The Popularity Game

{ f i f t e e n } Agent Undercover & Agent Under Covers

I won't make the next abandoned classroom in the opposite end of your last class, he says.

I mentally curse Jason for the twenty-third time in the last five minutes as I turn yet another crowded corridor filled with boisterous laughter, running teenagers, and hang on,-is that a guy in a cheerleader's uniform?

Well that's a new way to celebrate the end of a school day.

I shake my head, trying to get the mental image of cheer-man out of my head, when I literally bump into someone.

"Oh hey, slow down there." Two steady arms grab my shoulders as I wobble around, trying to regain my balance. I look up to see Dan's hazel eyes gleaming down at me.

I brush myself off looking everywhere else but at him, "Oh, sorry about that. I was in a rush." I quickly try to make my escape, but he grabs hold of my arm before I can pass him. "Hey, wait a minute. I wanted to talk to you about something."

My heart pounds, and I'm not sure if it's anxiety or the fact that I just ran through five halls in the last three minutes.

Curse you, Jason Matthews.

"Anyway," he continues sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

Aww he looks like a puppy. Hey I want a puppy! I should talk to mom about getting o-

"-Friday night?" He finishes.

I look at him in surprise. Did he just ask me out again?

He laughs, "I thought it was time to cash in that second chance."

I grin (or I think it looks like a grin?), "I have plans on Friday." I see his shoulders slump, and quickly add, "But I'm free on Saturday!"

My voice came out about five octaves higher due to the mock enthusiasm. I hope he didn't notice.

He beams, pearly whites and all. "Sounds like a plan! I'll pick you up at five!" Then he stalks away, leaving me to wonder what he could possibly be planning when I remember that I had a secret classroom meeting to go to.

Damn it!

I continue running, still cursing Jason with every step.

_

"God, Sanders. Take longer, would you?" Jason says as I enter, not removing his eyes from his laptop screen as he types away. "I thought you were a dancer?"

I pant, sitting on one of the desks as I throw my bag on the chair. "Dancers dance, not run, you turd." I take time to catch my breath, "What happened to making the next meeting closer to my building?"

He shrugs nonchalantly, still coding rapidly, the screen becoming a mesh of green characters. "My class was in the next room."

I roll my eyes, peeking through to see what he was doing. "Anyway, I'm going to Chloe's after this because she needs moral support for her monthly body examination."

He quirks an eyebrow.

"Her mom checks which body parts are getting fat, I don't want to get into it." I explain quickly.

He cringes slightly, but continues anyway. "Done." He exclaims as he unplugs a small round black pin from his laptop. He hands it to me, and I examine it closely. It couldn't have been bigger than my smallest finger nail. "This is a surveillance bug. After mother queen bee takes the bait, place the bug somewhere that will allow you to see majority of the room. Got it?"

I nod, still holding the bug.

"So you have to find a spot that'll show you most of the-"

"Yeah, I got it!" I cut him off, giving him an incredulous look.