You Know I Always Imagined It Something More.

Bailey sat in her usual spot on the upstairs bench outside of the Art room. Alone and bored, which was also per usual. She sat in the same place on all of her free periods, just doodling or writing lyrics in her little sketchbook. Hoping the hour would pass by quickly, so she would be that much closer to going home.

Though home wasn’t much better then school. It was worse actually. At least at school nobody got piss drunk and screamed at her about how she was a mistake, and was never good enough until they passed out.

She heard laughter coming from across the foyer, at the bench beside the Physics lab. She didn’t even have to look up to know who it was. She’d know that laugh anywhere. She’d only practically been in love with the boy it came from for, the past four years.

She didn’t want to look over at him and his friend, for she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop. She was so taken with him, everything from his long red hair to his fiery personality –though it occasionally scared her when he got mad.

She flipped the page in her sketchbook, and got out her black ballpoint pen. And she began to sketch the face of the handsome young man, who she knew would never give the likes of her a second glance.

Bailey wasn’t ugly or plain, but she knew he could do much better then her. She pushed her long black hair out of her face as she continued to draw, and tried not to think about it.

She glanced up from her drawing to make sure she was doing him justice. But, of course, he was looking over at her. She instantly snapped her attention down to her bright green jean clad legs, and her picture. She could feel the hot blush rush to her cheeks.

’wonderful,’ she thought, mentally groaning, ’that’s just what I wanted… wait… was he looking at me?’

She glanced over in his direction through her bangs, as she adjusted her Zeppelin t-shirt. But, to her surprise, he wasn’t there. It was then that she heard soft boot scuffs approaching her. She closed her eyes and muttered a soft curse. She just wanted to continue on her merry way, unnoticed, and alone. She had grown used to being the silent observer.

“Wow, Bailey. That looks just like me,” his smooth voice sounded from beside her, “though I think you made me a little better looking.”

She felt a sudden twist of panic in her gut. She hadn’t thought to close her sketchbook. Her face started to heat up from embarrassment once again, as she started to quickly put her things away.

“Um,” she finally managed to mumble, “thanks, William.”

He didn’t reply. He just took a seat next to her. He quietly watched her franticly pack all of her things into her bag.

“You usually sit here alone on frees?” he asked, though it sounded more like a statement.

“Ah… yeah,” she mumbled as she fidgeted with the bottom of her t-shirt.

Bailey couldn’t remember being so nervous. Her stomach felt like it was tied in knots, and her hands were starting to get sweaty. She started wracking her brain for a way to leave without seeming rude, and so she wouldn’t make a bigger fool of herself.

“Not much for conversation, huh?” William asked, pulling her from her thoughts. He had a smile on hid face that just made her want to melt.

Bailey shrugged, and looked down at her lap, “I didn’t realise you were trying to hold a conversation with me.”

He chuckled, “I guess that makes sense.”

Their attention was drawn over to the other bench, when they heard Williams name being called by his friend. Who hand now been joined by another guy, that Bailey knew to be Matt Twist, an particularly annoying eleventh grader with an ego the size of Texas.

“I guess that means I’ll have to cut to the chase then,” William mumbled to himself, before looking back over at Bailey, “are you doing anything tonight?”

She just looked at his smiling face in shock. She couldn’t believe the words that just left his perfect lips. That question implied that William might want to actually engage in further contact with her. Contact outside of school at that!

“Well?” he prodded, glancing over at his antsy friends.

“Oh uh,” she stammered, the blush returning with a vengeance, “no… I-I’m not doing anything.”

“Good, would you like to go to a movie with me tonight?” he sheepishly asked, looking down at his lap.

Bailey was a little surprised by this sudden change in demeanour. But it oddly made her want him even more then she already did, if that was even possible.

“I’d like that,” she smiled and locked eyes with him.

William abruptly stood up and grinned, his cocky attitude back in full swing once again; “I’ll pick you up around six then?”

Bailey nodded, yes. And William went back over to his friends, leaving her on her own once again. Bailey sat there silent and still, she was still a little shocked by the events that just transpired. So much so that she had to pinch herself on the arm to make sure it wasn’t just come cruel dream.

But after letting out a small yelp from the pain the pinch caused, she knew she wasn’t dreaming. And her stomach was instantly doing back flips that would put an Olympic medallist to shame. Never before did she ever think she had a chance with William, she didn’t even think he knew her name!

Good things like this didn’t happen to Bailey, ever! She was just shy, unnoticed, quiet Bailey. That was just the way things were for her. But it seemed that, thanks to William, she had been happily proved wrong about that.