Dean & Simone Pt 3

Blaine and Diedra slid their lunch trays in front of where Simone ate a bowl of chicken pot pie left over from dinner the night before. She’d missed her two friends while they recovered from the flu, but they were back now and she could skip eating with the football team because these two girls were probably more formidable than the region champions.

“We’re out a week and your world goes crazy. Spill the tea,” Blaine demanded with a playful glare.

Simone gave her water bottle a glance. “I have water, no tea, to spill.”

“Whatever,” Diedra said. “I won’t say his name but his initials are-”

“Dean Trenton, wide receiver, one of the hottest guys here and he’s a senior.”

Simone laughed. “I know all of Dean’s stats. He lives with us, remember? What tea? I don’t even know what you’re talking about?”

“Stop being coy. The rumor mill has it that he’s stepping out on Mallory, with you,” Diedre said.

Simone gave her a harsh look. “That’s ridiculous. He’s not the kind to step out.”

“That’s not what’s going around,” Blaine said. “People have seen his hand on your back and Drake, the tight end with the tight end, said Dean always looks for you when they have a break during practice. Drake said he walks you to class and you’ve been eating lunch with the football team.”

Simone rolled her eyes. Of course Drake, who gossipped more than any girl would take this situation over the top.

“Drake is so dramatic. I swear, he’s worse than Rax. Drake also knows that Lucas Reynolds has been stalking me and won’t leave me alone. Dean is just looking out for me. As for

putting his hand on my back, he was just moving me over so we could go down the hall. All this hoopla over him being a friend.”

But she couldn’t hide the smile, despite her efforts.

“But, having his attention is nice and he did get Lucas to back off,” she confessed. Leaning in closer. “I do, kinda, like him.”

The three girls squealed.

“So, what are you going to do?” Blaine aske, dipping a fry in ranch dressing leaning in to help with a plan.

Simone’s lips twisted to one side. “Nothing,” she said finally. “He has a girlfriend.”

“You gonna let that stop you?” Diedra shook her head.

Simone cocked her head, staring at her friend in disbelief. “Yes. Besides, I don’t think they’ll be together much longer. All they do is argue.”

“Mallory is saying they are moving in together when they go to college and she’s not happy,” Blaine said.

“Ugh,” Diedra groaned. “She is so . . .extra and entitled.”

“Well, she is a cheerleader,” Blaine said.

“Shhhhh,” Simone hissed. “Here he comes.”

Dean made his way to where they sat at the picnic table and although he greeted all of them, he focused only on Simone.

“Hey, coach just told us we don’t have practice today, so I can drive you home. I’m also going to do evening stables, since he wants us in the weight room at six in the morning.”

Simone cocked her head and stared at him.

“Oh, so you're offering to help Manuel with evening stables because you won’t be helping me with morning stables?” she gave him a cheeky smile and his cheeks reddened.

“I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”

“You know, Dean, I could really use a good stable boy.”

“Yeah? Well, you got me, instead.”

“You know I’m teasing.”

“I feel like we don’t exist,” Diedra joked.

“For realz.”

“I’ll see you after school, Si.”

“Sure, Dean. Thanks.”

He walked off and Simone watched him before turning back to Blaine and Diedra.

“Yeah, I like him.”

“And he likes you,” Blaine said. “So, how do we get rid of Mallory?”

Diedra guffawed, but Simone gave a dry chuckle.

“We don’t. It either happens, or it doesn’t. Besides, going out with the crazy horse girl would blemish his social standing.”

She shook her head. No, he had a girlfriend and she was the weird horse girl at school. Although Diedra and Blaine were horse girls, they weren’t weird, like she was. She actually made money with riding lessons and schooling. Most kids her age simply got to have fun, but she worked four to six hours in addition to school and homework. And the four to six hours were non-negotiable because horses were living creatures who needed attending. Besides, Dean was seeing Mallory, who’s blond hair and blue eyes always looked on point and whose clothes flattered and showed off a slim figure with noticeable chest and rear. Simone couldn’t compete with that.

“No. I’m just Preston’s little sister and he’s grateful to our family for helping. That’s all it is.”

The next morning, Simone’s phone alarm played “Good Morning,” by Mandissa but she groaned and rolled over, without turning it off. After a moment, she turned it off and yawned.

“Lord, thank you for another day and the horses. I’m going to give this day to you.” She chastised herself, hoping God understood she was grateful, just tired. She stayed up later than normal working on a paper for history. Dean had early weight training this morning and she already missed having him around. Morning stables went by quicker with an extra set of hands and she’d forgotten to ask Rax to help this morning, so she’d be alone. A soft knock on her door caught her attention.

“Yeah?” she said quietly.

The door opened a crack and Preston peeked in. “Dean wanted me to tell you he did stables and you could go back to sleep.”

“What? When?”

“He was up at four. He’s making me go work out with him but dad said he’d drop you off. So, enjoy your sleep-in, sis.”

“No argument here. Tell him thanks.”

She reset her alarm and wriggled back under the covers, smiling.

***