The Wallflower [Andrew Clark]

Chapter 8

After of our heart-to-heart, Brian feels the need to lighten the mood. I'm sitting by Allison talking to her when I hear a song coming from one of the other rooms. I look in that direction to see Brian coming out dancing and moving his head in circles I laugh and Bender climbs up on the statue and starts head banging. Allison gets up and does this dance that reminds me of when planes are crash landing and they yell "Mayday!".

Soon everyone's dancing.  Claire's dancing on the second balcony and Brian's drumming on the wall on the way out of the room he was just in and Andrew's sitting on one of the rafters drumming on his leg. I'm just sitting there with a smile on my face watching them all. A few minutes into it all, I join Claire and Allison in this twist like thing that they're doing back and forth on one of the tables.

The song ends and everyone goes and sits on the railing. The order goes Andrew, Allison, Claire, Brian, and then me. "Brian?" Claire says. "Yeah?" He asks. "Are you gonna write your paper?" She asks. "Yeah, why?" He says. "Well, it's kinda a waste for all of us to write our paper, don't you think?" Claire says. "Oh, but that's what Vernon wants us to do..." Brian says. "True, but I think we'd all kinda say the same thing." Claire says. "You just don't want to write your
paper...right?" Brian says. I laugh and look at Brian.

"True, but, you're the smartest, right?" Claire says. "Oh, well..." Brian says pridefully. "We trust you..." She says. Brian glances over at Allison and Andrew who nod in
approval. He then looks at me and I nod. "Yeah..." Andrew says. "All right, I'll do it..." He says. "Great..." Claire says. Claire looks at Allison who looks back. "Come on..." She says to Allison. She looks at me and motions me to follow them. I walk after them into a room. "Where're we going?" Allison asks.

"Come on!" Claire says. Claire moves Allison so she's sitting on the desk while she takes out her makeup bag. She begans putting makeup on her.
"Don't be afraid." Claire says as Allison flinces away from her. "Don't stick that in my eye!" Allison says. "I'm not sticking it, just close..." Claire closes her eyes. "Just go like that..." Claire closes her eyes.

Allison mimics her. I laugh and copy her closing and opening my eyes rapidly. "Why are you blinking like that?" Claire asks laughing. I shrug and smile. "Good..." Claire says. Claire puts the make-up on her and Allison squeals. "You know you really do look a lot better without all that black shit on your eyes..." She says. "Hey...I like that black shit..." Allison says.

"Well I think you look pretty no matter what." I say. "Thanks." Allison says. "This looks a lot better...look up." Claire says. I look out the window to see Brian thinking about what he's going to write. Then I see Andrew just thinking. "Please, why're you being so nice to me?" Allison asks. "'Cause you're letting me." Claire says.

Finally Claire finishes and Allison walks out of the room nervously. Brian is busily preparing the essay then looks up and sees the newly made over Allison and is in awe. "Aw." I say quietly. "I have to say. I saw it coming." Claire says. "So." She says closing her mascara tube. "You and Andy, huh?" She asks, smirking at me. "What? No." I say. "Are you sure?" She asks biting her lip, still smirking. "Even if he did like me back, we're from two different worlds." I say. She looks at me. "Well I know. But so are Brian and Allison. Now look." She says gesturing to them.

I sigh. "Honestly Claire, he doesn't know I exist." I say. "I think he does." She says gesturing once more to where Andrew sits, staring at us. Once he sees we've noticed him, he quickly looks away. I look at my shoes and feel a smile creeping up on my face. "Do what you want with that. I've got an errand to run." She says, walking out the door and out of the library.

I walk out of the room and sit next to Andrew on the railing watching Allison and Brian. They say something to each other and I smile. Andrew looks at me and smiles. "Why are you smiling." I ask quietly. "'Cause you are." He says. My smile grows wider and I look at my shoes. "You're really pretty." He says. My face gets warm and I look at him. "So are you." I say, then realize that was wrong. "Wait no. That's not right. I mean I'm not saying you're not-you're really cute." I say after back tracking.

He laughs. Brian and Allison are sitting at the table a few feet away, able to hear everything. Allison snickers and gives me a thumbs up. "My god." I say laughing. Brian kisses his paper. Claire walks in with Bender. "Time's up." He says. We all grab our stuff and walk out of the library. We're walking down the hall where we are met by Carl, sweeping up. Brian nods at him.

"See ya Brian..." Carl says. "Hey Carl..." Brian says. "See you next Saturday..." Bender says. "You bet!" Carl says. We walk out to the parking lot. I see Brian and Allison kiss. "Yay!" I say. Andrew looks at me and laughs. I smile and look at him. Brian and Allison get in their cars and drive off. My dad pulls up. I sigh and look at Andrew. "Um...I guess I'll see you around." I say. Andrew looks me in the eyes and nods and I'm standing there wondering if he wants to kiss me as much as I want to kiss him. I put my hands in my sweater pockets and look at the sky for a bit thinking it over.

I realize my dad is waiting. I pull Andrew by his letterman jacket and kiss him. He kisses back with no hesitation. We stay like that for a while. Just his lips against mine, leaning against my dad's car. We would've stayed like that longer, but my dad honked the horn, startling both of us. I look at Andrew, my fingers still wrapped in his jacket. I smile and I'm about to get in my dad's car when Andrew asks me, "Do you wanna go to prom with me?" I look at him and smile a bit. "Ok." I say nodding. He smiles at me as his dad pulls up. I stand there for a bit before getting in my dad's car.

"Who was that boy?" He asks as I buckle my seatbelt. "Why do you care." I say in his face. He gives me a stern look and I roll my eyes and look out the window to see Bender walking across the football field. He thrusts his fist in the air and I smile.