For Just a Moment

15

I got off the bus on Monday morning, and walked through the hall with Rubi towards the lockers.  She had spent the bus ride grilling me about all things Noah and Layla.  "That's just so cool that you got to go to an actual Layla Ainsley party!  I mean, they're like legendary!"

I neglected to tell her that Layla had texted in advance to invite me.  It seemed like a harmless omission.  Rolling my eyes and smiling into her sweet countenance, I told her, "Yeah, well, I think she just didn't want me to spend time at Noah's.  I really think those two like each other.  There's like a love-hate thing there or something.  Trust me, I won't be hanging out with her again any time soon."

We had reached my locker, and I was spinning through the combination when Rubi, looking over my shoulder said, "I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you...."

"What do you mean....?" I had barely gotten the words out when Layla's all-too-familiar voice punctuated the ever-present hallway din.

"There you are, Mary!"

I turned around slowly, surprised to see not just Layla, but Harrison Evans standing beside her in his Hinsdale Central letter jacket.

"There's my little wallflower!" She squealed, hugging me, smelling like lavender and coconut.

"Layla," I tried to make my voice enthusiastic sounding, but not sure that I got there, in my shock.  "What's up?"

"Oh, well, funny you should ask!  You remember Harrison, right?"

Mr-bad-breath-barge-in-on-you-in-the-bathroom himself.  How could I forget?  "Yeah, sure.  What's up?" I offered him a half-hearted wave, which he somehow took as an invitation to move a good three feet closer to me.

"Look, I feel like I made a bad impression on you at Layla's party.  I just....I like you.  I've noticed you all year.  Would you let me make it up to you?  Go out with me sometime?"

Again, feeling as though I were somehow trapped in the middle of a sadistic kind of practical joke, I looked around slowly from Layla's expectant expression, eyebrows raised high on her pretty face, to Rubi's surprised delight, to Harrison, who, to be perfectly honest, just looked as though he expected me to say yes, or something.

"I um.....thank you.....for the offer...." I stammered.  "But the thing is, I have a boyfriend....so...."

Annoyance flashed across Harrison's expression, then was quickly replaced with his typical indifferent smile.  "Oh, that's right.  I just figured that since you were the new girl and everything it might be nice to have another friend here.  You don't seem to have a problem hanging out with Nazarian, after all."

Still smiling, he stalked off, leaving only Rubi and Layla to hear me rant, "Maybe I don't want to be your friend, Harrison, did you think of that?  God!  I hate when guys like that think they can get whatever or whoever they want!  What makes him feel so entitled?!"

"Wow, Molly," Rubi regarded me with a mixture of surprise and awe.  "Harrison's the quarterback.  He's like.....really popular...."

"Rubi," I tried to keep the exasperation out of my voice.  "I barely know him.  You really think I'd go out with him?  Plus....he's kind of a jerk!"

Layla looped her arm through mine.  "Okay, so forget him.  This is the week, bitch!  Central versus South!  And I get to meet your boyfriend!"  She dragged me down the hallway, leaving Rubi trailing behind.

I barely made it to Trig before the bell, and for once, Noah beat me to his usual seat.  Seeing him back in class, surrounded by our classmates made me nearly forget Harrison, Layla, Rubi and the awkward scene at my locker.