Boy Trouble (10 page)

I
was so glad to have today off. I'd had to put on a smile and fake the funk at a movie premiere last night. The movie sucked, but it was starring one of my friends, model Savannah Vanderpool, in her acting debut. She'd come a long way in a fight against drugs, so I didn't know how I was going to rip her movie to shreds.

Then, I had to go to a party after the premiere, so I didn't get home until two in the morning. Then, I had to get to school on time because I had a test first period, so I'd been dragging all day. I was ready to get home, but I needed to get to the gym and turn in my health report. I didn't do gyms because the last thing I was going to do was run up and down a court, sweating out my Brazilian blowout, so I'd been excused. But part of being excused included doing these stupid research papers, which to me were just a frivolous waste of time. They weren't that hard, just an inconvenience.

I had just taken a short cut through the girls' locker room when I saw something that made me stop in my tracks. Javier was going through one of the lockers. He was the only person in there, but I could hear the girls' basketball team practicing in the gym.

I stood back and watched him as he picked the lock, then casually opened the locker and started going through the stuff like it was his. I saw him pick up what looked like an iPhone and drop it in his pocket. He closed that locker and moved to the one right next to it. I started scrambling for my phone. Okay, maybe he wasn't a cheater, but he was definitely a thief. And there was no twin mess this go-round. Javier still had on that lame plaid shirt I'd seen him in earlier.

As soon as I got the phone out of my pocket, though, it fell to the floor. I scrambled to try and catch it, but couldn't. Luckily, it was in an OtterBox case, so the phone wasn't damaged, but my cover was definitely blown.

I looked up to see Javier staring at me. “Is there something I can help you with?” he asked.

I clutched my phone. “You find what you were looking for in that locker?” I asked.

He glared at me, and if looks could kill, I had no doubt I'd be straight-up dead right about now.

“You're such a pain,” he said, stepping closer to me, “always scrambling around, spying on people.”

“Boy, no one was spying on you. I just so happened to be coming through when I saw you breaking into these lockers.”

He actually leaned back and smiled. “I wasn't breaking into nothing. My friend forgot her code and asked me to come in here and get something for her.”

“What friend?”

“Not that it's any of your business, but Gina.”

“Who is that?” I asked. “I've never even heard of someone named Gina?”

“You don't know everyone that goes here,” he protested.

“Whatever.” I pushed him aside. “Let's see what Coach Wilson thinks about you breaking into girls' lockers.”

He grabbed my arm as I tried to pass him and slammed me up against the door.

“Have you lost your mind?” I said, jerking my hand away. I don't know why Javier didn't scare me, but he didn't. I felt like he was all talk. I took a step toward him. “I'm not your little girlfriend. If you ever put your hands on me again, I promise you will regret it.”

“You rich chicks think you're all that,” he sneered.

“Yeah, you sure are slobbin' after one of those rich chicks.” He grinned. “Correction, that rich chick is slobbin' after me. And I have her right where I want her.”

“Ugh, you're so disgusting. I can't wait to tell Sheridan what you said.”

“Go ahead and snitch. It's your word against mine about everything. And trust, I can get someone to vouch for me. Shoot, I can get your BFF to vouch for me.”

I glared at him but didn't reply because the sad part was, he probably could. Sheridan's nose was so wide open that she would probably lie for this jerk.

“Oh,
you
trust, I'll make sure that Sheridan knows that she's dating a thief.”

That made him lose his smile. “I don't need to steal anything.” He grinned again. “I have a rich girlfriend that will buy me whatever my heart desires.”

“Good, maybe she can put some money on your books when you're in jail.”

“I can't stand you,” he said.

“The feeling is mutual,” I replied, turning to head to the coach's office.

“Oh, and just so you know, my girl has told me some things you might not want getting out,” he called out after me.

I don't know why, but I stopped in my tracks as I wracked my brain for anything that I'd done that could get me in any major trouble. Yeah, Sheridan and I had done a lot of things over the years, but nothing that could get us in any major trouble. Except . . . Naw, I shook that thought away. No way would Sheridan have ever shared that.

Or would she?

“I know how you guys set up Kary White. I know about those dresses you took on a dare.” He flashed a wicked smile. “I know a whole lot.”

I didn't know if he was bluffing or what, but I turned and kept walking.

“Open your big mouth and I promise you'll be sorry,” he called out after me.

I turned back to face him. “I don't do threats.”

“But I do,” he replied matter-of-factly. “I'm a scholarship kid from the other side of the tracks, remember? It would be a shame for something to happen to that fine mama of yours.”

The look in his eyes actually sent a flutter of fear through me. But I managed not to let it show.

“Whatever, Javier. I'm out, so you can keep breaking in lockers.”

I left the gym, but Javier's threat had sent a chill up my spine. Instead of heading left to go to Coach Wilson's office, I turned right to go home.

I
knew that I should've gone to Coach Wilson and reported Javier, but I didn't need any extra drama. I already had it where my bodyguard, Mann, didn't come with me to school. I wanted to keep it that way. I didn't want to be in fear even when I was going to class. Besides, I needed to talk to Sheridan first and find out exactly what she'd told that fool.

I kept one hand on the steering wheel as I dialed her number for the fifth time. And for the fifth time, it went straight to voice mail.

Finally, I gave up. I scrolled through my phone until I found the phone number for Sheridan's aunt, Cora. Cora lived in the house with Sheridan and was supposed to be watching her while her mother worked. Ms. Matthews was in France now on a six-week movie shoot.

“Hi, Ms. Cora, it's Maya,” I said when she answered.

“Hey, sweetie,” she sang. I actually liked Ms. Cora. She loved having fun and was always in a good mood. But I guess you could be when you didn't have to work, didn't have any kids of your own, and got to live the high life off of your sister's money.

“Are you in town?” I asked.

“Yeah, baby. But not for long. Heading to Vegas for a girls' weekend.” She sounded like she was in her convertible—a top-of-the-line Jag—because it was hard to hear her.

“Well, I was trying to see if you're at home. I'm really trying to catch up with Sheridan.”

“I'm not at home, but I just left about five minutes ago.”

“Was she there?”

“Speak up, baby. I can't hear you. No, you know what? Hold on. Let me put the top up.”

I waited a few minutes, and then she came back on the line. “Now, what were you saying?”

“I said, I'm trying to find Sheridan. Was she at home when you left?”

“Yeah. She was there. In there on the phone with that boy. Shoot, she stays on the phone with that boy. I tried to tell her, no beautiful young woman like her needs to be tied up with a boy like that. She needs to be footloose and fancy-free. Plus, when she does date, she needs to date someone on her own level. She keeps dating this gutter trash. Most of these guys are just after her money. I don't know why that girl is so gung ho on having a boyfriend. She acts like something is wrong if she doesn't have some boy sniffing behind her. Probably because of her daddy issues.” She tsked. “If she knows like I know, she'll enjoy the single life for the rest of her life.”

I knew Ms. Cora would ramble on and on if I didn't stop her.

“Okay, Ms. Cora. I was just asking because I was trying to get in touch with her. It's kinda important.”

“You called her?”

“Yes, but she's not answering.”

“Hmph, probably because she won't click over when he's on the phone, talking about he doesn't like to be put on hold. What kind of mess is that? I tried to tell her, but of course, she won't listen to me.”

If Sheridan was at home and not answering, then that meant that she was probably talking to Javier. That meant that he was trying to come up with some story to cover his tracks.

“All right, Ms. Cora. I'll keep trying her.”

“Okay, baby. Why don't you come and stay with Sheridan this weekend? I hate her being in that big ol' house by herself.”

I wanted to tell Ms. Cora that was what Ms. Matthews paid her for, but I didn't feel like getting cussed out, so I just said, “I just may do that.”

“Great. Okay, sweetie, I'll talk to you later. I'm at the spa and they will try to give my spot away if I'm late.”

I said good-bye, then hung up the phone. I immediately sent Sheridan a text.

 

Call me!!!

 

Five minutes later, when she still hadn't answered, I texted her again.

 

Don't believe his lies!!!

 

Three minutes later, I was about to send another text when my phone rang and Sheridan's picture popped up on the screen.

“Hello,” I said.

“Maya, what is your problem?”

I could hear the attitude in Sheridan's voice, and I could tell that this conversation was not going to go well.

I pulled over into a Starbucks parking lot. “So, let me guess. Your boyfriend had a perfectly good explanation as to why he was breaking into girls' lockers?”

“Really, Maya? Breaking into lockers? He didn't break into anything.”

“How do you know, Sheridan? Were you there? No, you weren't. But I was. And yes, he was breaking into lockers.”

I could just see her rolling her eyes. “Yeah, just like he was at Sullivan's Steakhouse with some chick.”

“Okay, so I was wrong about that, but I'm not wrong about this. He's such a prick. And what did you tell him about us?”

“What do you mean?” she replied.

“Javier said that you told him all the stuff we did together, like when we made Kary White think Jock wanted to go out with her.”

“I told him some stuff. Just silly stuff we did back in the day. What's the big deal?” She actually sounded agitated.

I wanted to ask her why she was even discussing me with him, since he didn't like me and I didn't like him. “Oh, I know what you're thinking,” she finally said. “Don't worry, I didn't tell him
that
. Some of us have respect for our friendship,” she sarcastically added.

“And just what is that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said.” She huffed. “Maya, the bottom line is, as much as you'd like to make him out to be one, Javier isn't a thief.”

“When did you get to be so dumb?” The words were out of my mouth before I even realized it. I'm sure that caught her by surprise because silence filled the phone until I said, “Sheridan, I'm sorry.”

“No,” she said, angrily. “This dumb chick is done talking to you about her man. Yes, Javier had a perfectly good explanation. But it's none of your business what that was. In fact, nothing of what I do is your business. I don't know what it's going to take to get that through your thick skull. This job got you messed up. You don't know how to stay out of other people's business. But let me make this very clear—I don't want your advice, I don't need your input, and I don't want to hear anything else you have to say about my boyfriend.”

The next sound I heard was the phone hanging up in my ear. I just sat in my car staring at my phone, I was so dumbfounded. So, Sheridan could get some spunk and stand up to me, but she couldn't stand up to that loser she was dating. I'll admit, I shouldn't have called her dumb, but that stuff she just said was out of order.

She was lucky, though. Her aunt Cora's words rang in my ears. I was starting to believe there was some truth to what she said. Sheridan's mom stayed gone all the time. There was some big secret as to who her dad was. Ms. Matthews wouldn't admit it, but there was a rumor that he was a big-time married movie producer. So, Sheridan longed to be loved, by any means necessary. That was the only explanation as to why she would be into someone like Javier. And so, for that reason, I was going to let her make it. I was mad, but I'd let her make it.

I had just pulled back on the freeway when my phone rang again. Kennedi's picture popped up. I wondered if Sheridan had called her.

“Hello,” I said.

“Hello,” she said, sniffing. As soon as I heard her, I knew this call had nothing to do with Sheridan.

“Hey, Kennedi. What's wrong?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer. Only one thing made her cry these days. He was about six feet tall with light gray eyes and liked to beat on girls.

“What's always wrong with me?” Kennedi said.

I took a deep breath. “So, what did he do this time?”

“He broke up with me. I think it's for real this time,” she sobbed.

I wanted to say, “Good.” I rolled my eyes and tried to think of something more tactful to say. “Well, maybe it's for the best.”

“Whatever, Maya.”

So much for my old BFF being back. I guessed Kennedi was back to trippin'. I hated the fact that I had no idea what mood she would be in these days and it was all behind yet another loser.

“Where are you?” she asked.

“Going home.” I sighed in frustration. “I just saw Sheridan's trifling boyfriend breaking into a locker in the girls' gym.”

“Really?” she asked, even though it sounded like she couldn't care less.

“I tried to tell her, but she just got mad and told me that I needed to mind my own business.”

Kennedi didn't reply.

“So, I guess you agree with what she said.”

“I don't even know what she said, Maya.”

“I told you. She said the show has me thinking that it's okay to get in people's business.”

She blew a frustrated breath. “I've been telling you that. You and your two cents have really gotten old.”

I was sick of being the bad guy, especially when all I was trying to do was help. “You know what? If you and Sheridan want to stay in these jacked-up relationships, do you,” I snapped.

“At least we got a relationship,” she snapped back.

I wanted to remind her that really, she didn't, but I just said, “I'm sorry. I'd rather be by myself than be in a relationship where I'm being abused.”

“I don't get abused,” she protested. “You know what, Maya? I'm with Sheridan—since you got this little show, you think you're the queen of everything. And you think you have a right to be in everybody's business. Well, you don't have a right to dictate who I see, who Sheridan sees, or anything we do with our lives. Get your own life and stop worrying about ours.” And for the second time that day, one of my best friends hung up on me.