MORE THAN THAT
Chapter Six
"Christina!" she heard Jack yell.
Christina turned her head from her locker to see Jack. He ran towards her.
"Hey, Jack!" Christina said,
smiling at him. She was throwing her books into her book bag.
"What's up?" he asked her.
"Nothing much. Shit! My locker is
messy!" she said.
"You have so many books in there."
Jack looked in her locker.
"They're Tommy's stuff. Poor bastard's
locker is on the first floor. We're lucky, though," Christina said.
"Lucky he has a good girlfriend to actually
let him keep his stuff in her locker," Jack said. He leaned on the door,
looking at the pictures she had taken with Tommy. There was one with Fabrizio,
Hannah, Tommy, and her. Then there was new one of all five of them, Jack,
Hannah, Tommy, Fabrizio, and her in her living room. It was the weekend her mom
had gone to Boston with her stepdad. The picture had been taken by her sister.
"Yeah. I hate coming to school. It's so
early. I shouldn't have gone to stupid Spanish club today." Christina
buried her head in her locker.
"We all know the feeling. Tomorrow is
Friday, though," Jack said.
Rose passed by and Jack moved his head in her
direction. Christina giggled.
"Jack, you really should get over
it," Christina said.
"I'm trying."
"Hey, guys!" Tommy kissed Christina
and gave Jack a pound.
"Hey, babe! Our friend here is obsessed
with the flower girl." Christina handed Tommy her books to hold.
"Jack, my friend, how many times do we
have to tell you? Chicks like her are hard to get," Tommy said, looking at
his hopeless friend.
"I know. I wish there was something I
could do for her," Jack said, clutching his art portfolio.
"Hey, guys!" Fabrizio stopped at
Christina's locker, holding Hannah's hand.
"Could you please tell Fabri here that
we aren't going to watch that stupid Spy Kids movie, ever?" Hannah
asked.
"Fabri, you are such a shithead. We're
not even going to the movies tomorrow," Tommy said to Fabrizio.
"Then what are we doing?" Fabrizio
asked in an annoyed voice.
"We're gonna jump into the Harlem River.
It may be kind of cold, but not bad weather," Christina answered him.
"You afraid you're gonna drown,
Fabri?" Jack teased him.
"N-no," Fabrizio stuttered. They
all laughed at him. "Oh, shut up! I'm going to homeroom! You coming,
Jack?" he asked. Jack nodded his head and followed Fabrizio.
Jack and Fabrizio ran downstairs to homeroom.
They walked into homeroom, and Jack stopped when he saw Rose sitting down. Rose
took a quick look at him, and Jack walked by her to talk to Fabrizio, seeing as
they had time before the bell for homeroom had actually rang.
"Cal gave me a promise ring today!"
Jack heard Rose telling Jennifer Green. She stuck her hand out to show her.
Jack saw a big diamond ring on her finger from the corner of his eye.
"It's gorgeous, Rose! You must have the
best boyfriend a girl could have!" Jennifer exclaimed. Jack rolled his
eyes. The diamond looked more like an engagement ring than just a silly promise
ring. He almost laughed at what Jennifer said about Cal being the best
boyfriend. If only there were a way that he could make everyone see what an
asshole Cal really was.
*****
During her free period, Rose went into the
bathroom. She saw Christina looking into the mirror, putting on lip gloss. Rose
went to go look at herself in the mirror next to hers.
"Humph!" she heard Christina say.
"What?" Rose asked.
"Are you engaged or something?"
Christina asked, referring to the ring.
"No!"
"Then what's that big diamond doing on
your finger?"
"That's none of your concern," Rose
said, in a nasty tone.
"Cool your jets, Rose. I was just asking
you a question."
"Well, don't ask."
"You are a big bitch. You know that,
Rose?" Christina asked, turning to face Rose. Rose stared back at her in
shock.
"What did you say?"
"Let's face it! You're not the Rose I've
known my whole life, the best friend I once had!"
"Your point is?"
"I'm just saying, the Rose I know
wouldn't have let some white-collared snob treat her like shit!"
"Cal and my relationship isn't any of
you or anyone else's business." Christina grabbed Rose's arm, pushing the
sleeves up.
"What are you doing?" Rose asked.
"What are these, Rose? Huh?"
Christina asked, lifting Rose's arm to show her the bruises. "Where did
you get them?"
"That's none of your business!"
Rose pulled her arm away from Christina.
"Cal did this to you! I know he
did!" Christina said. "You are a self-centered bitch! You are so
fucking greedy! The minute we entered high school, you acted like you didn't
even know me! You were obsessed with becoming popular. Those people aren't even
your real friends. You are a sick bitch! You know, Rose--fuck you! You sold
yourself out!" Christina grabbed her books and said one last thing to
Rose. "Jack wouldn't treat you like Cal does." Then she stormed out
the bathroom.
Rose leaned her forehead against the mirror.
Tears started to roll down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away. She
couldn't figure out when her life had gone all wrong. She knew every word
Christina said was true. But she felt like she had no way out.