“No, I want to hang out with you tonight.”
“Are you sure? I don't mind. Really I don't,” Amber leaned her head to the side and opened her eyes widely.
“No, I haven't gotten to hang out with you in weeks.”
“Go hang out with him,” Amber said, pointedly.
“Hey, I like her,” Hayden grinned.
“So do I,” Josh said sitting down next to her.
“That's good because I'm your girlfriend and you're stuck with me,” Amber said, sticking out her tongue, “but no, Tamara, go have fun!”
Hayden looked at her. She studied his brown eyes and arched eyebrows. He was waiting for an answer. Why the heck did Amber have to do this to her? She didn't like to be put on the spot like this.
“Are you sure?” Tamara asked Amber.
“Yeah, I can hang out with Josh instead.”
“No, you can't, babe. I have to work today, remember?”
“Oh yeah, I'll be okay though. I'll probably just go to the library.”
Tamara's phone vibrated.
“It's my mom, I got to take this,” she said and stepped away from the table, “What do you want?”
“You have to babysit Tina and Tally tonight.”
“I'm supposed to hang out with Amber tonight! It's not my night to babysit!”
“Sorry, but there's a sale at the mall and I'm going to be out late.”
“Of course, there's a sale at the mall! Maybe that's where we were going to go!”
“You can go on Friday!”
“No, I can't. Friday I have chess and Amber always hangs out with Josh on Fridays! Can't you wait until tomorrow to go?”
“No, they'll be nothing left then.”
“That's sort of the point I'm making.”
“Tamara, shopping is my thing, leave it to me, okay, girl? I'll pick you up after school so you'll be home on time.”
“Fine!” Tamara said and hung up the phone.
“Looks like I'm not hanging out with either of you,” Tamara said rejoining the others, “I have to babysit the brats.”
“That sucks! Well, what about Saturday after the tournament?” Hayden asked.
Tamara glanced at Amber, who nodded violently.
“That sounds good.”
Chapter Three
By Friday afternoon Tamara was able to beat the computer player on the easiest level of the chess program she had downloaded to her laptop, but she was still unable to beat Hayden or any of the others.