We watched Ruby fawn over Gilbert not noticing our eyes on her. Charlie leaned in beside my ear to whisper something. "People do stupid things when they're in love."
Ruby was busy vying over Gilbert she hadn't noticed the ball thrown at her. As Gilbert rushed over to catch it before it could hit I could see the starstruck smile on her face. She was head over heels for him.
"What's your reason?" I asked nudging him with my shoulder.
"For what?" I turned to look at him and saw his raised eyebrow. I held back a smile and looked away from his eyes.
"Being stupid," I said with a laugh, and in response, his smile widened. After that, his face went serious and I had to look twice to notice. "What's wrong?"
"I think I found my reason." A smile like no other made its way to his lips and my breath hitched.
"Are you going to tell me?" With a shrug, he stood up and I watched him head for his desk. Smiling at him as he glanced my way I looked up as Tillie stood in my vision. "Hi, Tillie."
"Good morning," she said as her lips tugged up into a smile. It easily became a smirk as she glanced back and forth between me and Charlie. With a sigh, I waited for her next words. "I'm making a bet with Jane that you'll two get together by the end of the month. Now if you don't want me to lose I suggest you do something about it. Do you want your best friend to lose?"
I shook my head and cursed myself for answering. Her teasing smile was back as I heard footsteps come from behind me. If it was Jane there was no telling how long I would stay here for. It was a good thing class would begin in a few minutes. But when it came to these two, time seemed to drag on.
I felt hands take my shoulders and I turned my head to find Jane. Her smile was wide as she made me shuffle down in my seat and I was squished between the two. These desks were not made for three.
"I said by the end of the school year," she chimed in resting her arms on my desk.
"What are you girls talking about?" I heard Diana ask and groaned. I pleadingly looked at Tillie but she ignored me by turning her eyes on Diana.
"How long it will take Charlie to ask her out," Tillie said and I rolled my eyes at her. I delivered a swift kick to her leg that made her smile falter. But it didn't make her stop speaking as she said, "We're making a bet."
"Can I join in?" Anne said behind Diana. She looked more than happy at the news. "I'll say give or take three months."
"If she's in I'm in too and a few weeks at best," Dianna said sharing a smile with Anne. It was as if they enjoyed my suffering.
"He's never going to do it but if he does it's by the end of the year." Jane looked to Josie and nodded and they both gave each other a look.
"By the end of the week," Ruby said for the first time turning back to look at all of us.
I rolled my eyes as they all looked at her. She didn't look away even as they were questioning her on her sanity. It would be impossible to get two people together by the end of the week. Even more so if that other person didn't like the other back.
-
Whenever my thoughts went astray they were always thoughts of Charlie. Even now as he sat before me. I couldn't get what he said this morning out of my mind and what he could've meant.
As much as I wanted answers I knew I would get nothing out of him so decided not to say anything.
I would only disturb the silence with my words. But the thought was eating at me and I had to say something, anything. "Can you pass me a pencil?"
