Spoiler! :
Part 4
Hearts were strewn everywhere. On the floor, the walls, in William's pants, you name it. As soon as the Heart Breakers (Poncho's nickname for the group) arrived at the gym, they began cutting their hearts out. Only paper hearts of course, although Lydia would have tried to cut Mr. Grate's precious cardiac muscle out if Lucas hadn't been sure to give her the only pair of safety scissors and a lecture on pacifism. Lydia hadn't really listened, but she had paid close enough attention to his mouth.
The next few days were dedicated solely to decorating, and while everyone was working their hardest, there were often breaks for small talk and chatter. Amber decided to warm up to the idea of being more open. After all, she was going to be in the situation for a while, and she didn't see the point of being miserable the whole time. She started talking to Poncho first, because he seemed the friendliest. He was, but he also creeped her out. He had a bad tendency to show up at random times, always behind her and always holding suspicious objects, and Amber didn't like being surprised. She found William the easiest to talk to, and she avoided Lydia because she had a feeling that Lydia didn't like her. At all. And when they did talk Lydia would always talk in a snide tone, saving her kindness for Lucas.
Ah, Lucas.
Amber realized that talking to him made her blush and her heart palpitate, so she tried to avoid him like heart disease, which was kind of what he was giving her anyway. Lucas was determined, however, to talk to her. And they often did. And Amber enjoyed it, sometimes, when he was in a giving mood. She found that they both had a lot in common, like their parents were both divorced.
“Yeah, it’s no big deal,” Lucas said one day, “I still get to see them both often.” But he would often just shrug off and move onto another subject, and Amber saw that maybe things affected him more than he put on. She sometime felt like comforting him, but resisted. After all, this was Lucas. Delinquent. Freak. Jerk. But she always looked forward to gym to see him anyway, for some reason. Around the third day, he started walking her home from school. He didn’t talk much, because admittedly being alone with her made him nervous, but they were enjoyable walks all the same. Lucas still kept his teasing side, though.
One of his favorite things to do was tease Amber’s craft skills.
"What's that?" he said on the ninth day, looking over her cutting.
"It's a heart."
"But it looks like a real heart. All it lacks is blood."
Amber turned around on him.
"Listen, if you don't like my heart, you're heartless," Amber said. She knew it wasn't witty, but it was all she had. Lucas put a hand to his chest.
"Good heavens, you're right! I do need a heart! How about yours?" he said, and he swiped Amber's disturbingly anatomically correct heart out of her hand. Amber stretched to get it but he held it out of her reach.
"Stop it!" she shouted, chasing him around the table.
"Nuh-uh!" he said. Amber leaned across the table where Lucas had positioned himself and tried to get it that way. When this didn't work, she crossed her arms and yelled,
"William! Lucas stole my heart!"
"Well, we all thought it would turn out that way," William said, gliding to Amber's side. Lucas frowned at him and let his arm with the paper heart fall to his side.
"William, like I would ever want to steal her heart," he said gravely. Amber was confused. She pointed a finger.
"But you just did!" she accused.
"You're kind of dense, aren't you?" asked William, gently elbowing her. Amber scoffed and elbowed him back.
"I'm not dense at all. You're, um, dense for calling me dense?" she said, phrasing the insult like a question. William just laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, ignoring Lucas's set jaw and blazing expression. He started out his words in a slow drawl.
"Lucas was saying that he wouldn't ever steal your heart. You know, make you love him." Amber's jaw dropped and she turned to Lucas and then she turned to William's ear and said,
"That's so mean!"
William nodded and smiled. Then he whispered in her ear.
"But he's lying.”
Amber blushed furiously but did not pull away from William and the two continued to talk in harsh whisper like they were discussing overthrowing the government. Lucas soon tired of this.
"What are you two talking about?"
The two conspirators turned their heads towards him with shocked expressions, Amber's genuine and William's feigned.
"Come on, tell me before I march over there!" Lucas demanded. And he did, focusing his attention on Amber. Putting hands on his slim hips, Lucas glowered over Amber like a giant.
"It's nothing," she said.
"No it's not."
"Is too."
"Is not."
This went on late into the afternoon. Everyone had packed up and gone home and only Amber and Lucas were left in the school. Amber slammed her locker shut and nearly walked into Lucas. He still hadn't gone home.
"Is too," Amber said, continuing where they left off earlier.
"Is not."
"Is too."
"Is not."
"Let me through."
Lucas shook his head and just stood there. Amber let out a sigh and leaned against the lockers.
"Fine! William said that you liked me, okay?"
Lucas didn't go all wide-eyed and gaped-mouthed like she thought he would. Instead, he nodded his head for her to continue. When she did not, he urged her on.
"And what did you say to that?"
"I said it was impossible. You don't even like me as a friend! That's it."
They started walking. The sound his sneakers squeaking against the floor and her sandals clacking were the only sounds heard for a while, until Lucas said halfheartedly,
"Of course you said that....that's kind of funny."
Amber saw that this was a chance to lighten the gloomy mood, so she said,
"Yeah, like that would ever happen! Whatever. I don't like you either, so it's fine!"
The sound of his sneakers stopped.
"Why not?" he said.
The sound of sandals stopped.
"Eh? Lucas, I was just stating the obvious....we just don't suit each other," she said.
"Says who? I think we get along fine," Lucas said, crossing his arms. Amber's confusion gave way to anger.
"So wait here a second. You can not like me, but if I don't like you, you suddenly get offended? What is up with that?" she shouted.
"I never said I didn't like you," Lucas said.
"What? So you do?"
Lucas bit his tongue. He opened his mouth to speak. He closed it. After several moments of waiting, the self-inflicted mute opened his lips to give the ultimate answer:
"...Yess-er-no...."
Silence.
"Lucas, 'yesserno' isn't a word!"
"Oh, so everything has to be a word now? Sorry I couldn't be perfect, little Miss...Perfect!" Lucas burst out.
"What do you mean?"
Lucas waved his arms in the air as if trying to grab words from the sky.
"It's just that you always rule anything unlikely out. You never go for it. Ever. So what if I'm a kid that messes around every now and then? I'm not a bad person! But just because I've done a few bad things you're all like, 'Ew, Lucas. He's such a creep. Lucas is gross. Lucas hates me.' You immediately rule me out as a friend just because your little perfect world doesn't have room for a lowly soul like me!"
"What are you talking about? That isn't true at all. And a few mistakes?" Amber took a deep breath. "They aren't mistakes because you do them on purpose. You always do your best to hurt my feelings, and then you act like you don't care! You pull pranks all the time, and you are never sorry for them. So of course I don't like you, idiot. You never gave me a reason to!" Gasping for air, Amber gave Lucas a shove and began to walk away. Lucas grabbed her arm.
"Amber, wait!"
"Wait for what? To make me feel worse? You've already had your say, so just leave me alone!" She pulled away and started running. Lucas didn't follow.
Part 5
Amber collapsed onto her bed, letting its old springs bring comfort to her solace. She rolled onto her side, cuddling her pillow, breathing the smell of the vanilla candles she lit. Besides the candles there was no other light, so she watched the light flicker against the pink walls of her room.
Was it stupid that she was disappointed? She was disappointed that when she asked if Lucas liked her, he said no. She wondered why she cared. He was never nice to her before. But that was a lie. She rolled over again. He had given her advice, stood up for her at the gym, let her cry on him when she was a Lump, and actually lightened any stressful mood with his teasing. Amber was surprised when she asked the question she wanted a yes. She liked him.
"Oh, Einstein, what do I do?"
The rapid tap at her door snapped her out of her reverie and she slowly dragged herself out of bed. Unsurprisingly, she saw her mom.
"One of your friends is downstairs, Amber. I know you don't want company...but I think this would be good for you," she said.
Downstairs Amber found William, sitting on the couch and looking forlorn. Before Amber even greeted him he started talking.
"I'm really sorry about the fight, Amber. This is my entire fault." Amber plopped on the couch and folded her hands on her lap. William shifted in his seat and looked at the nearby fish tank. "When I was joking with you, I was just having a little fun, you know? I didn't think that Lucas would care that much...he usually just goes along when I tease him about girls. But I guess he cares when he actually likes them."
"Lucas doesn't like me," Amber said simply.
William laughed.
"Oh please, Amber. Don't lie to yourself, all right? Lucas has been my friend for a while, and when he likes a girl, he's stupid. Really stupid. He trips, is prone to spoonerisms, talks about circular foods with holes in the middle...And I've never seen him more messed up than when he's with you."
Amber didn't know what to say. She unfolded her hands and fiddled with her hair.
"Well, if he did, he won't anymore. It was a bad fight, Will."
"I know. He told me," Will said.
Amber raised her head.
"He did?"
William stood up and stretched.
"Yep. Hey, do you want to go somewhere? You know, cheer you up a little? Poncho and Lydia are in the van so it wouldn't be just us." William was the only person in the group with a driver's license.
Amber frowned.
"I don't know...my mother-"
"It's okay honey, I trust you," her mother said. "You work hard every day. You deserve some time out."
"But my homework-"
"I think my girl is smart enough to catch up." Amber's mother smiled. "I'm so proud of you, and I'm thankful for you trying so hard, but remember that childhood is a one time deal. I love you no matter what, so let your guard down. Be a kid."
Amber didn't know what to say, but she flung her arms around her mother's neck, feeling relieved. Lucas had been right.
"Curse him," she muttered.
Part 6
The empty school was illuminated by the van's headlights. The sun had nearly set, and the cool evening breeze whispered through the vehicle's rolled-down windows. Brushing some blown hair out of her face, Amber asked, surprised,
"What are we doing at the school?"
The van's tires squeaked to a halt in front of the gym's entrance. William casually stepped out and walked to the other side of the van and opened the passenger door for her. Poncho and Lydia stepped out of the back.
"It's a surprise," said Poncho.
A surprise from Poncho often meant something bizarre. Amber shifted and hoped that he hadn't brought his bed bug collection to the gym as some kind of present.
"Don't worry, it isn't bugs," Lydia sighed. "I don't think even I would want you to see that." Lydia stuffed her hands in her cargo pants, looking more relaxed than usual. She caught Amber's confused look and snarled. "I'm in a better mood today, all right?"
Amber shrugged, and Lydia sighed. Poncho clapped his hands and started bounding for the gym, looking like a happy little kangaroo in a poncho.
"Are we having the dance early or something?" Amber asked as William pushed her along.
"Something like that," William said. "Close your eyes."
Amber closed her eyes and of course tripped over something, as was her knack. William caught her by the elbow and straightened her, leading her by the arm. Amber heard the creaking of a door and soon they were walking on a hard wood floor, and she had an urge to peek. William let go of her.
"No peeking," Poncho said, but his voice sounded distant. The sound of their footsteps lessened, and then there was no sound at all.
"Hey! Can I open my eyes now? Did you guys just leave me?" she shouted.
"No, and no," Lucas's voice answered. "Keep 'em closed."
"Lucas?" Amber shouted, spinning around to the direction of the noise. "What are you doing here?"
"You're facing the wrong direction, Amber. I'm over here."
Amber spun around again to what she thought was Lucas's face.
"Can I open my eyes now? I feel stupid..."
"You look stupid!" Lucas said with a laugh. Amber tried to think of something witty to come back with, but before she had the chance she felt his hand around her wrist. He pulled gently, leading his blind crush to the center of the room. Amber felt awkward.
"Lucas, I'm going to open them!"
"No!" His grip tightened. "Just keep them closed. I can't think straight when you look at me. All I can think of is bagels and how interesting this gym's architecture is. Please, just hear me out." He dropped her wrist to hold her hand. "What I said earlier today . . . was stupid. I mean, you are a little uptight, but you’re not a 'Little Miss Perfect'. I said those things because I was angry. When you said you didn't like me, I realized that I wanted you to say you liked me. It hurt my feelings. And when you said all those things, I really felt stupid twice over, because you were right." He paused for a moment. "I just want you to know that I'm sorry, okay? I was a jerk. Okay. You can talk now." Pause. "Amber? Are you crying?"
"N-n-o..." Amber cried. "I just have something in my eye."
"Your eyes are closed, Amber."
"Oh, right. You caught me there. Um, thanks, Lucas, that means a lot. Your apology, I mean. But I have to tell the truth too. I felt the same way. When you told me all those things...it really hit home with me. I was biased against you. And I called you mean things too. “Amber inhaled.”And I was angry too, because deep down I thought you didn't like me. That's why I said some of those things."
"Really?" Lucas asked. "Really, Amber?"
She nodded.
"I like you too. You're really a nice guy, actually. I think we both screwed up, though."
"Yeah, we did."
"Start over?"
"Yes."
"Great! Put your right hand up! I'm doing it too..." Lucas stood erect and said, "I, Lucas Yolen, here today promise that I will consider my actions before I commit them, and be more of a gentleman to the opposite sex."
Amber laughed and said,
"And I, Amber Pennington, hereby swear that I shall take life less seriously, and not judge people before I get to know them. Can I open my eyes now?"
"Oh, yes!"
Amber opened them, and was amazed with what she saw. Simply put, it was a heart explosion in the gym. Paper hearts were spread on the floor and on the white draped food tables, which were at the moment empty. Paper chains hung from the ceiling and Lucas had turned on the radio which spilled music into the room. Lucas himself wore a tux and his hair was kempt and not flying all around his head.
"How did you set this all up?"
"Well," Lucas said, walking back to her, "I had to enlist the guys. It took Lydia a while to want to help, but after I explained that I really liked you she went along with it. It isn't quite finished yet...but hopefully it sets the mood. I got the tux from my dad." He looked into Amber's amazed eyes and suddenly his mind turned into pudding. "Do you like it? I mean, the place? The building? It's like, pretty, right? And the tux. I know it's my dad's, but it still fits. I grow fast. I mean, I'm six foot already but I'm still growing. That's not bad-growing. Not that you're bad. For not growing. Short isn't bad. Not that you're short! I was thinking for the food at the dance we could have bagels! Do you like bagels-"
Amber wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a tight hug.
"I love it," she said into his chest. "And I love bagels, too."
Lucas stroked her hair and chuckled.
"What about me?" he asked.
Amber stepped back from him and pretended to think seriously about that question for a moment, tapping her chin and closing her eyes.
"Well I don't know. I don't think you've given me your heart, yet," she joked, referring to earlier that day.
"Oh, that..." Lucas began, reaching inside his jacket. He pulled out a paper heart the size of his fist, covered in glitter and fake gems. It was so heavy that it was collapsing in on itself. He put the paper heart in Amber's hands and said, "Well, Miss Perfect Everything, my heart's all yours."
THE END
ha. This is so good. Well done. =]
<3
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