Trevor was standing on the front steps.
I freaked when I saw him but tried to ignore his presence and move on. I wanted to run, but I wasn't used to skinny heels.
"Hey, Halloween's over!" he shouted, following me. "Where's your tennis skirt? Going to some costume party as Suzie Secretary?"
I continued to ignore him, but he grabbed my arm.
I couldn't let him know that I was working, or where I was working, and, most of all, that I was working because I had to pay my father back for the tennis racket Trevor had made me lose. It would have brought him too much joy.
He looked me over, that same look he had given me when he first saw me in my tennis outfit. This time I was his corporate dream girl.
"So, where are you going?"
"None of your business!"
"Really? I didn't think we kept secrets from each other."
"Get lost already."
"I'll just walk with you then."
I stopped. "You will not walk with me! You will not go anywhere with me! You will leave me alone! For good. Forever!"
"You don't seem your usual loving self," he said, laughing. "Having a bad hair day? You should be used to that by now." "Trevor, it's over. Your games and mine! You don't have to harass me anymore. We're even. We're even for all of eternity. Okay? So just get out of my face!"
He ran after me when I stormed off.
"Are we breaking up? I didn't know we were going together, baby. Please don't leave me," he begged, jokingly.
I walked quickly past the school fence and scurried down the sidewalk. I had five minutes to get to Armstrong Travel.
"I can't live without you!" he said sarcastically, catching up. "Are you mad because I never gave you black roses? I'll make it up to you. I'll get you new clothes--from the graveyard." He howled with laughter. "Just don't leave me, babe!"
"Cut it out!" I was fuming. He probably had two hundred dollars in his back pocket and I'd have to work for eons in a place I hated because of his stupid antics.
"Just tell me where you're going!"
"Trevor, quit it! Get out of here! I'll get a restraining order if I have to!"
"Do you have a date?" He wasn't going to give up.
"Go away!"
"You're meeting someone?"
"Buzz off!"
"Do you have an interview? An interview...with the vampire?"
"Get out of my face!"
"Are you going to...work?"
I stopped. "No! Are you totally crazy? That's so lame!" "You are! You've got a job!" He danced around. "I'm so proud of you, my little gothic baby has found herself a job!"
I was fuming inside.
"Trying to better your life? Or are you paying Daddy back for that fancy little tennis racket?"