Annoy Danny Day: The Rewrite no one asked for: A Quarter of Chapter Four

Lunch was almost over and it became abundantly clear that Danny wasn't going to show up. I sat with Tucker at our usual table, just the two of us in this unusually quiet lunch period. I kept taking a hesitant micro bite of the same piece of lettuce that I've been nibbling on for the past 15 minutes. Tucker kept glancing at me, eating his third meaty mcmeat double double animal style. He tried to strike up a conversation again but I couldn't pay attention to him when I had to wonder what my mother would put on my gravestone since I'll soon by killed by every girl here.

Well, by the ones who knew what was up. They were shooting daggers at me with their eyes, sitting at their tables, strategically placed in hopes of enjoying one hell of a show but the link to light the fuse was missing in action. Every time someone walked by, I jumped a little, half expecting to be dragged away to never be seen again. Every whisper had to be about me, every glance in my general direction, making my heart beat hard between my ears, ready to jump out my chest. I couldn't focus, I couldn't think. But no, I wasn't nervous, what gave you that idea?

"So Sam, I was thinking about hacking into the new Doom update, make some cool customizations to our avatars, what would you want?"

I nodded, spaced the hell out, "Uh huh, sounds great."

Tucker frowned, "I asked what you wanted."

"Yeah Tucker, I don't know, green."

"…" Tucker turned his body towards me, leaning into the table, his hand propping up his cheek, other hand on his hip.

"…So I thinking about covering myself in green glow in the dark paint and breaking into people's houses, announcing that I'm Santa Claus 2.0 who gives out sugar free gum, steals their television, out runs the cops, but I get caught when I break down crying about my ex-boyfriend the Easter Bunny."

I bit the piece of lettuce, looking around, taking in all the glares, "That's great Tucker, tell me how it goes."

"Okay," Tucker clapped his hands together, closing his eyes and breathing in through his nose. In a swift motion, his hands were on my shoulders, turning me towards him, and now I could see the worry and alarm in his face. I could see my own worried face reflecting in his glasses— I mean, I'm not worried, who told you that I was worried?

"Sam, you got to talk to me, what's going on?" Tucker took his hands from my shoulders, resting them in the space between us.

I gathered up the strength to sit up straight and remove any hints of panic in my facial expression; I couldn't let him get involved in the mess I created for myself, but I absolutely hated these moments when he did his damn best to be a good friend, why does he always come around when you don't want or need him!

"I'm fine, Tucker, really, continue talking about…" I tried to search my memory, "…Whatever you just said. Something about Easter?"

Tucker sighed, slouching over, elbows on his knees and his hands pressed together as he brought them to his lips, deep in thought, he had a few false starts to his speech, looking me in my eyes when it seemed he made a decision, sitting back up, speaking flat,

"…Sam, I know."

In quick denial of what he could know, my reply was fast on my tongue, "Know what?"

"Samantha, could we have a word with you?"

Tucker and I both looked up to see Paulina and Star, and their lackeys behind them, arms crossed and looking constipated, which explains their shitty attitude.

Switching the hell up, Tucker went into his "irresistible Casanova" mode as he likes to call it, winking to Paulina.

"Helloooo Miss Sanchez~ May I say, you're looking quite guava today."

"Shut the fuck up, Foley," she had no time for his incorrect Spanish, "Sam, outside, now."

I didn't say anything, getting up and following them to my demise. I couldn't even look back to Tucker who called after me and tried to follow but was blocked by a few of the lackeys.

"Sam, come back!"

"Sit the fuck down, Foley," a cheerleader lackey warned, shoving him with her pom-pom, "Unless you want to be eating your burger through a feeding tube."

"Well fuck, I thought cheerleaders were supposed to be peppy." He stated, that being the last thing I heard as I was led outside to the back of the school building, hidden in the shade. They all surrounded me, leaving no room for escape.

Paulina and Star stood in the middle, both glaring at me with burning intensity, still all in silence.

Well, this was getting boring.

"Is anyone going to say anything?" I asked.

"Ugh!" Star stamped her foot, "You were supposed to feel intimidated!"

"Girl, chill," Paulina motioned for Star to step back while she took a step forward towards me, arms crossed,

"You warned Danny about our plans."

I glared right back, "No, I didn't."

Star quickly injected, "Then WHY didn't he come to lunch?! We were ready, with 50 pounds of guacamole, which wasn't cheap, don't you know how expensive avocados are?!"

With one look from Paulina, Star had to be held back by the lackeys before she could jump and scratch my eyes out with her perfectly manicured nails. I rolled my eyes, shrugging.

"Look, I don't why Danny didn't come to lunch, okay? It's not my fault that the whole plan hinged on that one stupid factor."

"Hmm," Paulina hummed, "So you're telling us it's completely coincidental that your boyfriend missed out on one of biggest pranks right after you threatened to leave us and made it clear that you have a problem with our leadership? After Star graciously gave you another chance?"

"He'snotmyboyfriend," My automatic tired reply, and I sighed, "And yes? What do you want me to say?"

"Just admit that you're playing both sides. And you better have him ready for the finale." Paulina came in even closer, eye to eye,

"You don't want to mess with us, Sam. We have the power to make your life a living hell."

I scoffed, "What, unlike now?"

Paulina smirked with her trademarked hair flip, "You have no idea."

I was about to respond but the lackeys started to shift and shout in annoyance, catching my attention along with Paulina's. A familiar voice was going excuse me, excuse me as they broke through the crowd, it was finally revealed to be Jazz who stumbled into freedom out of the mob, brushing herself off, then tried to regain her sense of authority, pointing at Paulina,

"You leave Sam alone!"

Star broke away from her lackeys, stepping to Jazz, "Or what?"

Paulina sucked her teeth, hand on her hip, "Were you eavesdropping on us in our secret spot?"

Jazz blinked, "Secret spot?" She motioned off right with her thumb, "This is where the teacher aides and student teachers come to smoke on their breaks."

Sure enough, those semi-adults were present to the side, smoking, chatting, and minding their own business, not paying any attention at all to all the wacky teenaged hi-jinks because they don't get paid enough for this shit. Others not paid at all, grumbling about unpaid internships and lousy college credits.

One waved, "Yo Jazz, I told Tom that I'll be taking over your afterschool tutoring session today, happy anniversary to your folks!"

Jazz turned and smiled towards him, "Thanks Phil!"

She returned her attention to Paulina and Star, back to a frown, "And you two: leave Sam alone, I don't know what she did but if this has anything to do with that 'club', you know what I will do."

Jazz made sure to use real air quotations with her fingers and her eyes narrowed at them both. Wow, I never expected someone, well, anyone, to look at Jazz with such horror and fear, both backing away. What the hell?

Paulina recovered first, coughing into her fist while Star held onto Paulina's other arm, still looking like a frighten puppy with the shakes. Paulina reached into her pocket, taking out her phone, checking it, and glancing between it and Jazz who waited for an answer. She scoffed,

"Whatever. Let's go, girls, we'll deal with this traitor later."

"Yeah!" Star chimed in, "Later, traitor Joe!"

Paulina gave her a look of disgust, "…What was that?"

Star blinked, her hands gesturing, "It was, like, a pun? Traitor, trader, like the grocery store—"

"Let's just go." Paulina said flat, cutting her off and heading through the back exit while Star followed and discussed with the other minions whether her joke made sense.

"Hmph! Thought so." Jazz took a minute to celebrate her victory, doing a quick "who's the boss?" dance, whooping it up while forgetting bystanders are all around, but most importantly, me, who is left confused and ready to scream.

"Um," I raised an eyebrow, motioning around, "Not to sound like an echo, but what was that?"

"Huh?" Jazz stopped her dancing, blushing and coughing into the fist, "O-oh! Ahem, sorry."

She sighed, "I know my dance moves aren't the best-"

"Uh, NO," I screeched, throwing my arms into the air, "What was THAT, with you and Paulina and her pun-happy sidekick?"

Jazz's blush started to fade and she rubbed her neck, "Y-yeah, I know that's what you meant…"

Jazz took a deep breath, hand on her chest while I waited for to start to explain what the hell she could have to do with my nightmare of a day.

She scratched her cheek, her eyes refusing to meet mine as she dropped the bomb,

"If this is about what I think it's about… Then it's all my fault you're in this mess."

"WHAT?"

Ayyy like all good fanfic writers, I gotta make excuses about why I haven't updated in a while, but long story short, my laptop keyboard is broken. I've had this segment typed up for a while now so just gonna post it even if it's an unintentional cliffhanger, i'msorryrandompeople. but typing with my drawing tablet and on-screen keyboard is hell, I'm doing it right now. See yall in the new year when I get myself a new laptop, peace outttt