Are You Scared Yet?

“How was your day?” Keith said, opening the passenger door for me as I approached.

I curved around him, shaking my head no. “Get in.” I demanded in a more hostile tone then I had intended. I had opened the unlocked car door, hopping in the driver’s seat. I stuck my hands out as a message to Keith to hand me the keys, and he did so without hesitation.

“Brendan, are you alright? You seem…”—he thought of which word to use carefully—“flustered.” Keith adjusted the passenger seat to his liking, not expecting to assemble there in the first place.

I adjusted the seat straight up, as for I do not like slouching much since it irritates my muscles. “Is that your favorite word to describe me lately? I’m fine, and I had a good day.” He shot me a concerned look, as if he didn’t believe what I stated. “I promise, Keith. To be honest, I just had my mind on other things rather than how I was treating you. You know I don’t have to worry about impressing you—we’re closer than that.”

He nodded and grinned. “Yes, that’s true, but keep in mind that I have an eye on you. Don’t be afraid to tell me anything. And by the way, how does being flustered influence you wanting to drive?”

“I am not flustered, okay?!” I raised my voice a bit, trying to sound like I was not angered, yet it same out sounding as if I were stressed. I added a short laugh at the end of it, but it just came out nervously. “And I know I can tell you anything. To be honest, I sort of wanted to drive so I could be in control. It seems most everything that I come across here I have no chance to grip control of it.”

He chuckled to himself as I pulled out of the lot, heading towards the street that’d lead to me to the interstate. “You’re talking about Marie, aren’t you?” I glared at him, puzzled and stunned. H—How did he know about her specifically? “Keep your eyes on the road.”—I sighed—“Besides, I’ve heard from someone about her.”

“Tobias…” I muttered. I automatically knew it was him; I am going to evade him for a while, which unfortunately means avoiding Mithos too… When we got on the interstate, I felt a jolt of anger fill me that Tobias couldn’t even keep his mouth shut. All because of that little scenario… “Right?”

“That doesn’t matter,”—that’s a yes—“what does is that you aren’t too carried away, yet you aren’t avoiding her. Are you?” I shook my head no, and told him I approached her today. “Brendan, just go out and tell her what you think of her. If it doesn’t work out, then it doesn’t matter much. If she’s worth it, it’ll be worth it.”

“Is that how you felt about Sarah?” I brought up his love, who had never thought of him the same way he did of her.

“Exactly. And—uh, Brendan? You’re going thirty miles above the speed limit…”

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It has been about two weeks that I’ve wasted, without giving a word to her about how I feel. Over this time, I’ve become closer to her, and we actually talk commonly. She’s been smiling lately, and she doesn’t eat lunch alone now. In fact, I’ve even gotten her to cope with two girls, both her age. I watch and converse with the three of them as they eat, and another friend of mine that I’ve gotten closer to named Matt. One thing I haven’t gotten her away from are her books, but that’s not so awful by any means.

I’ve tried to loosen up, but I can’t help being me, which it seems Marie likes—or so she said. She seems more content, although she still has her own secrets, I can tell. I’ve given her time and have waited for her to tell me when she’s ready, but today, I couldn’t wait to spill out one of mine.

“So are you going to do it?” Matt questioned silently as we sauntered through the halls together, leaving lunch.

“No, I’m not asking her out.” I sighed, telling him this for what seems like the millionth time. “She’s not the kind of girl I can just ask that simply. I’m just going to let her know how I feel.” I gripped my bag’s strap firmly, strangely proud.

He rolled his eyes and pat my back. “Dude, you sound like a lame romance novel or someone. But whatever, good luck. At least ask her to the Winter Dance—I’m asking Kallyn.” He winked. Kallyn was nice. She was the first girl that opened up to Marie, and tried to look past her “warnings”. I was proud for him, but I couldn’t help but think that Marie was better.

I dropped him off at his class and I went into ceramics and sat right by Marie, who was reading yet another book. I sighed, and beamed. “What are we going to do with you?”

“Way to interrupt a good part!” She muttered, setting a bookmark into it. “No one says you have to put up with me, you know. If you can’t get used to my hobby, then that’s pretty sad. The exit’s over there, Mr. Lexington.” Marie pointed out the door, teasingly I hope.

“Hold on there, Marie. What did I say about calling me that still? I have a first name.”

“Brendan.” We both said in sync. She shook her head, rolling her eyes and pulled out her teal spiral full of note and doodles, averting her attention to the power-point Mrs. Richardson was showing us on different cultures.

At the end of class, I made sure she didn’t wander off. I brought her to the corner of the class, telling her I needed to find a certain book off the shelf.

“Why do you need a book from ceramics…?” Marie questioned, gathering her stuff and then moved to me. “Don’t lie.”

“Well, I didn’t want you to wander off.” I put an arm out and lightly pinned her to the wall with it; she could easily leave since I purposely didn’t gate her in. “Marie, I know this is sudden, and sort of unpredicted, but…”

She looked at me confused, but she didn’t spill out any words. Her book had fallen out of her back, and she began to kneel down to pick it up, but I lightly placed my available hand on her chin, making sure she stayed still. I looked her in the eyes, intense but sweetly. We were along; even the teacher had left the classroom with the other students.

“Marie, you’re special. I don’t know how to say this, but I think you’re the one.”

My heroine.