Never Walk Alone

Chapter 6

      The next day, I decided to do the same and read during the day. But when it came time for third period, Mr. Lamar had plans for all of us. A group project had been set up for us. We had to work on a science project on orbital patterns. I was paired with two girls who were best friends with each other, and while I continued to work and do research, they had decided to giggle on about the cutest guys in school and girly things. I sat idly by, not bothering to join in. Although it would be fun to fantasize about having a best friend to do all of those girly things with. Darren and I couldn't exactly paint nails together. At lunch, I joined Darren and saw that he looked ultimately guilty. I raised my eyebrows at him.
"What happened?" I asked slowly.
He smiled at me apologetically.
"Is this something to do with me?" I began to wonder this frantically. Darren opened his mouth to speak again.
"I...... Might've..... Ummm...." He began.
"Spill." I said sternly.
"I told one of my friends.... Well, you see, I've been telling him a lot about you.... And he thinks your pretty. He just.... I told him that you would hang out with him later, and that maybe you guys could get along-"
"You set me up?!? With some guy I don't even know? Are you an idiot?" I yelled.
"Well, you'll only have to talk to him for a lunch period or so... You might like him!" He said defiantly.
I paused and thought for a moment. Hanging out with a complete stranger for an hour. Sounds fun.
"No. I'm not doing that!" I said as if it was the most idiotic idea in the world. It was, actually.
"Please? Afterwards you don't have to have anything to do with him!"
I sighed and thought for a few minutes.
"What's his name at least?"
"Garrett,"
A few more seconds of silence.
"Fine," I answered at last. I sure wasn't happy with that decision. He started smiling real big again.
"Great! Then that's settled-"
"If you ever do that again, Darren, I'll do the same to you with five different girls and you can have fun explaining to them why you were interested in five different girls!" I added sharply.
He laughed and nodded. I smiled sarcastically and pulled out a book. He rolled his eyes, but I kept reading the rest of the time, fuming from ear to ear.

After school, it wasn't a surprise when Darren came over to my house. He came in panting and knocked on my bedroom door. I answered it with a grunt and a huff, putting my hands on my hips and standing in the doorway.
"Wanna go to the rocks?" he asked, ignoring the simple fact that I was mad at him.
After a minute of him staring hopefully up at me, though, I gave in.
"Fine," I muttered. A smile grew on his face and I had to smile back. Why did he make it so hard to say no?
Darren followed me out to the rocks, where we climbed to the flat top. We could see Darren's backyard from where we were standing. The view was simply stunning to look at. I smiled faintly; I couldn't help it! Let's just admit; I really am a nature freak. Darren saw me and grinned goofily from ear to ear.
"You're mad, huh? he said sarcastically.
"Watch it!" I glared at him jokingly. He just smiled and looked out at the view again. And there was the same sad look again. The look of tired eyes that have endured a lot. A lot more than anyone else realizes. I tried to act like I didn't notice it.
And yet again he hesitated, as if dying to say something. But he held back from it. And if I could have, I would have pried it out of him. But that would tear him apart. So instead I decided to make light of the conversation.
"So who's Nicole?" I remembered suddenly. I had heard her name mentioned a couple of times by Darren.
I looked at him just in time to see him go pink. He did that often. I smiled knowingly.
"She's just.... Well, she's in one of my classes and... Yeah," he stuttered. He let out a single awkward cough and raised his eyebrows.
"Ah," I emphasized disbelievingly, but he said no more.