Bert's a Nice Guy.

~ Britta ~

My History class finished early so I reached The Wall long before the bell. I looked at my watch and sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day. I'll have to wait.I leaned against the tall concrete wall and set my bag down next to me. The bell rang about twenty minutes later. Crowds began forming outside the front gate and people moved out in all directions. Soon I saw Bert's group coming my way, but Bert wasn't with them. I pretended I hadn't seen them and looked in the other direction. I didn't dare look any of them in the eye outside of the school grounds. As they passed me, one of them kicked my bag over forcefully. The contents spilled out all over the footpath. They all laughed of course. Luckily, they kept walking. I bent down to gather up all my belongings and shoved them back into my bag. As I looked up I saw one of them looking back at me, he wore glasses. Surprisingly, he looked guilty. He turned away again when he saw I had noticed him. I sat down against the wall and pulled my bag onto my lap. Exactly seven minutes later [yes, I was counting] I saw Bert run down the back pathway from the science block.

"Britta!" He called out, waving.

"Hey, Bert." I replied when he reached where I was sitting. "What kept you?"

He extended his hand. I took it and he pulled me up.

"My psyco science teacher made me stay in after class and write lines, 'I must not throw my bunsen burner out the window.' I think she was completely overreacting." He replied, pulling a face.

I giggled.

"Sorry." He added.

"It's okay." I reassured him. "Really. What now?"

"Huh? Oh right... do you want to come over to my house?" He suggested.

"Alright." I answered, a smile creeping onto my lips.

He linked his arm with mine and smiled back. Apart from in our english class earlier, that had never happened before. My lips were slightly unwilling. Since we started at this school, I was instantly pissed off every time I saw him. Like magic. We walked down to the bus stop to wait for the next bus.

~ Bert ~

We got off the bus at the top of my road and walked three houses down.

"This is my mums place. My dad lives on the other side of town." I informed Britta.

"Thery're divorced?" She asked.

"Not exactly... They never got married, but yeah, that's the idea." I replied as we walked in through the front gate.

"Oh." She said. "That's sort of like my parents..."

I unlocked the front door and held it open for her, "Really? What happened with your parents?"

"Thanks." She muttered gesturing to the door as I shut it behind us, "My parents were married, now they're separated."

We walked into the lounge. She sat down on the sofa. I sat down on the recliner opposite her after a moments hesitation looking between the recliner and the space beside her.

"My mum kicked my dad out for being a drunk." She continued. "As far as we know he's homeless, so my mum can't send him the divorce papers."

"Whoa, intense." I replied.

"Sooo..." Britta said, "Is your mum home?"

"Nup. She doesn't get back until eight or something." I replied. I thought for a moment then added, "Do you want some ice cream?"

She grinned, "Sure!"

I stood and grabbed her hand and pulled her into the kitchen. She sat down on one of the bar-type stools by the bench while I grabbed two spoons from the draw next to her. My hand brushed against hers and she jerked away.

"Sorry!" I said, looking up from the draw. She was looking down at her hands in her lap.

"Don't worry..." She muttered.

I walked across the kitchen and pulled a tub out of the freezer and placed it on the bench, then placed the spoons next to it with a clatter. I looked at the label.

"Is French Vanilla okay?" I asked.

"It's my favourite." She grinned.

"Cool."

I sat down on a stool next to her and pulled the lid off the container. I handed Britta one of the spoons, took the other for myself and we dug in. After a few minutes she asked thoughtfully,

"Have you got any brothers or sisters?"

"Nope." I replied after swallowing a mouthful of ice cream. "There's just me. What about you?"

"Just a brother," She said, "Ray."

Uh oh. A girl's brother can be scarily protective.

"Older or younger?" I asked.

"Older. He's almost eighteen."

Oh crap.

~ Britta ~

Bert walked me home at around 6 o'clock. We had been at his place for hours. Time flies when you're having fun... I guess. It was a lot of fun, just a little awkward at times. Bert really surprised me, he was super nice. Something I never thought he was capable of.

"Thanks Bert, for walking me home." I said as we approached my front door.

"No problem." He replied. "Seeya."

He grinned then turned to go back the way he came.

"Wait a sec." I said, grabbing a pen from my bag.

Bert turned back to face me. I took his hand and scribbled my home and mobile numbers on it.

"My numbers." I said, nodding at his hand.

"Thanks," He said, looking at his hand then up at me, "See you at school." He smiled.

"Bye."

I turned around and walked up the front steps and in the front door. I watched Bert walk down the street through the window until he was out of sight, then turned and walked upstairs to my room. I placed my bag on my desk and literally three seconds later my phone buzzed loudly against the desk. I pulled it out of my bag to check the message. It read:

< Miss you already. Bert ;] >

I smiled, but couldn't bring myself to text him back. It's too good to be true, he could easily turn on me again tomorrow...I plugged my phone into it's charger and walked back downstairs and into the lounge.

"Hiii Ray!" I flopped down next to him on the couch where he was watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

"Hey." He said, his eyes flicking away from the television for just a second. "Where have you been?"

"Ummm..." I struggled to think of a decent alibi, "I was at... Taylor's house."

"Oh right. You mean the Taylor who called and said she hadn't seen you all day?" Ray asked suspiciously, raising one eyebrow.

Damn.

"Okay, you caught me." I admitted.

"So...?"

I stayed silent. He sighed.

"So, where were you?"

"Fine, I'll tell. Just, please, promise you won't have a spaz."

"Promise." He replied.

"I was with this guy from school, Bert..." I trailed off.

Ray just stared at me. Here comes the lecture...

"Bert? Bert KINGSTON?!" He stood as he began ranting, "Are you kidding me? After all the shit he put you through! What the hell, Britta?! He's just... he's..." Ray began to struggle for words.

"I think he's a nice guy." I finished for him. "I thought I'd give him a shot, okay?"

Ray had sat down again, his head was in his hands.

"Seriously, I wouldn't trust that guy, not for a second-" He began to rant again but I cut him off.

"Ray, listen to me." He lifted his head to face me. "That's you. And as far as I know, you're not gay so what you would do is irrelevant!"

I left the lounge and ran loudly up the stairs to my room. I knew I was throwing a typical cliche of a teenage tantrum, but I didn't care.

"Temper." I heard Ray mutter.

I slammed my door loudly in response.

~ Bert ~

I felt so lonely and useless when I got back from walking Britta home. I'd tried to read, watch TV, I had even tried to clean but nothing could hold my attention for long. Eventually I gave up and just lay on my bed with my CD player on as background noise. All I could think of was Britta. Her shiny red hair and sparkling blue eyes... Britta, Britta, Britta... I glanced at my hand and saw her numbers. I could call her... but is it too soon?Just then I had an epic idea, as an image of a poster I'd seen around school flashed through my mind. I ran into the hall and picked up the phone.

~ Britta ~

I picked up the cordless phone and dialed Clarissa's number. I lay down on my bed and stared at the poster on my ceiling while I waited for someone to pick up.

"YO?" Clarissa's brother, Toby, answered.

"Hey Toby, it's Britta. Can I talk to Clarissa please?" I replied, smiling.

"I never get an interesting reaction from you anymore! Sure, hold on a second..."

I heard a muffled 'Clarissaaa? PHONE!' then the sound of loud foot steps running down stairs and a lot of crackling.

"HELLOOO!" Clarissa and Taylor yelled.

"Hey!" I replied.

"Hold on, I'll put you on speaker... there." Clarissa said,"Now, we'd like an explanation please."

"Yes, where exactly were you at lunch?" Taylor added. "You have to tell me, you know you're my bitch!" She and Clarissa laughed.

"Sure, sure!" I joined in with their laughter. Before I could begin my explanation, I heard the call-waiting beep.

"Hold on, there's another call..." I said

"Awwwwww!" They complained.

"Sorry! It could be important!" I said, then switched lines. "Hello?"

"Hi Britta? It's Bert." Bert said.

"Hi Babe- I mean Bert! What's up?" I replied.

Oh. My. Gosh. I just called him babe! Fuuuuuuck.

"Uh, so you know how there's that fancy school dance thingy two weeks from now?" Bert asked.

"There is?" I asked, half to myself.

"Yeah, I was wondering, do you want to go with me?"

"Serious? Okay." I accepted cautiously.

"Sweet deal! This is awesome." Bert said, he then coughed and slipped back into his 'not-bothered' facade. "Anyway, I guess I'll see you at school then."

"Yeah. Kay, seeya!"

"Bye... Babe." I could almost see his mocking smile.

I shook my head, smiling, and switched back to Clarissa and Taylor. I heard the sound of Taylor's favourite techno music, they turned it down as I spoke.

"You guys still there?" I asked.

"Yes. And we've only been waiting forever!" Taylor complained. "I almost died of starvation."

"Who just called?" Clarissa questioned curiously.

"I'll tell you after I explain what happened at lunch." I explained all that had happened, from lunch, to english class, to his house. "...Then he walked me back to my place."

"That is so strange!" Taylor announced. "You guys hated eachother not long ago."

"It gets stranger though." I replied.

"Stranger than Bert's split-personality?" Taylor joked.

"That was him on the other line, he just asked me to that dance that's in two weeks."

"This is insane!" Clarissa cried.

"Madness!" Taylor added.

"I know! it's ridiculous. Wait a second..." I listened carefully, "I can hear someone downstairs with Ray and it isn't my mum."

"Go see who it is, then." Taylor suggested.

I crept down the stairs and peered around the corner into the lounge.

"He's talking to some girl." I whispered. "I've never seen her before."

"Ooooh!" Clarissa giggled.

"Ray's got a boyfriend! Oops! I mean girlfriend..." Taylor laughed.

I covered my mouth and struggled not to be heard, as I had a silent laughing fit on the floor. I could hear Clarissa and Taylor were doing the same.

"Shh guys! calm down, how am I supposed to eavesdrop properly if you keep making me laugh?"

"Okay, okay. We're calming down!" Clarissa said. Taylor was still laughing, then I heard a smack.

"Ow!" Taylor cried. "Was that really necessary, Clarissa?"

"Probably not!" Clarissa replied. "But I did it anyway, now Britta, eavesdrop!"

As we silenced ourselves, the anonymous girl spoke.

"I'd better go Ray, My sister's waiting for me."

"Oh, Okay. I'll walk you out."

I pushed myself flat against the wall in an attempt not to be seen. The two walked out into the hall. Ray opened the door for the girl and followed her out. She was tall, with layered black hair. When Ray returned and closed the door, he stopped suddenly as he spotted me sitting at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes widened.

"How long have you been sitting there?"

"A while." I grinned, switching into annoying little sister mode. "Who was that, Raaay?"

"No-one. Forget about it." He muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Your Giiirlfrieeend?"

He ignored me and stomped into the kitchen. I put the phone to my ear as I stood.

"Did you guys catch any of that?" I asked, running my fingers through my hair.

"We caught it all!" Taylor answered.

"Yes, I forgot how annoying you can be." Clarissa added, mockingly.

I ignored her joke and began walking back upstairs to my room.

"Well, if he's going to be secretive, so will I."

I looked back and saw him leaning on the kitchen bench, staring out at the darkening sky.

"So you're not going to tell him about the dance?" Clarissa asked.

"Nope. Telling him about us hanging out is enough. I think he'd have a heart attack. Besides, I'd love to see Ray's face when Bert turns up on our door step in a tux!" I said as I reached my room and lay down on my bed where the conversation began.

"OMG that would be hilarious!" Taylor said, and we burst into laughter yet again.

I heard the familiar roar and saw the bright headlights of my mother's SUV.

"I'd better go guys." I said as we recovered from our laughing fit. "My mum just drove in, you know how anal she is about the phone."

"Mmhmm. We know!" Taylor agreed.

"Aw. Alright, see you at school tomorrow then?" Clarissa said.

"Yeap, seeya then." I replied.

"Byeeeeeeee!" Taylor yelled. I heard her turning up her music again.

"Talk to you tomorrow!" Clarissa said.

"Bye!" I put the phone in its cradle and sighed. I hope I'm doing the right thing...

~ Bert ~

"Bye... Babe." I said, just as my mum walked through the front door.

I hung up the phone and turned to face her.

"Who were you just talking to?" She asked. Here comes the interrogation... she placed her hands on her hips. "Well?"

"It was no-one, mum." I replied, sighing.

"Damn it, don't lie to me Bert!"

"I'm not lying, just avoiding the truth." I replied, shrugging.

"Do you have a new girlfriend?"

"No, I wasn't talking to any girl..." I didn't look her in the eye.

"You called her babe!" Her voice was beginning to escalate. "Or was it a him? Is there something you need to tell me?"

"What? No! Fine, I was talking to a girl," I admitted, "but I'm not telling you who she is. You'll just interfere and ruin everything!"

"Oh, like I ruined everything last time? You were RUINING YOUR LIFE, BERT!" She screamed.

Her face was starting to go purple.

"Ruining my life? HOW COULD I HAVE MADE IT ANY WORSE THAN YOU ALREADY DID?" I retaliated.

She pressed her fingers to her temple.

"I don't have time for this right now, Bert. I have a headache. I'm going to take a shower. Just- just stay away from the girl, alright?"

She walked past me and up the stairs, shaking her head.

"Since when do I listen to you?" I muttered after her.

She didn't respond. Either she didn't hear me, or just couldn't be bothered dealing with me anymore. I headed to my room, planning to re-attempt cleaning it, but I knew I still wouldn't be able to get Britta off my mind.