I could never look him in the eyes again. I would need to move to Antarctica or bury myself in a six feet deep hole. Anything to never subject that boy to my awkwardness ever again.
“Maybelle!” Liam shouted over the crowd that now gathered around the two boys.
I heard him, but I refused to look back. He continued to holler after me, anyway. “Trey is taking us home after the rally, so meet back here!”
Perfect. Just perfect.
2 Slime And Snake Scales
Maybelle
The little voice in my head and soul was still screaming as I entered the gym, melding with the ridiculous cacophony of cheering from students that covered the bleachers.
I searched for a vacant seat to take refuge in. As I looked, Hannah Lacy was a beacon of hope as she stood above the crowd, signalling me to join her at the top of the right-side bleachers.
I strode to the steps and climbed up to the secluded corner, where I found Hannah sitting alone.
“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver,” I sighed. Hannah pushed her round glasses up the bridge of her nose as she gave me a soft smile. It was the only real greeting I could ever manage to extract from the shy girl.
Her attention retreated to the small book she had propped on her legs while I adjusted, placing my shoulder bag down between my knees. With my breathing calm and my cheeks no longer scalding, I peered over at the book she was devouring.
I couldn’t contain my excitement as I tapped a finger on the edge of the book. “Flipped? That’s my favorite book. Do you like it?”
Hannah eyed me from her peripheral. We wereusually content just using each other for companionship in crowded situations. Other than that, we weren’t exactly friends in the general sense of the word. We never once hung out outside of campus walls—but we looked out for one another. I never liked that, but I also had never cared to change it until now.
I don’t know if it had to do with the school year ending, my Trey-encounter-high or my social heart trying to break through my self-inflicted walls... But I felt it couldn’t hurt leaving our time together with at least a small effort to be actual friends.
Hannah scrunched her nose and adjusted her glasses. A habit I noticed each time she engaged with something or someone other than her latest read. “Uh, it’s alright, Bryce is kind of a jerk though.”
I feigned astonishment. “What? — Well yeah, at first, but he’s still cute.”
Hannah stared back at me, unamused.
Feeling defeated, I surrendered instantly. “Keep reading. He gets better at the end.”
She obeyed without another word or glance at me.
I loved my books, but only if they had romance, of course.Flippedby Wendelin Van Draanen was the official start of that obsession when I read the book in sixth grade. Now, a little older, I was into romances with a lotspiciertension.
The surrounding students all jumped to their feet, ripping me from my daydreaming of romance books. I stood on my bleacher seat, leaving Hannah below to her book to see what had everyone’s undivided attention. The football team and cheerleaders galloped to the front and center of the gym, with Liam and Trey at the head of the herd.
Those on stage settled in as the students’ lungs deflated from the sheer force of their screams, the crowd slowly sinking back into their seats.
I followed, taking my seat with the rest of the calmingaudience. As a whole, the student body waited eagerly on the edge of their uncomfortable, bleacher seats while the president and his VP got their hands on a microphone.
The boys exchanged a glance I immediately recognized as an unspoken code between the two friends. One that radiated confidence and unity.
Trey, standing to the left, accepted the microphone first, a charming smile pressed up his lips. “Good morning, Harbor High!”
This greeting, alone, sent the fans back into a riot of enthusiasm. Trey and Liam joined forces. They took turns rattling off the agenda for not only the rest of the assembly today, but event specifics for the rest of graduation week. Today, we would be dismissed to go home after the rally. Tomorrow was class party day, in which each class would have an activity planned for the hour.
Wednesday was the official graduation ceremonial day.
Even just announcing a lame, not so extravagant schedule, Liam and Trey really knew how to work a crowd. They got the audience excited about boring things like Tuesday night’s graduation rehearsal. They did well together, neither overpowering the other, both complimenting each other.
“Now for The Senior Last Dance,” Trey yelled into the microphone. “Teachers and staff, we love you, but cover your ears because this is a senior only event!”
He handed the microphone off to Liam, who turned a dazzling smile on the students.
