Irish Eyes Don't Always Smile (4/4)
“Thanks to your article and my personal letters to every member on the school board, there will be at least three vegetarian options for lunch beginning next month, and there are even talks about hiring a specialist to come in and teach the staff to make healthier lunches all around.” Lily beamed as she stood in front of her locker.
“That’s great. Congratulations, Lil.” Sam smiled over at her friend. “Looks like you’ll be leaving a legacy behind after we graduate.”
“It’s been four long years, but it was totally worth it.” The petite brunette continued stuffing her books in her locker.
“So are we still on for Friday?” Carmen asked.
Lily shut her locker. “Definitely, as much as I love my husband, he has been driving me crazy these last two weeks. We are in dire need of a night apart.”
“What about you, Sam? You planning on floating back down to Earth to spend some time with your dear old friends?”
Sam grinned. She had been in a “Brooke haze” for the past few days. “Of course. I always have time for you guys. We’ve been buds since the sandbox and we will be until we’re old and gray.”
“Awww, maybe instead of working for the Times you should write cards for Hallmark. Since when did you get so sappy?” Carmen teased.
The journalist shrugged, ducking her head to hide her blush. Truthfully she wasn’t sure where that sudden burst of sentiment had come from. “Anyway, have you guys picked a movie?”
“Hey guys, you’ll never guess what Emory is doing.” Harrison walked up to them, interrupting before the brunette cheerleader could answer.
“What?”
“He’s selling packets of freeze dried food. Seems he’s the one that’s been spreading the rumor that the culprit behind the string of rat kidnappings from the chemistry lab is the lunch lady.”
Everyone looked at Lily. “What? I swear it wasn’t me, you guys,” the activist insisted, though her eyes danced with mischief.
“Maybe not, but twenty bucks says you know who it was,” Carmen replied.
“I’m sure that will go over well with Vera,” Sam said sarcastically.
Just then the scrawny senior came running down the halls, stopping when he reached the group. “Harrison, would you mind terribly if I use your gym locker to…take cover? That bilious slag, Vera Krupps, is threatening to add me to the ‘Meatloaf Surprise.’ While it is indeed a tasty treat, I do not wish to become a part of it. So what do you say, man?”
The other three girls chuckled along with Harrison. “Sure man, go for it.”
“Thank you. You are a true friend.” The sandy-haired boy scrambled off in the direction of the boys’ locker room.
Seconds later the irate cafeteria worker stood before them, meat cleaver in hand. “Have you seen Emory?”
Carmen and Lily turned towards the row of lockers to hide their giggles and Sam could see Harrison was about to lose it, so she cleared her throat. “Uh, nope, haven’t seen him.”
The short woman took a moment and stood up straight, sniffing the air. “He went…that way!” She said before taking off in the direction Emory had fled only moments before.
They all watched as the woman disappeared around the corner. “There are definitely some things I won’t miss about this place,” Carmen said before turning back to her friends. “Harrison, it’s a good thing you showed up. We were just going over plans for Friday night. We were wondering if you-”
The question was cut short by a rectangular green piece of cardboard being shoved in the brunette cheerleader’s face. “Here ya go, Carm, an invite to Nic’s ex-clusive St. Patrick’s Day party.” Mary Cherry had that excited gleam in her hazel eyes. The one that always made Sam nervous.
Next to her stood Nicole. Sam met the shorter blonde’s blue eyes and for a moment she was sure she saw something there that she’d never seen before, until the other girl looked away, handing Lily an orange card. “Sorry hun, you are cordially uninvited. I have a strict no leg hair dress code. I saw those beasts you call your legs last week hun, and I gotta say, you might want to take care of that before some of your furry little friends decide to take up residence.”
“From what I hear, you know all about having pests in unwanted places,” Lily countered, crumpling the paper in her hand.
“Here ya go, Joe! You’re goin as mah date,” Mary Cherry said, handing a green card to the taller boy.
Harrison looked down at the card in his hand in confusion. “Uh..”
“And a green one for Spam!” Mary Cherry handed over a green card to the journalist.
“A green one?” Sam looked over at Nicole in surprise.
“Relax Spam, this is simply a goodwill gesture because you’re dating Brooke. She insisted that it be public.”
“Come on, Nic. Mama promised ta take us shoppin. I need the perfict outfit for Saturday. See ya Saturday, Joe!” As the two blondes walked away, Mary Cherry turned and blew a kiss to the taller boy.
Lily snickered. “At least, you can’t complain about not having a date on Saturday nights anymore.” Harrison shot her a dirty look before walking away muttering something about his life being ruined.
“Hey babe,” Brooke said, walking up to the group. She wrapped her arms around the journalist, giving her a quick hug and a chaste kiss on the lips.
“Hey,” Sam returned, a bright smile gracing her lips. She held up her card. “Do you know anything about this?”
“Well, Nicole did tell me she was throwing a party this weekend. I didn’t realize there’d be invitations. I just assumed that since it was such short notice she’d do a word of mouth sort of thing.” Brooke took the invitation from her girlfriend and studied it.
Sam frowned. “You mean you didn’t know about the invitations?”
Brooke looked over at her in confusion. “Uh…no…”
“You didn’t tell her to give me an invitation?”
“What? No, why would I need to do that? She knows I don’t go anywhere you can’t.”
“Then why did she say you did?” Sam asked, not really expecting Brooke to answer.
“Something really weird has been going on with her lately,” Carmen added.
“Yeah, weird…” Brooke looked down at the card in her hand.
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The party was in full swing and it seemed most of Kennedy’s populace was in attendance. Nicole had hired her mother’s decorator and the place looked great. Sugar Daddy’s friend, a local radio station personality, was in attendance and seemed to be quite popular among the guests. He’d brought a bunch of station freebies and it amazed Brooke just what high school girls would do for a radio station t-shirt. Brooke and Sam had been dancing for what seemed like hours. She just couldn’t seem to get enough of the brunette’s body moving against her own. She pulled the journalist behind her off the floor and to a secluded area she’d spotted from the dance floor.
Pressing Sam’s back against the wall, she thrust her fingers into the girl’s dark locks and brought their lips together in a hungry kiss. Sam whimpered, letting the blonde part her lips with her tongue. They stayed locked in the heated embrace until some clumsy drunken jock bumped into Brooke.
“Woo! Go McQueen!” He shouted, his breath making Brooke want to empty the contents of her stomach.
“God, Todd why don’t you slow down on that crap?” Brooke was angered by the intrusion.
“I’m going to get some punch. We’ll continue that later,” Sam whispered seductively in the blonde’s ear, causing her to shiver. She leaned forward and nipped the delicate lobe, nearly causing the cheerleader’s legs to buckle.
Brooke watched Sam disappear into the crowd before turning around and going in search of her best friend. Since she and Sam had first arrived, Nicole had been strangely elusive. She finally found the other blonde standing to the side, staring at her guests.
“Hey!”
Nicole started. “Oh hey, B.”
“Great party.” Brooke looked over at her friend with concern. Nicole seemed distant and a little sad.
The shorter blonde’s blue eyes met Brooke’s for a moment before turning back to stare at the crowd. “Yep.”
“SD’s friend is certainly a hit, right?” Brooke looked over at her best friend when she didn’t get a response. Whatever Nic was staring at commanded her full attention. It also seemed to be responsible for the wistful, but forlorn look on the blonde’s face.
Curiosity got the better of Brooke and she moved closer to her friend. Moving to stand behind the blonde, but careful not to be noticed, she peered over Nicole’s right shoulder. Looking straight ahead, her eyes fell upon the laughing form of her girlfriend, joking around with Carmen and Harrison. Sam was absolutely breathtaking. Brooke always thought so, but sometimes when she found herself staring at Sam, unnoticed by the journalist, sheer beauty that was Sam rendered her speechless. She remembered, back before Halloween, that she spent every chance she got watching the brunette, studying her, wanting her. Then it all made sense to her.
“So, you lied to me.” It was a statement. Her tone was neither harsh nor accusing.
“Yes, I did.”