Pushing Limits (Fighting Love #1) - kali cross Page 0,81
a vain attempt to ignore her.
“Amber, if I have to carry you out over my shoulder, I’ll do it.” Her eyes narrow, her lips set in a thin line. “I can’t stay in and party here anymore.” I guess my look of total hopelessness softens her heart. “What if we go over to the student union? It’s two blocks away and still on campus. Can we please go out?”
“Ok. But, I’m going like this. I am not getting all dressed up.”
Sally looks at me in my jeans and purple tank and says, “Put on some makeup, and it’s a deal.”
“Why?” I ask with a sneer.
“Because I asked you to.”
“Fine.” I trudge into the bathroom, slap on some makeup, and grab my book bag, looking at her with a total lack of enthusiasm. “I’m ready.” She sighs and pushes me out the door. We stop at Karen’s and knock. Hearing giggling and muffled voices inside, we wait for Karen to make it to the door. I roll my eyes at Sally when Karen answers the door with without-a-doubt, just-fucked hair.
“We’re heading to the union to wait for grades to post. Do you think you can manage to forfeit a few minutes from fucking to have a beer with us?” I ask dryly.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Amber,” Karen says with her hand on her chest. Never mind that she is wrapped in nothing but an elaborately twisted sheet. Who does she think she’s kidding? Melissa thankfully is long gone, having moved out a few weeks after Karen grew a backbone. I’m sure Jerrod becoming a permanent fixture in her room had little to do with it.
“Hi Jerrod!” I shout into the room, keeping my eyes on Karen.
“Hi Amber!” he yells with a chuckle.
“Get out of bed, and let’s get a beer.” Sally yells over Karen’s head.
“Ok, let me get some pants on,” Karen turns away from the door to probably give him a dirty look. He calls out, “Mind if I ask Bobby to join us?”
Both girls look at me and wait. “That’s fine.” I grumble.
We walk over, and Bobby is waiting for us on the front steps. He’s his usual charming self. Holding the door open, pulling out my chair, getting up to get the beer and something for me to eat. I can’t help but look at Sally, trying to gage her reaction. She doesn’t seem to care.
We hang out, drinking beer, and talking about school and summer break plans. The clock tower bell rings four times. I open my laptop and log onto the college’s website. I enter my user ID and pin and wait for the information to load. I’m so excited. I know it’s going to be good. Lord knows, I’ve done the work. My grade point average comes up. I stare at the screen. Certain I have made some data entry error, I look at the detail for each class. Nope, still the same. My heart sinks. I hit refresh. Again. Again. Again. Damn it!
Sally notices me pounding on the keyboard as I page through trying to get the GPA to change. “What’s wrong, darlin’?”
I look at her as my stomach drops, “My GPA is one point seven five. That’s not right! It can’t be. My GPA should be three point seven five, not a one point seven five. How is this possible?” What if my mother sends me somewhere else now? Another school? I can’t do another school. I can’t leave. These grades are wrong. Shit! “This is wrong. How do I go about getting this fixed?” My eyes search my friends’ faces in a flurry. “What if they can’t fix it? Oh my God, I’m going to be sick. If my mother finds out about this, she will rain down a shit storm on my ass.” My pant, my face feels flush. “Shit, she’ll move me again. Fuck!”
“Calm down. We’ll find out what the problem is. Here, let me check mine.” Sally takes the keyboard and inputs her information. “My GPA is about what I expected – three point five.” Pushing the computer to Karen, “Here Brainiac, check yours.”
Karen sneers at her, puts in her information, and says, “Mine’s right.”
“Mine, too,” Jerrod says
“This can’t be right. What do I do? I can’t let these grades post. Aunt Patty will have to tell my mother and God knows what she’ll do.” My heart is racing, and I feel a trickle of sweat run down my back.