The Lunacy Fringe

Eighteen

Quinn showed up from the parking lot at lunch, saying he miraculously felt better and all he really needed was some sleep. Because I was apparently at fault for not letting him sleep the day before. I rolled my eyes as he got comfortable on the grass. Billie and I were busy having our own separate conversation. At the same time, everyone else talked about prom, and Amy took a nap. I wanted to show Billie the note Felix had given me, but I decided to wait for Study Hall so he couldn't see.

"So, who are you planning on taking to prom then? If not Meg?" I heard Quinn ask as he jumped into the conversation. Felix was, of course, not part of it up until this point. But quietly scribbling away in his notebook. And I was suddenly more interested in the conversation myself. I didn't want it to be too obvious that my eyes immediately went to him just to see his reaction.

"I don't know yet," he replied. But then he glanced at me, and our eyes met for a brief moment before returning to his notebook. The week before, I asked Billie what he did in that notebook all the time. She said that he liked to write songs.

I hated that he liked to write songs.

'What about the rest o' yas?" Quinn continued.

"Don't we still have like a month to figure this out?" Billie asked, finally joining in. Probably because I'd gotten distracted.

"I'm a man of advanced planning. I'll take you if you say yes." I couldn't stop myself from smiling. Billie looked almost dumbfounded.

"Uh—well—uh." She nervously pulled her long brown hair behind her ears and sat up straighter.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Um—I guess so."

"If you don't want to, you can say no."

"No, I mean, yes. Yes, I'll go with you."

"Alright, sweet."

He went back to drinking his soda and acting like this was a normal conversation. She turned to me, eyes wide with shock. I gave her a thumbs-up, and she grinned. But then she put her fingers to her lips and leaned back as if she didn't want him to know how excited she really was. But she kept bouncing her foot like someone who wanted to start screaming.

But Quinn wasn't the only one who wanted to plan in advance. It seemed like the rest of the school got the same idea. Later, when I was in class with Martin, he stopped me before I got to my seat.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked since we never spent much time talking. He was quiet and usually spent his lunch on the other side of the tree, where he spoke to Jack, Amy, and Freddy more than anyone else. I didn't know much about him except that he was a senior.

"I was just wondering since we were talking about prom at lunch, if maybe you wanted to go with me?" he asked.

"Oh, um—well—I don't really know—I haven't been here long enough to have an answer. We still have a while to figure it out, though, don't we?" I wanted to avoid the conversation entirely, but he followed me to my desk.

"Well, I mean, do people in Detroit usually wait until the week before to ask out their dates?" I shook my head.

"I've never been to prom. I was a sophomore last year. No one asked me. I just—need a bit more time to get to know everyone before I decide. I do still kinda have a boyfriend." He smiled and nodded.

"Sure. Alright. I'll ask again later then."

"Okay."

I turned and sat down and hoped the conversation was over. I hated being put on the spot. Luckily, he went to his desk and didn't bring it up again.

But then they started handing out flyers and making announcements in the mornings. They weren't wrong for wanting to plan ahead because it seemed like everyone was, but I didn't exactly have enough time to start deciding for myself. The only person I thought I had a real connection with barely talked to me.

But the next day, when I was waiting in the lunch line with Billie, a jock from my geometry class approached us.

"Hey, Ruby," he said. I smiled and waved. I was trying to remember his name. Just that he sometimes talked to me. Commented on my penguin pencil from time to time.

"Hi."

"Can I talk to you for a second? It's about our homework."

"Uh, sure." I left Billie and followed him to a quieter place by the staircase. "So, what do you need help with? I'm probably the wrong person to ask. I haven't really had a chance to catch up yet.

"Oh, I actually didn't need any help. I just wanted to ask you a question," he explained. And my heart jumped. He was tall and muscular with sandy blond hair and a California tan. I suppose he was cute, in a traditional sort of way. I knew that most of his friends were football players and cheerleaders, and I wasn't sure we had any shared interests outside of our geometry class.

"Okay, shoot," I replied.

"Well, I know you haven't been here very long. But I wanted to ask if you might consider going to prom with me.

"Oh—um—well—I don't really know you," I said after a moment of silence.

"I know that you're new, and you don't know a lot of people yet."

"Yeah—I'm not even really sure if I'm going yet. I haven't had a lot of time to think about it."

"So, is that a no?"

"I mean—I hope there are no hard feelings or anything. It's just that—we don't know each other very well yet—and I don't really want to make that decision until I know people a little better. So I hope you're not mad at me."

"No, it's cool. I understand. I wasn't trying to ask you to be my girlfriend or anything. But I get it. You need more time to get to know someone. That's my fault."

"No, it's okay."

"Thanks, though."

"Um—okay. Bye." I watched him walk off before I headed back to the lunch line. I still couldn't even remember his name. I didn't even like geometry, so I didn't spend much time trying to get to know my classmates.

"Excuse me?" some girl asked before I could get back to Billie. She looked like she was one of his little cheerleader friends. Or at least someone who wanted to be one of them. But I didn't know her personally, and I couldn't remember ever seeing her before. So we'd clearly never spoken.

"Uh yeah?"

"Did Jake Froud just ask you out?"

"Was that Jake Froud?"

"Duh."

"Well, I don't really see how that's your business." She laughed sarcastically.

"If you said anything other than 'yes,' you must be from a different planet."

"Or just stupid," the girl behind her muttered. I shot her a glare.

"I still don't see how this is your business." She laughed again, shaking her head and crossing her arms over her chest.

"You just made the biggest mistake of your high school career."

"Right—I'm really not too worried about it. But I appreciate the concern." I turned to walk away and found Billie nearly crouched over with laughter in the lunch line. I took my tray back from her and tried not to laugh. "Why are you laughing at me?" I asked, reaching for chocolate milk.

"Did he just ask you out?" she asked, still hysterical.

"He might have."

"You said no?"

"Why is that so funny?"

"That's Jake Froud."

"So? I don't know who that is."

"He's only like—the star football player of the entire district. His dad played for the Chargers. I don't think he's ever been turned down for anything before in his entire life. It's hilarious."

"Well—I mean—he's cute. But I didn't even know his name."

"Oh, Ruby. I don't think that really matters."

"Would you have said yes if he'd asked you?"

"He wouldn't have asked me."

"Why not?"

"Because I've been going to this school with these people since we were kids. They watched me go through puberty. They saw me when I had headgear. I'm invisible. And when I'm not invisible, I'm just a joke." I stuck milk on her tray, and the line moved up.

"That's not true. He probably only knows me because I'm new anyway. They never got to see my awkward preteen years. I'm still an exciting fresh face. They'll get over me eventually."

"Right. I can't picture you with headgear. Did you have braces?"

"For like a year, Billie."

"Well, I didn't know that. Your teeth are perfect."

"Yeah, now. I still have to wear a retainer to bed."

"What did the cheer squad say?" she asked, browsing fruit now.

"They told me I just made the biggest mistake of my high school career." She laughed again.

"They're probably all just jealous."

"Yeah, I got that."

"I thought you were going to throw a punch. You looked so mad."

"They made me mad. But I'm not the throwing punches type. I'm actually a huge wuss."

"Oh my God. I can't breathe."

"Oh, jeez."