“Chris, you’re such a jerk! :P”

“Why?”

“She just cried for abt 10 mins bc of you! A little heads up would’ve been nice too. I almost thought you were telling the truth”

Delivered Read at 9:14 am

She waited. She gave up on an answer and started getting ready for the day. She threw her wet towel on Jenna’s bed, then decided she probably shouldn’t. Last week she did that and forgot about it. Either Jenna didn’t go back to the room that day, or she didn’t want to bring it up, but Michelle usually piled stuff on her bed when she wasn’t there. Sometimes, well, a lot of times she would come back in the afternoons and quickly take everything off before Jenna walked in. Her phone buzzed from across the room.

“Do you think I should just come clean? I didnt think it would upset her that much…”

She read it, then read it again out of disbelief. “NO!” she typed, “I’ve worked too hard keeping this secret!”

She decided that was too harsh, especially since she really didn’t know Chris that well. Instead she wrote:

“No, but i wouldnt go any further with it… maybe tell her that you might get out of trouble. give her some hope for a happy valentines weekend”

“Ok… well at least theres only a couple more days. Thx for ur help Michelle!”

She left for the day and headed to her French class. As she opened the side door to Neville, Dr. Helms came running up the stairs behind her.

“Bonjour, Bonjour Michelle!” he cheered as he hurried up the stairs. She muttered some incoherent French answer and followed his quick footsteps into the room.

Hmmmm, she sighed as she sat next to John.

“What?” he chuckled.

“Jenna is upset because she thinks Chris is in trouble, and I have to keep my mouth shut about this weekend. I hate secrets, especially when I have to keep them from best friends!”

“Well,” John started, “at least it’s almost over. Hey, what time are you getting lunch today?” She gave him a look and laughed. “We go over this every day and our schedules never change!”

“I know,” he answered, “but I can hardly remember my own schedule, forget about yours!”

“Alors, on commence maintenant!” Dr. Helms started. She wrote 11 on the corner of her page and tapped her pencil for John to see. He nodded and whispered me too. They started talking about irregular conjugation and did some exercises for a while. 50 minutes passed and they left for Springs.

“Do you know if Jenna is coming?” Josh asked.

“Yeah, she doesn’t have an 11 today.” They walked into Springs and were suddenly bombarded with all of the volunteer-filled tables trying to get sign-ups for everything happening on campus. Acting blind and deaf to all of them, they made up a conversation and walked right past. “That always makes me feel awkward,” John admitted.

“Oh really?” she answered sarcastically, “I thought we were really talking about Friday’s MHP because it’s so interesting!” She laughed at her own joke and John shoved her into a pole with a big laugh.

They sat at their usual table and waited for her to get there. “So I didn’t hear all of the plan for this weekend,” John whispered, “where is he taking her?”

“Well,” Michelle said as she leaned closer to him over the table, “they’re going to Greenville for a super fancy meal, and then,” John quickly shushed her because her back was to the entrance.

“Hey y’all!”

“Hey…” They said simultaneously.

“What?” Jenna asked.

“Nothing.” Michelle and John glanced at each other and giggled. Michelle stood up quickly and started toward the grill line.

“What are you eating today?” she asked Jenna, trying to change the subject.

“Grilled chicken. What were you talking about?” Crap she didn’t fall for it, Michelle thought.

“Um, just about Friday’s MHP.” Don’t look at John, don’t look at John, she thought. Just then he glanced at her and she laughed a little.

Jenna gave her that look. “There isn’t one this Friday.”

Michelle paused for a minute. “Well, we were talking about how there isn’t one this week. So, John, what are you eating today?” Jenna sighed and Michelle knew that she was done asking, although the secret would bother her all afternoon.

Missed Chapter One? Read it here.