Lunch

“And then I ran like hell to get to class. I probably looked like a complete idiot, as always.”

I finally finished telling the group what had happened this morning. Josh turned to me, “Do you really still have that stupid crush on Cross?” Liz slapped him over the head. She’s learning from me, I’m so proud!

“Ow! What, I can’t ask my best friend a simple question?”

“Not if your asking as her ex-boyfriend!” said Liz.

“Don’t sweat it Josh. It’s just a little crush based mostly on his looks, his very good looks. Like his eyes and that one dimple in his left cheek…”

I have a dazed look on my face by now and I’m pretty sure I can feel the drool edging toward the corners of my mouth. Wait… someone else is in my daydream! It’s Nate! He’s walking toward me. No. Wait. That’s actually Cross and Nate across the lunchroom. And Nate is actually walking towards me!

“Oh crap! He’s coming over here. Just act normally, like we weren’t just talking about him. No one look guilty.”

I stare at my lunch in front of me as if it’s the most fascinating thing in the world and everyone goes silent. I can feel them all staring at me. So much for acting naturally.

I see a pair of white sneakers standing next to me on the floor. I look up to see Nate looking at me.

“Umm, hey Autumn.”

Oh my gosh, he knows. He’s uncomfortable because he knows we were just talking about him and Cross and he thinks we’re all freaks.

“Hey Nate, what’s up?” Just act normally; this is a totally natural occurrence. You can get through this… why do I lie to myself? I’m totally going to screw this up.

“Umm, me an’ Cross were wonderin’ if you’d want to go with us and our friends to a party at Detson’s this Friday.”

I just stare at him for a moment, he’s fidgety and isn’t looking directly at me, I get the feeling he doesn’t actually want me to come, but maybe Cross made him ask, and for a second I wonder if I’m still daydreaming.

“Of course, you can bring your friends too,” He looks at everybody as he says this, then glances back at Cross, just missing the sarcastic glance Josh throws at me. I ignore him.

This may be my chance to get to really talk to Cross, in his natural habitat!

“Umm, yeah, sure… maybe. If I don’t have to baby-sit or something. Tell Cross I said thanks.”

Nate finally looks me in the eye, and for the moment I feel as if time has suddenly become very still. Then I am startled as he abruptly turns around, “Yeah sure, whatever.” he throws over his shoulder, as he walks away.

“And that’s the guy that was so nice to you this morning?” Josh asks me. Aly and Liz look at one another knowingly, and I am silent as I reflect on what has just happened. I feel as though I have just hurt his feelings… but how?

Home

“Please, please, please say you’ll come with me! I don’t think I could possibly do this on my own!” I pleaded with Ally and Josh as I desperately searched for something to wear to the party on Friday. Alyson let out a snort. “You?” she asked incredulously,

“You are one of the most brazen people I know! You went up to Ms. West and told her that her fashion sense was horrible, and that she would never get a boyfriend because of it.”

“I did not!” I yelled back just a little too loudly. “I simply let her know that her wardrobe left something to be desired, and that that may have something to do with her recent dry spell in the “someone special” department. Besides, it’s not like it didn’t have its desired effect. She dresses halfway decent now, and as it turns out I noticed her getting “up close and personal” with Mr. Roberts in the equipment room after the volleyball game last week Friday.”

Josh’s eyes went wide,

“No way! I always thought he was gay. He would look at me in this really creepy way every time I walked into class.”

Ally looked at him, a smile playing on her lips, “That’s probably because he was amazed you showed up!”

Josh looked sheepish, “It was first period. I can’t help it if I have a hard time getting up in the morning.”

“You could if you went to bed a little earlier.” She said. Josh only looked at her, as if trying to relay a silent message to her. There was a silence.

“AUD!!” my little brother Eric yelled from downstairs. I walked out of my room and stood at the top of the stairs.

“What do you want? I’m busy!” I yelled at him.

“Fine, more cookies for me then.” He said. I stuck my head back in my room. I could tell they had just stopped whispering. I made a mental note to drag it out of Alyson later.

“You guys want some cookies?” I asked. They didn’t even look at each other,

“I’m good thanks. On that diet, remember?” said Ally. “Plus I think I should be heading home now. I didn’t bring my books and I’ve got studying to do.”

Josh looked at me, “Yeah, me too. See you later Aud. Save some of those cookies for me.” They hugged me as they passed me to go down the stairs.

“Later.” I whispered as I watched them close the front door behind them.