The sound of Clair's gym locker door being slammed shut, ricocheted through Jessica's aching head. Truthfully, it felt like any sudden noise might crack her skull into a dozen fragments.
The two of them were getting ready for cheerleading practice, which was something Jessica usually enjoyed. That afternoon though, she could barely drag herself to the school's gymnasium.
All she wanted to do was hide under a mountain of blankets for the rest of the day and throw herself a giant pity party.
I can't believe I drank so much and slept so little last night, she complained to herself as she pulled her thick hair back into a high ponytail. It's one of the dumber choices I've made lately.
"Are you sure you're ok, Jess? Because you look a bit green to me."
Jessica gave Clair her sulkiest look. "I feel like absolute death. This locker room smell is making me want to heave. Thanks for reminding me I also look like crap."
Clair grinned. The girl had always been practically immune to hangovers, much to Jessica's chagrin. "Chin up, baby girl. You actually look fine, just kind of pale. And last night was all for a decent cause, wasn't it? Getting a ride home with Tom must've been worth it."
Despite her searing headache, Jessica had to smile a little at the memory.
Not only had Tom driven her home from the bonfire, he'd also kissed her in the front seat of his car.
It had been completely unexpected, but also a surprisingly good kiss. She hadn't even minded that his lips had tasted of the sweet rum.
After that, Jessica had practically floated up her driveway and to her bedroom window, which she'd deliberately left unlocked.
She'd been using the window to sneak in and out at night for the past three years and her mother was none the wiser.
After getting into pyjamas and leaving her clothes on the floor in a pile that reeked of cigarettes, Jessica had curled up in her bed. She'd fallen asleep feeling genuinely happy at how everything had turned out.
She'd felt slightly less elated when the harsh light of dawn had smacked her right between the eyes. It had taken a superhuman effort for her not to run to the bathroom and throw up uncontrollably.
She'd even thought about lying to her mother and telling her she'd come down with some kind of illness, just so she could stay home.
But that would've meant actually facing her mother. And she wasn't in the mood for it after their latest argument.
So Jessica had forced herself to get dressed and head to school early. She'd treated the long walk under the early desert sun, as a sick kind of penance.
"So what do you think will happen now with Tom?" Clair eagerly prodded her. "Are the two of you going to meet up again? Did he say he'd call you?"
"No." Jessica said, feeling hesitant. "We didn't agree on anything. So now… I don't know. I don't want to come off as some desperado who's chasing him for the next move." She'd never enjoyed that stage of limbo at the very start of a relationship. The awkward maybe-we-are, maybe-we're-not phase always made her want to punch someone in the face.
"Don't you worry, he'll call you. I'd bet my daddy's paycheque on it." Clair smiled assuredly. "Tom's not an idiot. At least, not more than your usual guy."
Jessica found the confidence in her friend's voice reassuring. She waited expectantly for Clair's next words but there was only silence.
Instead, Clair clamped her mouth shut as she looked over Jessica's shoulder and across the room.
Lauren Halliwell had just walked into the locker room, gym bag slung over her shoulder. Tom's ex girlfriend.
Oops.
"Hi Lauren." Jessica greeted her calmly. She'd never liked Lauren much but given they were all cheerleaders, they moved in the same circles. Besides, maybe there was a chance Lauren hadn't overheard their conversation?
Lauren threw her a dirty look. No such luck.
"You don't need to stop your gossip on my account. I could hear you both talking about Tom. And everyone saw you hanging off him all last night."
"We shared a few drinks and he gave me a ride home. I'm not sure that counts as hanging off someone. But you're welcome to think what you want." Jessica sighed as she took off her glasses and placed them in their case. She definitely wasn't in the mood for a fight, especially when her head was still pounding and her thoughts were foggy.
Lauren pulled her long red hair back into a messy bun. "Whatever. If you want to spend your time sniffing around my sloppy seconds, I don't care."
"Good to hear that." Clair butted in sweetly. "So if you don't care, why are you being a pain in my vice captain's ass? Shouldn't you doing your warm up stretches instead? Lord knows you need them. Your tumbling and cartwheels at last practice were just embarrassing."
Lauren stormed off without another word. Jessica watched her retreating back. "So much for it being a mutual breakup between them." she mumbled, rubbing her temples.
Clair draped an arm across her shoulders. "Is that what Tom told you happened? How cute of him. Guys never want to sound like jerks to the girl they're interested in, when they talk about a breakup. So they'll always say it was mutual. Even if it was more like a raging gunfight."
Jessica couldn't help giggling. "That's one way to describe it. Thanks for stepping in just now. My brain's only running at half power today. So I would've only managed to give her a half-assed reply. Or just slapped her."
"That's what I'm here for. To keep those stuck up bitches in line. Though seeing you slap her would've been fun too." Clair's eyes danced with humour. "Come on, let's go to practice."
The two of them strolled towards the gymnasium doors.