f o u r t e e n

                                    

                                          
"so," monty said as he pushed my locker shut. he squeezed between me and the lockers. "what's the game plan?" 
                          
"excuse me?" i asked. 
                          
"well we have a game today." he told me. "you can sneak into the locker room, look at everyone's hand writing and find your prince charming." 
                          
"what are you smoking de la cruz? i'm not sneaking into the locker room and violating the team's privacy." 
                          
"oh come on nicolette," he said as i began walking towards our next class. "you need to find out who this guy is."
                          
i turned and looked at him, "why are you so invested in this monty?" 
                          
he reached forward, pulling a paper that was sticking out of my folder. he looked at it, smiled and handed it back. 
                          
"you got another one," he smiled and walked around me. 
                          
i looked over my shoulder and watched him walk into class. 
                          
"my thoughts are free to go anywhere, but it's surprising how often they head in your direction." i read and smiled. 
                          
i pushed it back inside my folder as the bell rang. i hurried into the classroom and into my seat that was next sat next to jeff and hannah, behind scott and in front of monty. alex and jessica sat across the room. 
                          
"you're late misses james," monty whispered into my ear. 
                          
i shook my head as i let out a chuckle. this caused all my friends to look at me. 
                          
"what are you so giggly about?" scott asked. 
                          
"nothing," i shook my head. 
                          
jeff raised his eyebrow before grabbing the note that was hanging out of my folder again. 
                          
"jeff!" i exclaimed. 
                          
"what's this?" he asked. 
                          
"she doesn't want you to read it obviously." monty said and snatched it back. 
                          
we all looked at him surprised as he handed it to me. i folded it and slipped it into my pocket. 
                          
"alright," the teacher started as i looked to jeff. i sent him an apologetic look with a small smile before he nodded and turned to the board. 
                          
i zoned out for the rest of the class and jumped once the bell rang. i grabbed my stuff and ducked out and hurried to my locker. i grabbed my things and went to my next class. i had this one with monty, alex, zach, scott and my brother. 
                          
my brother was sat on a table, laughing as something zach had said before i walked in. i went to the back, sitting in my normal seat. my brother gave me a concerned look because i ignored him. i sent a smile and so he dropped it as my other friends came in, the bell ringing. scott sat in front of me, with alex to my right, the wall to my left and monty in front of alex. 
                          
the teacher began talking as i pulled my binder open. clipped inside was another note that read, "i keep myself busy in everything i do, but when i pause, i think of you." 
                          
i sighed and shut my binder as scott leaned his head back on my desk, looking at me. 
                          
"are you okay?" he asked. 
                          
"i'm perfect," i told him and ran my fingers through his hair. 
                          
i watched his eyes as i smiled. he let his eyes shut and i continued as my eyes traveled over to monty and alex, who were already staring at me. i looked across the room and saw the surprised looked on zach's face. my brother was angry and you could tell but i just shook my head and zoned in to what the teacher was saying. 
                          
"i'm allowing you to pick your partners for this assignment." she stated as she sat down. "please let me know who you are working with so i can make sure you both get a grade." 
                          
"i'm working with my sister." elliot said as he got up and headed towards me. "i need to consult her outside first." 
                          
he grabbed my wrist away from scott and pulled me outside of the classroom as i threw my head back, groaning. 
                          
"elliot, this is getting annoying." i said as he spun me around. 
                          
"how many times do we have to have this talk?" 
                          
"we don't." i laughed in frustration. "i'm sixteen, turning seventeen in december, and i'm allowed to date. i'm allowed to like a guy. i'm allowed to do what i want without you looking over my shoulder every few seconds. you're not dad and you're not mom." 
                          
"i'm just trying to make sure you make the right decisions." 
                          
"no, you're trying to control my life and i'm not putting up with it any longer elliot." i said and pushed past him. 
                          
i walked into the classroom as everyone looked over to me. i rolled my eyes and walked back to my spot behind scott. 
                          
"what was that about?" he asked. 
                          
"usual elliot, trying to control my life." i said. "it doesn't matter, will you work with me?" 
                          
"yeah," he smiled, "but i almost fell asleep during the instructions." 
                          
"it's okay," i smiled back, "i paid attention." 
                          
....
                          
"so your brother told me you dropped a bomb in the hallway earlier." monty said as he walked up next to me. 
                          
"care to clarify?" i asked, headed towards the parking lot where my car was. 
                          
he grabbed my hand and made me stop. 
                          
"you like scott," he said. 
                          
"i didn't mean for it to come out, i was just angry and wanted him off my back." i said. 
                          
"so you do officially like him? even if he isn't the one with the letters?" 
                          
"the person giving me the letters is obviously not man enough to tell me to my face that they like me." i shrugged. 
                          
he looked down at my hand before running his thumb over it. 
                          
"so you're not coming to the game?" he asked. 
                          
i pulled my hand away from him. 
                          
"i've had a long day and i'm not in the mood." i told him. "i'll see you tomorrow." 
                          
"what's tomorrow?" 
                          
"my dad is flying to chicago to see my mom before she flies back. elliot is throwing a party." 
                          
"since when?" 
                          
"since when does montgomery de la cruz not know about a party?" i chuckled. 
                          
"today i guess," he smiled. 
                          
"tomorrow, ten o'clock, be there or be square." i smiled as i took a step back. 
                          
"be safe little one," he told me. 
                          
"good luck monty."