As the next day came, Allie hardly even realized that she was at school and sitting at the lunch table with Lola and Nicole. She was off in her own little world thinking about last night, Last Night... *insert love sick sigh*
Quickly, Allie told herself to snap out of it before Lola or Nicole looked up from their food tray and noticed that something was up.
Lola: What were you up to last night because I text you, but you never answered.
Allie told herself Lie, again even though she felt bad lying to her best friend. With Nicole always around, there's no way what really happened last night was going to come out.
Allie: Sorry, I had homework so it was off.
Lola: Oh ok.
Lola said as if she was convinced by Allie's lie. Nicole just cocked her head in confusion toward Allie that sat across the table.
Nicole: Wait... you turn your phone off when you do homework?
Allie: Yeah, because if it was on my mom would freak.
Nicole: Really? Your mom doesn't seem that strict.
Nicole asked confused again, Allie began to answer her question slyly and with a hint of embarrassment. Lola didn't pay much mind to this conversation because it was like she already knew the whole story.
Allie: Well in the past I haven't done so hot with my grades, so senior year I have to in order to graduate. Those are the rules.
Allie said with a shrug, then Nicole's confused look that Allie thought was permanently on her face slid away and turned to a face as if she just realized something for the first time in her life.
Out of the corner of her eye, Allie saw a guy in her grade starting to walk toward her table and wondered why because she doesn't even remember the last time she talked to him; maybe it was ninth grade? Allie always kind of felt bad for the guy because he never seemed to have any friends. Granted, he was kind of weird and not the best looking guy in the world because of the small red bumps all over his face, chin length light brown wavy hair, and glasses that seemed to be way too big for his face. He also kind of had a gangly structure to him, not exactly what every girl wanted in a guy.
Allie told herself to stop judging as he approached the table, but to Allie's surprise he didn't come up to her, he walked over to Nicole's side of the table with an almost nervous excitement.
Junior: Hey Nicole.
Allie caught Nicole sigh in annoyance under her breath and almost felt like smacking her in the face because there was no need for that type of annoyance.
Nicole: Junior, I'm kind of talking to my friends.
Now Allie really wanted to smack Nicole in the face because it was almost like she was acting like she was too cool to even be seen with Junior, with the snobbish tone she spoke to him with. Junior suddenly looked down in slight disappointment, and Allie knew what he had to be feeling inside. She didn't know why he was still standing here taking Nicole's bitch attitude, but he began to speak nervously.
Junior: Sorry, but I just wanted to know if you would be my lab partner?
Nicole didn't even look up once as she answered Junior's question, she just kept looking straight forward while rolling her eyes momentarily.
Nicole: Let me think about it.
Junior: That's all I need to hear.
Junior began to walk away from Nicole's lunch table with giddy excitement shown all over him.
Back at the table, Nicole let out another sigh of annoyance.
Nicole: He is so annoying; he always wants me to be his lab partner.
Allie: You should say yes because he's really smart.
Nicole: I want a lab partner that I like though.
Allie just discovered that the definition of shallow is Nicole, but she was her friend and Lola seemed to like her too, so she decided to make this conversation civil.
Allie: I know he may be a little dorky...
Nicole stared at Allie wide eyed, and again Allie decided to keep it civil; but in a way she had to agree that he wasn't the greatest catch.
Nicole: A little...?
Allie: Ok a lot, but glasses and a few pimples never hurt anyone, he's a nice guy though.
Nicole: Sounds like you need him more than me, so you can get an A.
Allie: I already have all my science classes done.
Allie reassured Nicole in a partly cocky way because it was her way of getting back at Nicole for being so rued. To burst her bubble, her best friend jumped into the conversation with some vital information.
Lola: Yeah, you barely passed though.
Lola said with a hint of humor, so Allie fired back with humor of her own.
Allie: *waving her hand as if to blow it off* Minor detail.
As the lunch bell rang, Allie, Lola and Nicole made plans to go over to Nicole's house after school. Allie thought to herself that it wasn't necessary to discuss because it already was becoming a routine for the three girls.
**********
When Allie got home from school, she didn't feel the need to stick around her house so she walked herself down the block to Nicole's house. No matter how well Allie knew the person, she felt a comfort with that person and their houses so she just walked straight inside Nicole's house. When she did, she saw Nicole walking down the stairs and into the entry way with a basket full of clothes in her arms.
Nicole: Hey Allie, where's Lola? I thought you two were coming over together?
Allie: Her grandparents stopped by so she has to visit, then she'll be over.
Nicole: Ok, well my mom asked me to do the laundry so you can just chill upstairs if you'd like.
Allie began to realize what the laundry basket full of clothes was for, but then again what else would it be for. Silly girl, Allie said to herself.
Allie: Alrighty.
As Nicole walked downstairs and to the laundry room, Allie began walking up the stairs and toward the kitchen where she saw Dustin standing by the counter top opening a can of Coca-Cola. Allie's heart began to beat rapidly, she took a deep breath in then out before she walked all the way into the kitchen.
Allie: Hi...
Dustin's head popped up for the coke can that he had just opened and to Allie standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Breathe, Dustin told himself.
Dustin: Hi...
The room fell completely silent as Allie and Dustin just smiled nervously and awkwardly at each other, neither of them knew the faintest idea of what to say.
Allie: So... this is awkward!
Dustin: Yeah, I mean what do we do so Nicole won't freak?
Allie: Which she probably would if she saw us. We could always pretend that we hate each other?
Dustin was glad that Allie said it and he didn't. Even though he was thinking of the plan himself, he didn't want to offend her.
Dustin: Yeah that always works.
Ever so silently, Lola crept up the stairs and into the kitchen breaking up Allie and Dustin's moment. She knew that they were just talking about something, but she couldn't exactly make out what they were actually saying.
Lola: Hey guys, what's going on?
Dustin looked away nervously as if he wasn't a part of this conversation. To Allie he was, so she thought of the cover up she and Dustin just decided on before Lola walked in, then once again thought of a lie to say.
Allie: Nothing... ummm... Dustin is being an ass saying that they don't have any food.
Allie stared narrowed eyed at Dustin as if she was disgusted with him, so Lola wasn't worried anymore.
From behind, Allie heard Nicole's voice and she suddenly felt as if she was caught in a lie or something, but knew that it was just herself being paranoid.
Nicole: My brother is always an ass. Dustin, why don't you just go away?
Dustin's face suddenly became snarl like, and Allie almost believed it; like he wasn't acting at all.
Dustin: Fine, I don't want to hang out with a bunch of girls anyway.
Dustin said as he walked passed Allie with his opened coke can in his hand.
Allie: But, why not? *fluffing her hair* We're just so adorable.
Dustin let out a laugh as he walked into his room. Allie's jaw dropped as if she was offended.
Allie: How rude!
Nicole: Get used to it.
Truth is, Allie is going to have to get used to it because they were going to have to keep this act up around Nicole to make her believe that there is nothing going on between them. Well... at least Allie hoped that Dustin's chosen action at the moment was part of the act.
Allie: So, got any food?
Allie said mostly because she didn't want the thoughts that she had in her head in there anymore or at all.
Nicole: Yeah, help yourself.
And that is what Allie did; she started to look through Nicole's kitchen cupboards, while Nicole and Lola just watched her until she found a bag of chips. Immediately, Allie started to dig her fingers into the opened bag of chips and put the salty snack into her mouth.
Nicole: Every time I'm with you, you're always eating or thinking about food.
Allie: I know, I could never be a model because I love food.
Nicole: But, you're so skinny though.
Allie was surprised that she was actually getting a compliment from Nicole, but she decided to take it while she could. Even though, she heard a hint of jealousy behind Nicole's words.
Allie: Thank You.
Nicole: Hey so... what are you two doing this weekend?
Nicole directed her words toward Allie and Lola as she turned to give both of them a hopeful look in her eyes.
Allie and Lola: I don't know. Why?
Nicole: I want both of you to come to my brothers racing competition with me this weekend.
Allie: Isn't it kind of your brother's thing?
Allie said as if it was a question and with nervousness behind her voice, because what if Dustin didn't even want her there. But then again, he wasn't exactly the one asking her so he wasn't the one to say yes to.
Nicole: Yeah, but my brother doesn't have any friends so I always bring friends.
Allie: And, that's ok?
Nicole looked down to the kitchen floor as if she was trying to hide her face from Allie or something. Allie began to wonder if her friend was going to start crying.
Nicole: Why? Do you not want to?
Allie: No. It's just I feel kind of weird.
Allie said apologetically, then looked nonchalantly over at Lola whom seemed to be looking at her a little confused by the whole conversation. By the nervous look on Allie's, face Lola began to understand why Allie was acting so weird. It was a secret about Allie that only Lola knew.
Nicole: Don't, I do it all the time.
Allie: Ok, I'll ask my mom.
Allie said almost as if she didn't want to be speaking the words, so Lola quickly stepped in to save her best friend from getting another question that she didn't want to answer from Nicole.
Lola: I'll ask my parents. What time are we leaving?
Nicole: Be at my house, Saturday at nine a.m.
Nicole said as she looked over to Lola, whom now looked as if she was extremely annoyed and wanted to cry to herself.
Lola: That's so early.
Allie heard a slight whine behind Lola's voice, she laughed silently to herself.
Nicole: At least it's not six.
Lola dropped her jaw in shock, so before she could say anything Allie stepped into the conversation.
Allie: Excuse Lola here, she usually doesn't get up before noon on a Saturday.
Allie said with a laugh behind her voice. Lola playfully glared at her friend, then started to rub her temples as if she was starting to get a headache for just thinking about her next choice of words.
Lola: I'm sooo... going to need coffee Saturday morning.
**********
As time passed, Allie, Lola and Nicole were all downstairs hardly even watching the television that was on, it was like background noise to the girl talk and laughter between the three of them. As Allie saw that she almost had eaten the whole bag of chips that she got from upstairs, she became drenched with thirst.
Allie: These chips are making me thirsty, I'm going to get something to drink.
Allie said as she got up from her seat on the couch and dusted her hands off from the chips residue stuck to her fingers.
As Allie walked up the stairs and into the kitchen with a sense of hope inside of her, she saw Dustin standing in the kitchen reframing his same position from earlier when she had first come over. Dustin noticed Allie as soon as her feet hit the tiled floor, he lifted his head up from the magazine he was looking at and looked at Allie.
Dustin: Hey, soo... I'm an ass again?
Dustin looked at Allie with a playful smug look on his face. Allie just sheepishly smiled and tried playing it off cool hoping that he was kidding around with her.
Allie: I have to pretend like I hate you, remember?
Allie prayed that what she had just said was the right answer, but she wasn't too sure because it felt like Dustin was taking forever to answer back. Her heart reluctantly started again, because a grin came across Dustin's face as he spoke.
Dustin: Doing a good job.
Allie: I know.
Allie smiled, then did a bowing motion as if she was doing it for a performance well done. After, she started to rummage through the kitchen fridge for something to drink. She found a cherry coke, it was just the thing she was looking for that could clench her thirst.
Dustin: So, I hear you're coming on Saturday.
As Allie grabbed the can of cherry coke from the fridge, she turned to Dustin leaning against the counter casually with his hands in his pockets -just like a guy, Allie thought- and staring straight into her eyes.
Allie: You little eavesdropper.
Dustin laughed a little to himself; Allie couldn't help but let herself laugh alongside him.
Dustin: That's what I'm good at.
Allie: But yeah, I'm coming.
Allie said after rolling her eyes at Dustin, then opened the cold can of cherry coke in her hand and took a sip as if she wasn't interested. In reality, she was just stalling herself.
Dustin: Cool, now you can see me race.
Allie: Yeah, I'll enjoy it if you're good.
Dustin: No doubt about that.
Allie: Sure that's what they all say.
Allie let out a laugh just like Dustin had earlier as she started to walk out of the kitchen. Before walking down the stairs, Allie turned back and gave Dustin one last sly look.