Pre-read note: Here's the next section! I'm back to school tomorrow, so that means less writing for me, but I'm going to keep posting. Eventually I'll be writing sections then posting them right after, which may be really bad, cause then they'll be even less editing >.< Oh well.
Chapter twenty-one, section three (pg 66):
The football game was fast approaching. You could feel the excitement thick in the air as you walked through the halls.
I headed for the front lawn as soon as the lunch bell went. I had been avoiding this spot for some time now, but today I needed to cross that road, literally.
The day was crisp and cool. I pulled my black peacoat on as I looked about for their group. As usual, Amy was seated with her friends in their spot directly across from the football players. The boys were out and about on their lawn, their coats flapping in the wind as they tossed footballs to and fro. If the girls school was excited, I could imagine the boys school would be exstatic.
I carefully avoided being seen by Amy and her friends, sitting behind a group of younger girls in the grass. I realized as I sat pretending to read Biology that I hadn’t thought this out too well.
I watched the groups. The guys were obviously showing off for the girls; the girls were obviously giggling for the guys. Yet, they never seemed to make eye contact for more than a second. Except for 56, the blonde with the black bag by his feet, who kept making just enough eye contact with Chantel to make sure she was still smiling.
Eventually I looked at my phone and realized lunch was almost over and I had gotten nowhere. My first plan of action was possibly going to have to be put off, if I could even get a chance to carry it out at all. Then my luck changed suddenly. One football player passed the ball to 68, my target, and called to him about something. 68 nodded as the football player motioned to his buddy, this one a red-head, and the two of the started heading towards the girls. 68 and 56 kept throwing the ball back and forth as their friends made it across the road.
Amy jumped up and Chantel was quick to follow. They grabbed their things and turn heel-to-toe as they made their way back towards the building. Was Amy mad at the boys too?
The rest of the group of girls had completely forgotten about Amy, though. They watched staring as the football players came up to them. The one started talking to a dirty blonde, Ella, as the red-head made small-talk with a brunette.
I jumped up from my spot the moment Amy was around the corner of the building.
Luckily the girls were too absorbed in their testosterone fix that they didn’t notice me as I darted across the road.
As I made my way, surely trespassing, onto the boys school property, I felt a hundred eyes watching me. The boys in their pressed back pants and white collars didn’t even try and hide their surprise as I headed straight for 68 and 56. The two had stopped throwing the football and rather stood watching me approach.
I started to lose that in-the-moment confidence as I got up to them. They kind of came forward, their heads slightly tilted.
“Hey.” I said.
They instantly broke out into smiles, although I couldn’t tell if they were honest.
“Hi,” they said in unison.
I turned to 68, whose hair was in his eyes again. “I know you asked me to the dance the other night, and I declined, and I am so sorry.”
I paused but he didn’t say anything.
“Well, ok, see, here’s the thing. I was wondering if you’d do me a favour. My friend,” I lied a little, “hasn’t been asked to the dance although she’s the most popular girl in the school, and she’s really upset.” This part wasn’t a lie. “The thing is, there’s only one guy she wants to go with... and that’s you.” I let this sink in to add a little dramatic impact. “She’s an amazing friend and an awesome person. You might know her, Amy?”
68 nodded his head. “Amy. The bright blonde.”
“Yes, yes that’s her. Could you do me a favour?”
“No,” 68 shook his head, “I can’t ask her to the dance.”
“What?”
“You’re new here,” he said, “You’re New Wings, right?”
I shook my head yes, my eyes wide in surprise.
“You don’t know how this works. There are ... implied rules. One chance, one travel across the road. That’s the way it works.”
“So because you asked me, you can’t ask Amy?”
“That’s just the way it is.”
This sounded extremely old-fashioned to me, but I quickly started formulating an alternative plan.
“But you can still go to the dance?”
“Yeah,” he nodded, twisting the football in his hands.
“And dance with whoever you want?”
“Yeah,” this time he cocked his head. “Oh, you want me to dance with her?”
“If you could, that would make my day, it would make her day. Just at least ask. And if she’s the least bit angry sounding, just tell her that I turned you down, ok? She might think I said yes.”
“Sure, no problem.”
“Thank you so much...” I almost called him 68.
He reached out his hand. “Tyler.”
“Tyler. Thank you!” I grinned. His handshake was firm.
When I headed back across the street, I noticed even the group of girls with the two boys were now watching me. I just smiled as I jogged to the school building.
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