Prove It

Chapter 6

“Everything’s fine,” she lied. If she didn’t want to talk about her situation with Tia, she definitely wasn’t going to talk about it with her math teacher.

“Sierra, if something is going on, please know that there are people here you can talk to. You don’t have to deal with this alone.”

Sierra wished with all her might that a hole would rise and swallow her up. He probably thought this was some kind of cry for help.

“Ummm, thanks, Mr. Parker. I’m just having a rough day, that’s all. I didn’t mean to freak you out. I’m okay.”

‘Good to hear,” he told her a kind smile on his face.

Okay, now Mr. Parker felt sorry for her. Great. Sierra rushed out, wishing she could erase that awkward moment and just disappear.

“Sierra,” someone called out.

She felt a sense of relief. It was Reggie. She stopped her retreat and let him catch up to her. He was smiling, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Sierra didn’t care. She had expected him to still be mad, but she was happy to see a glimpse of the playful Reggie she was used to.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hi,” she answered softy.

“Did you get my message?”

She did, but she didn’t listen to it.

“No, but I saw that I missed your call. What did it say?”

“Nothing special. Just that I’m sorry about Friday.”

“You don’t have to apologize.”

“Yeah, I do. I shouldn’t have went off like that.”

“You just surprised me, Reggie, but I’m not mad anymore.”

“Thanks.”

“Are you still mad?”

“A little.”

Why? She didn’t do anything.

“It wasn’t a date,” she told him.

“Maybe,” he conceded. “But I was there, Sierra. I saw the way you looked at him, how he looked at you. I should have punched him in the face for looking at you like that.”

Her heart fluttered. How was Tristan looking at her? She had to bite her tongue to keep from asking. She tried to tell herself it shouldn’t matter… except, it did matter. It mattered a lot.

“It’s not like that.”

He rolled his eyes and gave her a knowing look.

“I think it’s exactly like that,” he told her softly. “But I can’t be mad at you. I get it. I do have one question, though.”

“What is it?”

He paused, as if debating whether he should ask. He was embarrassed.

“Why him?”

Sierra almost laughed out loud. She’d asked herself that question a million times. She wished she knew the answer. There was no logical explanation for what she felt for Tristan, it couldn’t be put into words. But even if she could explain it to Reggie, that’s not really the question he wants the answer to. He wants to know why it isn’t him.

“I can’t answer that, Reggie. I’m sorry.” She meant it. She didn’t know why it had to be Tristan. She wished she could explain her feelings, then maybe she could figure out how to turn them off.