Crushing on the Geek(14)
“Hayden!”
“Tamara!”
“What happened to everyone's right to be themselves?”
“Well, they have that right as long as they don't try to hinder others from doing just that!”
“Shut up and drive!”
“Don't tell me to shut up in my own car!”
“I just want to go home, Hayden!” Tamara crossed her arms, “I can't deal with this!”
“Deal with what? Me telling you the truth?”
“They're not hurting anyone!”
“Sir Bedivere is just a statue!”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“Can we talk about something else?” Tamara sank deeper into her seat.
“Like what?”
“Anything that doesn't have to do with chess or Sir Bedivere?”
“Fine!”
Tamara bit her lip as a silence engulfed them. She watched Hayden watching her through the rear view mirror, out of the corner of her eye. He wasn't much different from Doug or anyone else, not really. Just like the rest of the guys Tamara had fallen for, he always had to be right. In the past Tamara had lost more than one guy's interest by proving him wrong. Why did guys have to be like that? Lame.
“I'm sorry,” Tamara muttered.
“Don't worry about it. Believe me, losing a tournament always causes arguments.”
“Now it's starting to sound like sports,” Tamara laughed, sitting back up, “Everyone trying to find someone to blame.”
“So what do you want to do?”
“Let's get something to eat?”
“Sounds like a plan. Where to?”
“The first place we pass.”
“That hungry?”
“I'm always hungry after a competition.”
“Too bad, Sir Bedivere isn't here. I bet he's stuffed with candy he can't digest.”
Tamara slapped Hayden on the arm, laughing, “You shouldn't say stuff like that!”
“Why?”
“Because it isn't nice!”
“I never claimed to be nice.”
“Well, you should be.”
“I'll make sure to apologize to Sir Bedivere.”
“Good, maybe I will too,” Tamara said with a trembling tongue.
Chapter Five
Monday was dragging by and Tamara had a feeling the principal's voice ringing out over the loud speaker at lunch time was going to worsen matters. Her eyes were heavy and instead of eating she rested her head against the table. Amber and Josh was chatting away, leaving the brain-dead Tamara alone, since she couldn't keep up with their constantly changing babble about books. She heard the word fandom a half dozen times, but she didn't know what the hell they were talking about. Why couldn't the world just shut up for a minute?
No sooner had she completed her thought the intercom's pitched beep sounded and the voices in the cafeteria fell silent. Last year, the beep had sounded just once during lunch and that was to announce that Junior Sammy Kirish had died in a car crash. Tamara squeezed her eyes shut and tried to prepare herself for anything Principal Hashings might say.
“Good afternoon, students of Central Glade High School. I hope you're all enjoying your lunch or study periods. Before I share some sad news with you, I want to assure all of you that to the best of my knowledge all of your classmates and teachers are safe, sound, and alive. I know many times through the decade of my leadership of Central Glade lunchtime announcements have brought news of someone departing our company,” Principal Hashings began.
Tamara opened her eyes and exchanged a worried look with Amber.
“Today that is not the case. As many of you have likely heard our chess team lost the tournament yesterday. They did not place in the top three teams of the tournaments. What some of you may not know is every year of Halloween dance is funded by our excellent chess team placing high in the two tournaments held in October. The top three teams earn money for their school or academic establishment.
“Without this funding Central Glade cannot afford to host its annual Halloween dance. There is the slim possibility of the dancing taking place if our team can win first place in the tournament the weekend before Halloween. Please give your support and encouragement to the chess team. Each of member of the team works very hard to ensure many of traditions are upheld,” Principal Hashings finished her announcement by reading off the names of the team members.
The quiet of the cafeteria echoed around Tamara's skull when her name was read. Up until now she thought she had done an adequate job of keeping her membership of the chess team away from gossiping ears and lips, but Principal Hashings had just undone all of her hard work.
“What does she mean we're not going to have the Halloween dance?” someone across the cafeteria asked.