CHASITY DAWSON POV.

By the time my last class was over and the bell had rang. I went straight to my locker to wait for Payton. Fortunately, his locker and Maddie's locker were right next to mine. When I got to my locker, I grabbed my other textbooks and put them in my backpack, to do my homework later at Payton's house. I was so focused on what I was doing; I didn't hear the other two boys behind me.

"Hello, " said someone behind me.

I turned around and there, before me, were John and Giovanni. My eyes opened with surprise, because I had never spoken to them before. Although they haven't said anything else yet, I had a feeling they were here to get information from me about why Joe came up to me. I closed my locker and turned around completely to face them. I wasn't nervous about talking to them, because even though these two guys were handsome too. They weren't the ones I liked, Joe was.

"Hello, " I answered with a smile.

"Chasity, didn't you?" asked John, though I knew, he knew my name. Not only that, but we've all met, every time I go to Joe's house to meet my mom after I leave Payton's house. Although I've never spoken to them or Joe. They've seen me around the house, more than Joe; because Joe was the one who always avoided and chose to look aedily from afar.

I nodded in response to your question.

"I'm John, and this is Giovanni, " he introduced himself.

"Call me Gio, " said Gio, behind John, as he winked at me.

I laughed and said, "I know who you are. You're friends of Joe's."

Gio nodded and stepped forward. "What my American friend and I are really trying to ask is; What's going on with you and our friend Joe? smiled at the end, with a mocking smile.

John set Gio's eyes blank, "We were supposed to be subtle."

Gio shook his head. "You and I are here, talking to her, it's far from subtle," then gestured around us. "Look at the curious eyes around us."

John and I looked around and noticed Gio was right. There were a lot of students staring at all three of us in my locker and they walked a little slower as they headed to the entrance to the school. Others were a little obvious as they stood by his locker and took their time to get their books out, while looking at all three of us. Everyone here at our high school has never seen them step forward to partner with anyone else besides Joe and the rest of his teammates. So watching them talk to me is unbelievable.

John then turned to me, shook his head, sighed and then said, "Intruding people should definitely mind their own business. Those are the worst."

Gio sc bubbled and looked at John funny. He raised his eyebrow and bowed his head towards John with a funny look. Like I was trying to say something with My eyes to John, that he didn't want me to listen to. John smiled back at Gio, so I guess he got the message loud and clear.

John then looked at me and asked, "As Gio said before, what's going on with you and Joe?"

"If Joe wanted you to know, wouldn't he have told you by now?" I answered with a question.

"If I didn't want us to know, wouldn't I have talked to you in private without us seeing him say your name and walk towards you this morning?" he asked with a smile.

I put my hands on my hip and backpack on my shoulders when I saw Payton and Maddie approaching the three of us.

"Ask Joe," I replied with an expression of apology, as I walked away from them and headed toward my two friends.

"What's all that about?" Maddie asked as he held his books in his hands and nodded toward Gio and John.

I turned around and saw the two of you leaning against my locker, looking at me.

"They just wanted to know why Joe wanted to talk to me," I replied as I headed out of school with my friends.

Payton looked back at the two boys who were still leaning on my locker watching us walk away and saw John wink at him. He quickly turned his head back, now looking forward; his cheeks turned a pink red.

"Did you tell them?" he asked me, his cheeks still a little red.

I shon my head. "If Joe wanted them to know, then I would have told him by now."

Maddie seemed perplexed, "Why wouldn't I tell them that her mom told her to tell you, to tell your mom she could have the weekend off? It's literally no big deal."

Payton nodded upside down, "It seems foolish to keep it a secret."

I shrugged "He hits me, " as if he were as perplexed as they are. The explanation itself was a lie.

"Do you need a ride home?" Payton asked, while looking at Maddie.

Maddie shook his head "No, thank you, I'll take the school bus instead."

Payton and I never understood the real reason Maddie preferred to take the bus home than leave it to us. It was faster and more comfortable for us to leave her, instead of waiting for the school bus and sitting on a bus full of annoying high school students. Although we're also high school students, Payton and I definitely don't mind being around.

So we don't count, I thought.

Payton once asked me if it was because Maddie didn't want us to see her house and she was ashamed. I shoated my head in response because I've seen Maddie's house and it's more extravagant than Payton and Joe's. I'd know because I was at Maddie's house once, when I drove home, using my mom's car because I had to stop by to grab something. Maddie's house was beautiful both inside and out.

Luckily for me, Maddie ended up taking a tour of the house when I begged her to let me see the rest. Normally I wouldn't have done that, but the house was beautiful and huge; almost the size of a castle. I was so looking forward to seeing the rest. My favorite part was the garden at the back of the house. It was full of all kinds of flowers and other plants, which made him look enchanted. In a way he explained why he wanted to open his own florist.

Fue ese día que le pregunté por qué tomaría el autobús para ir a la escuela, cuando parecía que podía pagar su propio automóvil o un conductor que la llevaría de regreso a casa. Ella se rió y dijo una breve respuesta, de querer sentirse normal. Una parte de mí no le creyó y piensa que ella no me dijo la verdadera razón para hacerlo. Decidí no presionarlo y estoy seguro de que nos lo dirá cuando esté lista.

Payton y yo le dijimos adiós a Maddie y nos dirigimos hacia su coche. Cuando subimos al auto, Payton salió del estacionamiento de la escuela y se dirigió hacia su casa. Cuando llegamos a su casa, Payton se detuvo en el camino de entrada y ambos salimos del auto. Primero se dirigió a la casa y yo me detuve a mitad de camino, justo antes de llegar a la puerta principal. Me detuve y me di la vuelta para mirar hacia la casa de Joe. Una parte de mí esperaba que él ya estuviera en casa y que pudiera vislumbrarlo antes de tener que ir a su casa.

No lo vi ni a él ni a su automóvil estacionado en la entrada de su casa. Lo que sí vi fue un coche negro que se acercaba lentamente a su casa. Se detuvo y aparcó en la parte delantera de la casa de Joe . Las ventanas estaban tintadas y era difícil ver quién era el conductor. Nunca antes había visto este coche en su casa. Una pequeña parte de mí tenía un mal presentimiento sobre esto.

Me di la vuelta por completo para ver quién era el dueño del auto negro. Un hombre alto con una gorra de béisbol y gafas, salió del auto. Su chaqueta negro tenía un logotipo en ella, y que era demasiado difícil ver que claramente desde lejos. El mal presentimiento, lo sentí antes, ahora empeoró aún más, porque parecía que llevaba algo en las manos. Tan pronto como la forma y el tamaño del artículo se registraron en mi mente, me quedé sin aliento al darme cuenta de cuál era el artículo .

Fue un sobre.