Chapter Three — Blair

Blair peeled his swim cap off and ruffled his hair before changing out of his Speedo. He’d just pulled a hooded sweatshirt over his head when someone thumped him on the back. Blair turned and was met by the grin of his best friend, Cameron.

“If you keep swimming like that, you’re going to take state,” Cameron said.

Blair snorted. “I highly doubt that. You’re the one who’s already been scouted by several universities. You have, what, six offers already?”

Cameron waved a hand, like none of that mattered. “They’re going to be knocking on your door too, you just wait and see.”

Blair had to admit that it had felt good surprising both his coach and their teammates. He didn’t know how he’d swum so fast that day. Too bad it had only been a practice. He tended to choke at the actual swim meets—the times that mattered.

“Thanks,” Blair said, not wanting to voice his insecurities, especially because Coach Kall had just walked in.

“I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more of that kind of swimming on Saturday,” Coach Kall said as he walked over, a grin bursting across his face. “It will be your best meet yet.”

Blair gave a weak laugh. “Yeah. Can’t wait.” As soon as the coach’s back was turned, Blair grabbed his swim bag. “You ready to head out?” he asked Cameron.

“Oh, shoot. I forgot to tell you Amanda is picking me up. We’re going out for our anniversary.”

Blair raised an eyebrow. “You guys just started dating.”

“Our two-month anniversary,” Cameron clarified. He had the decency to look embarrassed.

Blair hoped gifts weren’t expected. Cameron’s family didn’t have a lot of money, and he would never be able to afford giving his girlfriend an anniversary gift every month. Of course, Amanda knew this. Her mom was loaded, and it had caused problems that had almost ended her and Cameron’s relationship.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Cameron said, raising his hands in a defensive gesture, “but it’s something fun for us to do each month. Once you get a girlfriend, you’ll understand.”

“I had a girlfriend last week.”

“And now you don’t, which is kind of the point. You haven’t found the one who makes you want to celebrate every minute you’ve been together—the one you’d do anything for.”

Blair remembered when Cameron had practically stolen Blair’s snowmobile to go out in a bad snowstorm when he’d thought something had happened to Amanda.

Maybe he had a point. Blair had never experienced that kind of relationship with a girl before, despite having at least a dozen girlfriends in the past year. Of course, he wasn’t the only one to blame for that.

“Yeah, yeah,” Blair said, pushing through the double doors that led back into the school’s hallway. “Give Amanda my condolences. I mean, congratulations.”

Cameron punched Blair in the arm, then waved as he jogged down the hallway in the opposite direction Blair needed to go. Blair readjusted the bag on his shoulder, then worked his way toward the main office at the front of the school. He was getting a ride home with a girl too—his mom.

Blair walked into the office, and the school’s receptionist looked up from where she was finishing something. She looked like she was ready to go home too.

“Hi, Blair. You here for your mom?”

“Yup.”

“She’s meeting with someone right now, but it shouldn’t be much longer.”

“Thanks.” Blair collapsed into an empty chair that sat against the wall.

True to Theresa’s word, the door to his mom’s office opened a minute later. Her voice carried across the room. “If it happens again, it won’t just be an F on your test you’ll need to worry about.”

Sandra appeared in the office doorway. “Whatever,” she said, scowling. “I told you I didn’t cheat.”

“That’s what you all say.”

“Maybe some of us are telling the truth.”

A snort.

Sandra glanced over her shoulder. “If Mr. Lindley had seen what he says he did, he’d know that my eyes were closed. What did I do, see Kelly’s test through my eyelids?”

“We’ve already been over this. He saw you staring straight at her test.”

Blair couldn’t see his mom, but he could hear the annoyance in her voice. Sandra needed to get out of there before she made things worse for herself. Nothing good ever happened when his mom was in a bad mood.

“He didn’t see me write anything down, because I had already finished mine.”

Come on. Leave. Don’t push it.

Her brown hair hung over her shoulders, partially covering the image on her T-shirt. A skull with brightly colored flowers painted on it. She adjusted the spiked bracelets on her wrists as she stormed away from his mom’s office. Her eyes were cast down and she didn’t so much as glance Blair’s way. He’d already seen the stray tears on her cheeks though.

As soon as Sandra had disappeared through the doorway and into the hallway, Blair strode into his mom’s office. “Sandra didn’t do it.”

His mom looked up in surprise and paused, a Manila folder in one hand. “Eavesdropping?” she asked.

“It wasn’t hard when your door was open. The whole office heard. But Sandra didn’t do it.”

His mom’s lips dipped into a frown as she turned her attention back to the folder. She swiveled in her chair and placed it in the file cabinet behind her. “You don’t even know what our meeting was about.”

“I know you think she cheated on a test. But she’s not that kind of girl.”

His mom turned back and gave him a scrutinizing look. “I didn’t know you were such good friends with Sandra.”

Blair gave a small shrug. He didn’t want to confirm or deny it. Mostly because he didn’t like the look on his mom’s face. But also because he didn’t know himself. Other than when they had worked on the set of the school’s Christmas play together, Blair hadn’t talked to Sandra much. One of her best friends, Amanda, was dating Cameron, so they’d spent some time together, but it mostly consisted of Blair trying to not make it painfully obvious that he was watching Sandra from across the room.

Of course, there had been last night at the library. She’d been cute when she was all flustered.

His mom was still watching him expectantly.

Blair’s gaze wandered the room as he said, “She’s friends with Amanda.” He hoped that would be enough to placate his mom.

“That doesn’t mean Sandra is immune from making wrong choices. I’ve had a lot of experience with what people will or won’t do,” his mom said, standing and taking her coat from the rack in the corner of the room. “And I’ll kindly remind you that what happens in my office isn’t any of your concern.”

Okay, so Blair’s intervention had been less than helpful.

“I understand,” he said. That was the only acceptable answer at this point. There was a very thin line between the woman who was his mother and the one who was the principal of his small-town high school. More times than not, the line blurred, and his mom was usually aware of much more that went on in their school than made Blair comfortable. His ex-girlfriends had felt the same way.

His mom stopped to lock the door behind them, then turned to face him, her purse swinging from her shoulder. Her gaze seemed to bore right through him. “You’re a star athlete, your grades are stellar, and you have every opportunity available to you. It’s important you learn to distinguish between those who will help you…and who is an anchor.”

“Are you thinking of anyone in particular?” Blair asked, his body tensing. He knew his mom was talking about Sandra, but his thoughts immediately landed on Cameron. They had been best friends since second grade, but then Blair’s mom had become the high school principal their junior year. It had changed things. It hadn’t helped that he and Cameron had played a prank on the drama club at the beginning of the school year that had gotten his best friend suspended from the swim team. Thank goodness that was over, though Blair’s mom still seemed to eye Cameron with suspicion every time he came over to hang out.

Then he noticed the receptionist watching them. When her gaze met his, she looked away and began stapling papers together.

“Never mind,” he said, and walked out of the front office. He’d wait for his mom at the car.

“Honey, wait,” his mom called after him.

Blair hated when his mom used pet names at school. She didn’t do it often, but once in a while she’d slip up—usually when the girl he liked was close by. With a quick glance, Blair saw that Sandra was long gone. He slowed his pace, not wanting to cause a scene.

“I just want what is best for you—you know that, don’t you?” his mom asked as she caught up to him. “My job is to protect you.”

“From what?” His voice rose, and he pushed his way through the double doors that led to the parking lot.

His mom looked around, like she was searching for the answer. “Everything,” she finally said.

“I’m going to graduate in a few months. You can’t protect me forever. But you could start to trust me.”

They reached their car, and his mom paused before getting in. “I do trust you.”

“As long as I’m doing what you want with the people you approve of.”

His mom’s gaze met his. Blair thought she’d deny it, but she surprised him by giving a resigned shrug. “Can you blame me?”

Annoyance bubbled up in his chest. “Yeah. I can.” He got in the car and slammed the door behind him.

* * * * *

Blair had just turned out his bedroom light, prepared to turn in early, when his phone buzzed. He’d been so frustrated with the day’s events that he’d decided to go to bed and hope the next day was better. Okay, it wasn’t the entire day that had been awful. Just the part after swim practice when his mom had said he was too good to date someone like Sandra. And then when he had given his mom the silent treatment for the remainder of the afternoon. His mom had returned the favor by not speaking to him either, and Blair’s dad and younger brother Gabe had been stuck running interference.

His phone stopped buzzing, then started up again. Heaving a sigh, he rolled over and grabbed his phone.

Cameron.

“What’s up?” Blair asked in lieu of a greeting.

“Hello to you too.”

Blair rubbed his forehead. “Sorry. Rough day.”

“Want to come over and hang out for a bit?”

“Aren’t you on a date with Amanda for your two-month anniversary?”

“She had something with her mom tonight; that’s why we went out this afternoon. I have the PlayStation set up, and it’s calling your name.”

As nice as that sounded, his mom would never let him go out on a school night. Besides, his sour mood wasn’t something Cameron should have to be subjected to.

“I think I’m going to call it a night, but thanks for the offer.”

A snort sounded over the line. “Like go to bed? It’s eight-thirty.”

“Hey, don’t judge,” Blair grumbled. “I’ll see ya tomorrow.”

Before he could hang up, Cameron interjected, “Wait, I didn’t tell you why I called.”

“It wasn’t to find someone you could slaughter in your new game?” Amanda had given Cameron the latest zombie apocalypse game for his birthday, and he looked for every chance he could to show Blair who was the reigning champion.

“Sadly, no.” Cameron paused, and the extended silence made Blair nervous. “The thing is…see…”

This couldn’t be good. “Yes?”

“So, I know you don’t like talking about it, but the Valentine’s Day dance is coming up in a couple of weeks.”

Great. Here he went again. Cameron was all worried because he was going to the dance with Amanda, which would leave Blair the odd man out. Unless he got a date, that was. It had never been a problem in the past, so Blair didn’t know why Cameron was so worried about it. Blair usually asked someone only a couple of days before the dance just in case he changed his mind at the last minute.

Except now that Cameron was dating Amanda, it was different. And whether Blair had a date or not, he would still feel like the odd man out. Amanda wasn’t like anyone Cameron had ever dated, and any choice Blair made felt…shallow.

He had thought of asking Julianna, but other than the fact that they were working on a class project together, they didn’t have much in common. And if he was honest, he found her a bit boring.

“Hey, you know I don’t make these decisions lightly,” Blair said. “Give me some time and I’ll figure it out.”

Cameron laughed. “Since when do you not make these decisions lightly? Last time you asked a girl to a dance, it was the day before, and you had me blindfold you and spin you around. You asked the girl you happened to be pointing at when the blindfold came off.”

Well, okay.

“And she turned out to be a very nice girl,” Blair said.

“Who promptly left her boyfriend because she thought you were actually interested in her…until the dance ended and you dropped her off early so you could come play video games at my house.”

“I was being thoughtful,” Blair protested. “She would have been bored out of her mind, and I would have felt guilty with her looking at her phone every other minute.”

“How did you know she would be bored? She might like video games.”

“I’ve never met a girl who liked video games. Well, maybe Mario, but that’s just because they can play as Princess Peach and they all think Toad is adorable.”

Cameron laughed again. “And you wonder why you’ve never had a real relationship.”

Blair smiled and shook his head. “That’s where you are wrong, my friend. I know exactly why, and trust me, I’m beyond your help.”

Cameron didn’t respond right away, and it left Blair with the distinct feeling that that was exactly what his best friend was trying to do.

“Cameron?”

“What if I could help?” he finally asked.

“I’d tell you not to bother.”

“Not even if it involved Amanda’s friend, Sandra? I’ve seen the way you look at her.”

Blair’s heart stuttered, and he cursed it for reacting the way it did. “I thought you said you were terrified of her.”

“That’s a little harsh,” Cameron said. “Sure, she intimidated me when I first met her, but she was holding a power drill. Can you blame me?”

“You said she was scary.”

“I changed my mind.”

Blair rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Sandra was all the things Cameron had said of her. She was intimidating and she terrified Blair too, but only because of how much he wanted to be around her. She was beautiful and smart, and she knew her way around power tools. And for some reason, her affinity for spiked wristbands and skulls fascinated him. But maybe he was so drawn to her because of how little he knew about her, and once the novelty wore off, he’d get bored and chase after someone else. It had happened before.

Who was he kidding? He couldn’t imagine ever being bored with Sandra. Not with the way his pulse raced anytime she was within a hundred feet. Or someone said her name. Or…man, was this how Cameron felt when he was with Amanda? It was exhausting.

Cameron’s voice broke through Blair’s thoughts. “What do you say?”

“To what?”

“Asking Sandra to the dance.” The tone of his voice said it had been obvious.

Blair realized she was the only one he wanted to ask. But would she want to go with him? After she had run into him at the library—literally—it seemed she couldn’t get away fast enough. He had tried to help her gather her things when they had spilled from her purse but had only managed to grab a tampon before Julianna showed up, and Sandra had left the library without so much as a goodbye. Had he embarrassed her somehow? Maybe he shouldn’t have tried helping and left the tampon where it had lain on the floor. Girls seemed to get weird about that kind of stuff, though he didn’t understand why.

“I’ll think about it,” Blair said.

“You’d better think quick. She won’t have time to buy a dress if you wait too long.”

Blair blew out a breath of frustration. Why was Cameron pushing so hard?

“Did Amanda put you up to this?” Maybe Sandra had said something to her, though it didn’t seem likely.

A long silence confirmed the answer. So even though Cameron said, “Nope. Just looking out for my best friend,” Blair knew where the truth lay. It was both of them.

“Like I said, I’ll think about it.”

And Blair kept his word.

He thought about it all night long.