New Girl: Chapter Thirty-Two

Lucita finished her English final easily and quickly. So did Lucas, she noticed as she stared at him. He smiled at her before he turned in his test, and it took all her restraint to not jump up and kiss him. Unfortunately, she would have to wait until the end of the class period or until everyone turned in their test before she could do that.

Soon enough, though, all the tests were handed in, and once the teacher called it, everyone was free to do whatever they wanted. The moment he sat beside her desk,

“You’ve been waiting to do that, huh?” he asked, smiling at her charmingly. Lucita blushed.

“Yeah. So glad that everyone is finished.” She kissed him again and leaned her head on his shoulder. She looked at how she felt so close to him and was glad she got these moments to be with him.

As he talked away, her phone vibrated, and she checked it. She had two text messages. She deleted one from Matthew on the spot and another from her mystery stalker.

Unknown:

TSK TSK. DOES LUCAS KNOW THAT YOU KISSED SOMEONE ELSE?

DOES HE KNOW ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS WITH YOUR MOM?

UR SO SCREWED.

YOU’LL LOSE HIM. I PROMISE YOU THAT DARLING.

SEE YOU AROUND. 😈

Lucita shut her phone and nuzzled her head deeper into Lucas’ shoulder as she thought about what she just read. She wondered who was messing with her. Who called people ‘darling’?

“Hey Lucas, do you know anyone good with phones?” She caught the sour look on his face.

“Unfortunately. Tiffany is a master at all things phone. Her dad, ya know. Why?”

“Phone has been acting weird,” she lied, trying to drown her anger.

“Sucks.”

“You have no idea.” Her anger boiled up deep within her. That stupid skank, she thought.

***

Silvia was grateful that it was the last day of school. She hung around, waiting for someone in particular. She waved Blake over, and he stared at her warily.

“What? You going to yell at me some more?”

“No, I’m not, but I guess I deserve that.”

Blake laughed. “Wow, holy crap, so it is possible for you to not be a total bitch. Amazing.”

“Blake, shut up. I’m trying to be nice here.”

“Okay, okay. Continue.”

Silvia stared at his charming smile, which reminded her of better days between them. She looked away briefly, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry for how I treated you while and after we were together. It was wacked, and you deserved better. So, sorry.”

“Wow.”

“That’s all you’re going to say? Wow?”

“No.” He ruffled his hair shyly, looking at her bashfully. “Look, Silvia, I…I really liked you, and I, uh, well, I never got over you.” He looked away briefly. “Just answer me this, okay, and I’ll forgive you. Do you still like me? And why now, all of a sudden, are you being so…nice?”

“Jason. A while ago, he told me you were planning on getting rid of Tiff, which is awesome, by the way. That got me thinking of all the nice and awesome things you’ve been doing. Made me realize that you’ve been kind of a decent guy.” Silvia rubbed her neck nervously, avoiding his honey eyes.

“I’m a half-decent guy, Silvia if you bother being nice.”

“Yeah. I’ve noticed.”

Blake stepped closer to her. “You still haven’t answered my question. Do you still like me?”

“Blake, I just can’t answer that.” Silvia blushed as she became suddenly aware of how close he was.

“Yeah? Alright then.” Suddenly, his lips were on hers, taking her by surprise. She wanted to pull away, but it was everything she remembered. Warm and sweet, like coconut. When he stepped back, she was out of breath, face bright red, while he smiled down at her.

“Make sure Lucita is around the complex. I’m going to go mess with Tiffany. See ya around, Sil.” He waved goodbye to her and took off, leaving Silvia really confused. She was woken from her daze by a gentle hand on her shoulder. Silvia looked back at Becca and quickly prayed that she had not seen the kiss.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah. Come on, let’s not miss the bus.”

***

Lucita made her way to the first floor of the school, furious. The little skank was stalking her and trying to screw with her head. If there was one thing she hated, it was being bullied, being screwed with.

Not again, not ever again. Her fury flared as she rushed down the stairs. She was so furious that she didn’t notice someone on the other side of the door as she kicked it open.

“Holy hell! Oh my god! Are you okay?” Lucita rushed to the side of the guy she had accidentally knocked to the ground. Lucita removed his hands from his face to ensure she hadn’t broken his nose. The moment she did, she recognized him instantly.

“I’m fine.”

“I know you. You’re Francis, right? Becca’s friend.” She grabbed his hand and helped him stand, dusting dirt from his shoulders.

“Yeah, I wished you had realized that a bit sooner.”

“Yeah, I know, I’m a super mega klutz. I tend to injure myself more than others, but others occasionally get injured. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“Are you sure? I feel terrible.”

Francis laughed and gave her a smile almost as handsome as Lucas’s. Francis looked great. “Don’t.”

“You can say that all you want, but I’m still going to feel bad.”

“So I see.” He looked down at his watch. “Hey, I’ve got to go.”

“Oh, right, me too. Well, I’ll see you around next year, right?”

“Yeah, I’ll be around. No worries. Later Luci.” He entered the stairwell, and Lucita smiled before she remembered that her mother was waiting for her.

“Crap!” Lucita ran off, thinking of Francis and his warm smile.

***

Rebecca had seen Blake kiss Silvia. Becca didn’t care. Okay, that was a lie. However, it proved her suspicion correct: Blake still had feelings for her. Becca may be oblivious, but she wasn’t that oblivious. Still, it was strange that he was staring at her, smiling from behind the bus. Her phone vibrated. She laughed silently as she read the text from Blake.

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Blake:

Come sit w/ me

Becca:

Can’t silly. Bus moving.

Blake:

Hmm, good pt. Hey, next sat, are you busy?

Becca:

No, why?

Blake:

Wanna go to the movies with me?

Becca:

Sounds great!

Blake:

Cool. Tty Gotta do some stuff.

Becca:

Kk.

“Why are you texting Becca, sweetie,” asked Tiffany as she filed her nails.

God, he hated how fake she sounded calling him sweetie. “Mind your own business, Tiff.”

“Oh, what-ev-er. You promised that I’d get to have some fun today. What’s the deal?”

“Don’t worry about it. Luci will be out and about. Just make a stupid comment and play around with her. Act like it was all you.”

“Can’t wait!” Tiffany pocketed her filer and nestled herself next to him

“Yeah, neither can I.”

***

Jason waited by Tiffany’s, waiting for Blake’s text message. He hoped that Lucita would pull her hair out.

Lucita sat with Silvia and Rebecca by the pool, taking in the last and final day of school. It was a good and pleasant day, that is until Tiffany appeared with Blake flanking her side. Her anger flared.

“Hello, darling. How’s Lucas?”

“Delicious skank. Jealous?”

“My, my, what a mouth you have.”

“Yeah, I know. Lucas seems to really like it, though.” Lucita smiled, gratified at the anger on her face.

“His lack of taste is disturbing.”

“Whatever you say.”

“How are things with your mother? Run away again? To Cyrus’s, I bet. Hmm, how would Lucas feel about that? Poor you, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. Have you? Has a little ghost been watching you?” Tiffany laughed. Lucita had enough. This ended now. She lunged.

***

Jason began banging on the door, acting like he was out of breath. Tiffany’s mother opened the door and stared at him, frightened.

“Jason, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Tiff—she’s fighting our friend.”

“Damn it! Lead the way.” Jason ran a smile on his face and stopped to point at the fight before him. It took his strength to hide the shock on his face as he watched Lucita and Tiffany roll around the hard concrete ground, pulling at each other’s hair. Tiffany had a bruised eye that would probably be black before the end of the day. Lucita had a bruised cheek and blood running down her chin. They were really going at it.

“Tiffany! Get off her this minute!” Tiffany’s head jerked up, and Jason saw the genuine fear in her eyes.

“Mom, I–I didn’t—” she stuttered, standing.

“Save it. Get to the house this minute!” Tiffany’s shoulders slumped in defeat as she walked on. Blake shared a look with Jason, and they both smiled. Finally, she was gone.

***

“Dad, I didn’t start it!” whined Tiffany as her mother packed her stuff. “Mom, please!”

“Enough!” screamed her father. “This was your last chance. I don’t care if you didn’t start it, got that! You will spend the summer with your aunt, and when you get back, you’re attending North Jackson High up in Orlando. Understood?”

“Yes, Dad.” Tiffany sat down, defeated. It was all wrong. Her phone rang, and she answered it. “Hi, Blake. Look, I—”

“Yeah, I know. Brilliant, huh.”

Tiffany was taken aback. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t worry about it. Have fun at boarding school. You won’t be missed.” The line went dead, and Tiffany, stoic, let the phone drop from her hand. Blake had set her up.

***

Cyrus was up later than usual. He looked at the picture of Lucita on his phone, then turned his attention toward the web browser that showed the boarding school that he would be attending soon. He still hadn’t told Lucita that he was leaving.

Cyrus was at a loss. He was leaving her for an entire school year while Matthew would be around. He didn’t want to leave her. Cyrus looked at the phone again. Sooner or later, he would have to tell her he was leaving for Orlando. North Jackson High, one of the finest private schools in Florida. He signed, shutting off his computer.