her eyes. “Nothing was being stolen!”

    “Yeah um, some of us like to take things home and wash them after they’re used??” Faith retorted. “So that things are all completely filthy?? Hello??”

    “Then, what’s the point of having towels hanging up at all?” Tabitha countered. “We were asked to bring in beach towels with designs on them, so that they could easily be differentiated from one another when hung to dry. If you’re going to take yours home after each use to be washed, then—”

    “Gross, I guess Tabitha doesn’t ever wash her things?” Faith put on a disgusted face. “That’s—yeah, ew?”

    “Disgusting,” Desiree snorted. “Guess I did hear that about her? Oh my God.”

    “Was the towel used and then taken?” Tabitha ignored them and instead turned her question towards Coach Baylor. “Or, was it just… taken? When you retrieved it, was it damp and in one of the plastic bags you provide? Or, was it just taken.”

    “...It wasn’t in a plastic bag or damp or anything,” Coach Baylor said slowly. “I looked it over very carefully in case anything… had been done to it. It seemed dry.”

    “It’s a towel, they dry by themselves!” Desiree blurted out. “Like—yeah it was used on accident ‘cause I thought it was Faith’s and grabbed the wrong one, but I didn’t get it like soaking wet or anything. I didn’t even wash my hair yesterday, so—!”

    “So you grabbed it on accident, used it to dry yourself off, and then put it in your backpack to take home to wash?” Coach Baylor stared at Desiree. “Just. Shoved it in there with your books and papers, even if it might have been damp?”

    “It wasn’t that damp…” Desiree grumbled. “I barely even used it!”

    “But, yesterday the story was just that Faith here asked you to take home her towel,” Coach Baylor pointed out. “So—”

    “I did!” Faith hurried to say. “She just grabbed the wrong one. We’re cool with using each other’s towels, it’s no big deal.”

    “Yeah, it’s completely not even a big deal,” Desiree agreed. “At all. Because unlike some people—”

    “Except, it seemed completely dry to me,” Coach Baylor said. “Like the towel had never been used.”

    “Also, my towel was the very first one up on the lines this semester,” Tabitha pointed out. “It’s never been used. From what I’ve seen since, not that many girls from periods after ours have even brought their towels in. So, why is a towel, any towel, being taken home immediately after just first being brought in? That doesn’t make any sense?”

    “So it could be taken home and washed, duh,” Faith snorted. “Some of us like to have clean towels?”

    “Not Tabitha though, I guess??” Desiree said, putting on a disgusted face. “Which is gross. Yikes??”

    “I think this is all being blown out of proportion,” Heather repeated, throwing a pointed accusing glare Tabitha’s way. “We’ve never had anything to do with Tabitha! They didn’t know it was her towel. I think someone was just trying to get cheerleaders in trouble, so that spots would open up on the team. That’s what I think, and—I don’t think that would be the right way for anyone to go about that. If they can’t—”

    “Girls,” Coach Baylor’s tone was one of warning this time. “Please. Desiree was in the locker room during fourth period. The only reason I even heard about Tabitha’s towel being taken was because another girl in fourth period told me Desiree and some of the other girls there were laughing about what they were doing and how the towel was Tabitha’s.”

    “Who?!” Desiree cried out. “Who?! Whoever said that—they’re lying! They’re straight-up lying! I just thought it was Faith’s, ‘cause she asked me if I could grab her towel!”

    “Probably one of Tabitha’s other little friends trying to snitch to get us in trouble,” Faith suggested. “Like this was all part of her little plan.”

    “So, yesterday I pulled several different girls from fourth period aside to confirm this,” Coach Baylor’s glare was stern. “Every single one of them said that yeah, you knew the towel was Tabitha’s and thought what you were doing was real funny.”

    “It was just—” Desiree started to say before her expression soured. “It was just an accident. I grabbed the wrong towel. They’re lying!”

    “Yeah, they’re lying,” Faith insisted. “They just want to get Desi in trouble.”

    “There are a lot of girls who are just jealous and out to get us,” Heather spoke up in support. “I don’t think Desi would take something that’s not hers. She’s not that kind of person.”

    “Thank you,” Desiree said. “Yeah exactly.”

    “Meanwhile, we already know Tabitha here makes up all kinds of stories,” Faith scoffed. “About everything.”

    “Hah,” Tabitha shook her head in disbelief.

    “Girls,” Coach Baylor took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. Desiree, you’re in there even more often than I am—if Faith asked you to grab her towel, you would know hers is the yellow one with the pink flowers, correct? The beach towel she had hanging up last semester?

    “That—that was my old towel,” Faith said. “My uh, my new one’s a Coca Cola towel.”

    “Riiight,” Coach Baylor gave her a stern look. “Listen. Neither of you have shown any remorse for what happened, and you’ve demonstrated to me that you are more than willing to antagonize her over this. So, I’m sorry, girls. Both of you are off the team.”

    “WHAT?!” Desiree shouted. “You can’t do that!”

    “That’s completely not even fair!” Faith protested. “All because other people are lying and making up stories? That’s all Tabitha does!! Ask anyone!”

     “This isn’t right,” Heather said. “You can’t pull them off the team over a towel. That’s ridiculous! I literally watched them try to actually apologize, and Tabitha completely just, just turned up her nose and pretended to storm off, with this stupid smirk!”

    “I did blow them off this morning,” Tabitha admitted again. “I’m… completely out of patience for all of this.”

    “Oh shut the fuck up!” Desiree yelled. “You just think you’re so fucking funny!”

    “That’s enough,” Coach Baylor held up a hand. “Cool it. I’ve made my decision. Girls, you already have notes written. I expect to hear you immediately returned to your first period classes after this. Am I understood?”

    “Yeah,” Heather answered for all of them, shooting another look at Tabitha. “Okay.”

    “Go on, now,” Coach Baylor gestured.

    The cheerleaders stormed off, and it took Tabitha a moment to realize she would need to intentionally untense some muscles and lower her shoulders a bit. She still had trouble fathoming why cheerleaders had targeted her in the first place, and the more this mess dragged on the more she thought the situation was unresolvable from the get-go. Rumors or hearsay of some kind had apparently arrayed the Cheer clique against her before she even met any of them, and now that they’d had a first encounter, she didn’t think things could have possibly developed any worse.

    “I’m sorry,” Coach Baylor said after a long silence. “It really does look to me like they were out to get you.”

    “Not your fault,” Tabitha sighed. “Not your fault.”

    “I fibbed when I said ‘everyone’ I asked in fourth period heard them laughing about how it was your towel,” Coach Baylor admitted. “Two of the girls I took aside said that… if I include the one who brought all of this to my attention in the first place. Then, two other girls said the opposite, and claimed no one said anything about you at all. But, it was worth following up on to investigate… and it did turn out to be your towel in her backpack though, so. Well.”

    “Yeah,” Tabitha said.

    “Principal Edwards said this wasn’t something worth writing anyone up for,” Coach Baylor continued in a low voice. “Since to him, this is just some meaningless squabble over someone’s towel, and we can’t completely confirm that it wasn’t an accident. Not unless they’re willing to come out and admit it, which—they won’t.”

    “Okay,” Tabitha said.

    “It’s really not okay,” Coach Baylor paced across the pavement. “I—I don’t think I can put into words how completely and utterly disappointed with those girls I am. These were my girls. I, well, I had myself convinced that, if and when there was petty nonsense or bullying here in school, my girls would be the ones to speak out against it. Because, even if it’s just a little thing like taking someone’s towel—little things add up. It’s still not okay in the first place! I don’t want you to ever feel like you’re unwelcome or mistreated here at school.”

    “I…” Tabitha trailed off as she stared off into nothing. “I just find all of this so exhausting. I really don’t know what to do. I really don’t. I’m so tempted to just withdraw from school again. Honestly. But, at the same time, I can’t. I have friends here, I’ve made new friends, or I’ve started to. I really do want to have that, that idyllic teenage high school life everyone dreams about. I just… well, I really don’t know if I’m willing to really put my all into having to fight for every single inch of it. I’m tired, Coach Baylor. I’m so tired of everything. The constant rumors about me, the stupid petty bullying. Confrontations. I’m so tired.”

    “If anything else happens, an-y-thing,” Coach Baylor articulated. “They’re gone. Keep your eyes and ears open, please. Come to me first about anything that happens, and I’ll do everything I can to make sure it’s handled.”

    * * *

    “I hear you’re trying to get all the girls kicked out of cheer?” Amanda asked, folding her arms in front of her and leaning one shoulder against the outer U-shaped edge of the alcove of lockers.

    “I’m shocked,” Tabitha replied in a dry voice. “Baseless rumors about me flying around? How could that be. Oh, wait. It must be a weekday.”

    “Hur hur, so you’re saying you’re not?” Amanda challenged. “I heard you got your panties all in a twist and flipped out on Ms. Baylor. Tubby Tabby, trying to get a whole buncha girls she don’t like suspended, or some shit?”

    “Coach Baylor,” Vanessa corrected with a sniff. “And, I heard things the other way around? Faith and ‘Sloppy Seconds’ Desiree got caught trying to steal stuff from Tabitha, like literally caught red-handed. With Coach Baylor going into this other class and pullin’ Tabitha’s towel out from Desiree’s bag. Like, are you for real?”

    “S’not what I heard,” Amanda laughed. “But yeah, whatever? What does Tabitha have to say for herself about all of this, hm??”

    “I’m just… tired?” Tabitha could only offer a shrug. “Of all of it.”

    “Oooh, yeah,” Amanda seemed to find that funny. “Yeah. You look tired.”

    “Can you buzz off, already?” Tiffany stepped up beside Vanessa to shield Tabitha from view. “Can’t believe you’re tryin’ to stick with Faith the Cow and ‘Sloppy Seconds’ Desiree in the first place. I mean… seriously?”

    “Oh, Faith’s the cow, now?” Amanda scoffed, giving the heavyset Tiffany an incredulous look. “Really?”

    “Yee-up,” Vanessa shot back. “What, got something to say otherwise?”

    “I don’t even have to,” Amanda said with a dismissive laugh, turning away from them. “But—whatever.”

    The small group of Tabitha’s friends watched and waited until Amanda was out of apparent earshot and then leaned in together to whisper with one another.

     “‘Faith the Cow?’” Grace asked with a wince. “Did you… did you just make that up?”

     “Well,” Tiffany laughed, throwing her hands up. “If the shoe fits? Or uh, hooves? Horseshoes?”

    “Cows aren’t generally shod, no,” Grace said. “Since—”

    “Okay, so I made it up!” Tiffany threw her hands up. “Who cares? It’ll stick. I’ll repeat it to everyone all day ‘til it does. Hell.”

    “Ooh yeah, and the whole ‘Sloppy Seconds Desiree’ thing?” Vanessa crooned. “From that thing when her and Dare-bear broke up last year? She’s so gonna be seething when all that gets brought up all over again!”

    “Dare-bear?”

    “Derek. Derek, uhhh. Simons? Simmons? Somethin’ like that. The real big guy. He was in eighth back when we were in sixth grade.”

    “H-how do you guys even keep track of all of that,” Tabitha mumbled with an exasperated look. “Aren’t we all freshman? None of us would have even been here at Springton last year!”

    “Word still gets around,” Tiffany boasted with pride. “Hell—I’m sure kids at the middle schools here in town already know ‘bout you and Michael already. S’a small town, whole buncha people have siblings. People talk!”

    “Nothing happened between me and Micheal!” Tabitha threw her hands up.

    “Why not?!” Tiffany giggled. “He’s cute!”

    “He’s with Olivia!” Tabitha chuckled. “They’re together! I’m not interested! I kind of like Bobby a little.”

    “Bobby?” Tiffany gasped. “Like, our Bobby? Bobby as in the Bobby that’s in this same period one personal fitness course?!”

    “She did introduce him to us…” Grace blinked in surprise.

    “He’s… alright?” Vanessa made a face. “I guess? If, uh, if that’s what you’re into?”

    “I said I like him a little, so, slow down,” Tabitha rolled her eyes. “He’s stood up for me before. He’s nice. He’s—”

    “I think he’s really cute,” Marisa voiced her opinion. “Bobby?”

    Wait, what? Tabitha felt her attention snapping towards Marisa.

    “I mean… kinda?” Tiffany mused, watching the interplay with interest. “Sure.”

    “—He’s, yes, he’s cute, and,” Tabitha grew flustered. “I don’t know? I like him a little, I’m not like, crushing or anything. It’s casual. He’s likeable?”

    “Ehhh,” Vanessa frowned. “I dunno. Bobby?”

    “She said he stood up for her!” Grace said. “So, he gets points.”

    “Yeah, points,” Tiffany agreed with enthusiasm. “So, Bobby! He’s not bad at all. Right? He’s kinda funny? Was he the one making a big stupid scene ‘bout Tabby being in our class, back like, day one?”

    “Yeah,” Marisa nodded. “Coach Baylor made him run laps. He did four pull-ups! When we started doing all those.”

    “That was more like three-and-a-half!” Tabitha remarked. “That was not four.”

    “OoOOooh—!” Tiffany’s eyes lit up. “Countin’ them pull-ups pretty closely, huh?!”

    “That’s still pretty good?” Grace sounded supportive. “I could only do—”

    “Ehhh—” Vanessa cracked a weak smile. “Tabitha, honestly? Michael’s way cuter.”

    “I don’t have anything to do with Michael!” Tabitha groaned in dismay. “He’s just a friend. He’s with Olivia!”

    “But, Bobby’s a doofus!” Vanessa laughed. “There, okay? I said it. He’s a doofus.”

    “He’s super cute, though,” Marisa argued. “Guys can be a bit doofy, if they’re cute.”

    “No way,” Vanessa scoffed. “Absolutely not. He’s not that cute.”

    “But I mean, he’s cute, and he’s into her,” Tiffany said. “Right? He’s interested?”

    “In Tabitha?” Marisa hummed. “Honestly, I think he is.”

    “He’s—maybe,” Tabitha said, feeling her cheeks color. “I don’t know? I don’t want it to be weird.”

    “What about Matt, though?” Tiffany said. “There’s him, too.”

    “Matthew Williams?”

    “Matt Gilbert?”

    “Matthew—no, the other other Matt. Freshman Matt.”

    “Matthew Haynes?”

    “I think so?”

    “I don’t know him.”

    “He’s good looking?”

    “I mean, he’s better than Bobby…”

    “Ahurm,” Tabitha pretended to clear her throat. “It doesn’t matter! I’m not interested in dating anyone just yet. Not while I’ve… not while I have all this other stuff to figure out and get sorted out, first. Maybe next year? When I’m a sophomore, or something. I—I honestly just don’t feel ready for crushes or dating or cute guys. I’m already overwhelmed.”

    “Aw, honey,” Tiffany shook her head in dismay. “You don’t really get to decide.”

    “Yeah…” Grace gave her a sigh. “Cupid just comes along with his arrow and—urk! Gets you. When you least expect it…”

    “That’s, no,” Tabitha refuted with a giggle. “No. I decide. I’ve decided I’m not ready for crushes on guys or any of that. I have spoken. That’s final!”

    “Uggh!” Tiffany shook her head. “That just means you’re gonna get it even worse!”

    “It does not!”

/// I think one more section I want to add, and then that will complete chapter 61. Has been a frustrating month for me writing-wise. I'm increasingly certain I want to scrap the bits I had started with my other fic and restart from the beginning, but without the timeskip between those books. Because... I keep getting more ideas about things that would be way more interesting to read as they happen rather than having them added to a 'recap of things I didn't write' sort of thing. Because, that isn't satisfying to read. Right?

Also got the After AnimeCon manuscript back from the Mango editor, and wheeew man I was pissed for two nights straight. Got a bad editor matchup this time, with our author voices in strong conflict. Went on a huge rant about it on discord already. I'm gonna have to set aside like a solid week to go through and remove a lot of her edits. Most of her edits.

Otherwise I'm okay-ish. Have been sick, but I think it's just flu and not covid or anything serious. Bunkered down for winter exceptionally well this year. Eating healthy. Drinking lots. Staying warm.