"Hey." She smiled big at Angel, tossing her hair back. “What’s up?”

“Do you have a minute?”

“For you? Of course.”

“I know what you were doing Friday, Dana. It’s gotta stop.”

Her smile dissolved and she glanced into her locker. “I don’t know what you mean."

“Sure you do,” he snapped.

She stared straight ahead. “You gave me that jersey, don’t you remember?”

“No, I lent it to you and you never gave it back.”

She shifted her weight and finally met his eyes. Angel saw right through her attempt to appear injured. “You want it back? Is that what this is about?”

“Yeah I do. And I want you to stop doing everything else you’ve been doing, Dana. It’s getting old.”

“You never complained before.”

“Well, things are different now.”

Angel could see the rage in her eyes. Knowing how much she loved making scenes, he was glad they were the only ones left in the hall. He heard the venom in her words loud and clear. “Did she tell you to do this?”

Angel wasn’t about to give her the pleasure. “To be honest she’s never mentioned you.”

Dana laughed attempting to sound sarcastic but fell short. She slammed the locker shut and it echoed loudly in the empty hallway. She scowled at him, lips almost quivering. “You think your jersey’s the only one I have?”

“No, I’m sure you have plenty.”

“Go to hell, Angel!” She began to stalk away. After only a few steps she stopped and turned around. “And don’t flatter yourself. You don’t have to worry about me speaking to you ever again.”

“Thank you.”

With that, she spun around and walked away in a hurry. All things considered, it went a lot better than he had hoped for. He walked out to the cafeteria feeling an enormous weight taken off his shoulders. He smiled smugly. His problems with Dana were over.

*

Practice was unexpectedly called off early that afternoon because one of the players was seriously injured, requiring paramedics to be called in. Angel had looked up at the bleachers and saw Sarah completely absorbed in her running. She hadn’t noticed the team was off the field.

He could wait for her to finish. He hadn’t hung out with the guys after practice in a while. Now he had a few minutes.

Angel had just stepped out of the gym with Eric and Romero when he saw Dana rush toward him, looking very determined.

“Can I talk to you?” she said.

He kept walking. “Go ahead.”

“I mean alone.” She glanced at Eric and Romero. They both turned to Angel, who shrugged.

“We’ll be over here man.” Eric pointed. They didn’t walk too far, sitting on a table nearby, in front of where the girls on the flag team were practicing.

“How dare you dismiss me just like that?” She crossed her arms and stood in front of him, forcing him to stop. “As if I’d never meant anything to you.”

He bit his tongue not wanting to be cruel, but he had Sarah to think about. “Shit happens, Dana. I’m seeing someone now. I can’t be dealing with you.” He waved his hand up and down in front of her. “With this.”

“Did you know she slept with Jesse Strickland?”

Angel laughed, though he didn’t feel the least bit of humor. “Is that what he said?”

“That’s what everyone is saying. I’m surprised you haven’t heard.”

“I don’t listen to bullshit.” She’d managed to stun him but he’d die before he’d let on. He knew it was all a bunch of crap but just the idea of a rumor like that about Sarah sickened him.

“I don’t mean to hurt you Angel. I just thought you should know.”

The inflated attempt to sound sympathetic was infuriating. Angel was never one to be disrespectful. Especially to girls, but he could feel the blood curdling in his veins. Sarah had been close to dumping his ass. Too damn close, and for this? He was done being nice.

He glared at her. “Don’t worry. You could never hurt me, Dana. I’d have to care about you for that.”

She shrugged. “And I suppose she knows about us?”

Angel chuckled. “There was never an us, Dana. And you know it. You made up all that crap. Not me.”

The tears welled up in her eyes. He rolled his eyes and backed away. “God, don’t start this shit.”

He turned and began to walk toward Eric and Romero.

“You made love to me you bastard!” She yelled. “Don’t you remember that?”

His stomach dropped. Fuck! He spun around and charged toward her. He saw her eyes open wide in alarm, but she stood her ground firmly. He walked right up to her face and spoke through his teeth just loud enough for her to hear, but his words were strong and cutting. “Get this through your head. We never made love we had sex, cold meaningless sex like you’ve had with many others. It meant nothing to me. You mean nothing to me. Stay out of my f**king life, I mean it, Dana.”

With her mouth half-open she stared at him. Her eyes grew wide then she turned and hurried away, face buried in her hands. Her friends stood by the gym door waiting to console her and he heard her sob as they turned the corner.

He took a deep breath and walked back slowly toward the guys. Ignoring the whispers and staring faces of all that had been standing around.

Romero was shaking his head. “Dude, I hope you told that bitch off.”