One of the Boys.

It was two days before school ended, and Brendon hadn’t talked to me since. I’d rarely seen him at school. I knew he was there, but he was avoiding me. We sat next to each other in pretty much every class, so he’d swapped with a girl called Harriet, who I’d become good friends with since Brendon decided to stop hanging around me.
My braces had come off since then and people had started noticing me more. I was a little less nerdy perhaps, a little less masculine as I was smiling all the time. You would too if you’d had to cover your mouth up for two and a half years and all the years before hand because you had fucked up teeth.
School had just finished, so I went to my locker to get my board out. There was a note in there, so I took it out and un-folded it carefully.
I’ve liked you a while, but I’m not sure how to say it, so I’m telling you, without you knowing. x.
It was typed up so I couldn’t recognize the handwriting. Damn it.
But I have a Secret Admirer. Excuse the girlishness, but Yay!
Okay, now that’s over.
I tucked the note into my pocket and packed my bag for the summer vacation as we wouldn’t really have any lessons tomorrow. Harriet came over to me and smiled.
“You doing anything over the summer?” she asked.
“Going to Italy for seven weeks.” I said, rolling my eyes.
“You don’t want to go? Can I go instead?”
I laughed. “Sure, if you want. It’s not like my parents would notice if I wasn’t there. I’m sure you’d have a much better time.”
She smiled.
“You doing anything?”
“Going to Barbados for a week… and the warped tour.”
“Really? You didn’t strike me as a warped tour kinda person.”
“Just the music, not the sports.” she laughed.
“Damn, I’ll miss warped this year!” I said, suddenly realizing. “That sucks.”
“If I could swap our summers, trust me, I would.”
“Same.” I agreed and we walked out of school. I saw Brendon just about to get on his board.
“Sorry Harry, but I’ve gotta speak to Bren. See you tomorrow!”
She waved at me and I jumped down the stairs, grabbing Brendon before he could skate off. He turned around to face me and sighed.
I pulled him into a hug and he hugged back. People were gossiping because they thought I was incapable of showing affection, so for me to be hugging someone needed to be gossiped about.
“Are you really going to avoid me? Because I go on vacation in three days and I need someone to cover for me at the orphanage. Shit, are you crying, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have left like that.”
I tried to let go of him, but he wouldn’t let me. “I don’t want people to see me crying.”
“I don’t want you to cry at all, B.”
I kissed his cheek; cue more gasps and whispers.
“I’ll see you later Em, I’ve gotta get home.”
“Feel free to dry your eyes on my shirt before you let go of me.”
He nestled his head into my neck, then let go, pulling his hat down so people couldn’t really see his eyes.
“Bye, Bdon.”
He smiled as a response then skated home.
Harriet came down the stairs. “What’s up with him?”
“Stressed out about report cards.” I said, covering for him.
“Oh. But he’s super smart, why should he worry?” she said, blushing.
Brendon isn’t all that smart, no offense to him.
Light bulb moment.
“Wait, do you like Brendon?”
“Don’t be so loud!” she squealed.
“Do you?” I whispered, beginning to walk home with her.
“A little bit. I’m super jealous that you just hugged him.” she mumbled, looking at her shoes. “And he’s really cute, and the skateboarding is super hot.”
“Tell him!” I exclaimed. “Tell him tomorrow, before we break up for summer!”
“He won’t like me back.”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure he will.” I said, suddenly feeling really happy. Brendon was gonna get a girlfriend!
“You are? You sure?”
“I’ve been best friends with the boy since kindergarten, I’m pretty damn sure, yes.”
“But what do I do? Do I just go up to him and ask him out? What do I say?” she said, panicking.
“Calm down Harry.” I smiled. “You’re going to warped, right?”
She nodded.
“Ask him to go with you. He loves warped tour; then make a move there when you’re floating above everything, as you’re bound to be. Kiss him and then you’re set.”
“Thanks Em! I’m gonna be so nervous tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry. Anyway, this is my place, so I’ll see you tomorrow. Laters!”
“See ya.” she smiled and waved.
I walked into my house and shut the door behind me. Everyone was frantically throwing things around in preparation for Italy. My mother saw me and sighed. Charming.
I saw my dad and he smiled at me, ruffling my hair. “Looking forward to our vacation, kid?”
“Yeah, it’ll be cool.” I nodded and ran up the stairs into my room. I opened my wardrobe and pretty much everything was gone. At least they’d packed for me, I suppose.
I collapsed on to my bed, kicking off my shoes and shoving my board under my bed.
-X-
“Emma help me!” said Harriet, pulling on my sleeve whilst I was getting books out of my locker. “What do I say? He’s right over there!”
I smiled. “Say ‘I heard you were going to warped tour, maybe you’d want to come with me? I’ve got a spare backstage pass.’ Go Harry Go!”
She bit her lip nervously then walked over to Brendon. She started speaking, then his eyes lit up. I tried to lip read, and it went something like:
“Really?” (Brendon.)
“Yeah, if you want to come that is.”
“I’d love to come! Thanks Harriet. What do I owe you?”
“Nothing, it’s fine.”
“Are you sure?” he paused. “Wait, are you asking me out?”
“Kinda…”
He smiled widely. “Wow, okay.”
“So…?”
“I’d love to be your boyfriend.” he chimed, pulling her into a hug.
As his back was turned away from me, I couldn’t see his face, but could definitely see hers, which was absolutely elated. She smiled at me then let go of Brendon.
“So I’ll see you after class, I guess?”
“Sure Harriet.” he smiled, kissed her cheek, then walked away with his bag. Once he was out of sight, she came over to me and squealed loudly, repeating ‘Oh my God!’ over and over again.
“Happy?” I asked, smirking.
“How did you know he liked me?”
I didn’t. I knew he wanted a girlfriend, and Harriet was a really nice, intelligent and pretty girl, so he couldn’t really say no if he tried. Who knows, maybe he did like her.
“I just had a feeling.”
“I’ve got art next, so I’ll see you whenever.” she smiled and walked off.
Someone tapped my back, so I turned round and was engulfed in a massive hug from Brendon, who kissed my forehead and did a little dance. He got some weird looks; like that ever stopped him.
“Your friend Harriet just asked me out!” he chimed. “I’ve got a girlfriend!”
“I know.” I laughed.
“You… you didn’t pay her did you?” he asked, all hope diminishing from his eyes.
“No! She let it slip that she liked you, and how you were, I quote, ‘really smart, cute and the skateboarding is super hot’.”
“No way!” he sang, all excitement returning.
“So I told her to ask you out. And here we are.”
“Thank you so fucking much! This summer is gonna kick ass! I mean, if you were here too, but as your not, it’s gonna suck.”
“You’re allowed to be excited without me, Bdon.”
“Good, ‘cos I was going to once you were gone anyway. Ahh, hell yeah!” he said, punching the air.
“Bren, seriously, calm down.”
He smiled. “Okay… well I’ll see you later. Byeee!”
He skipped off.
I shook my head and laughed. He was crazy sometimes. No, make that all the time, but more crazy than normal right now.