I love you, Haley

To Haley the rest of the day dragged on. Nothing could quite compare to her lunch experience. By the time she got to History butterflies had began to swarm in her stomach. She was going directly to The DX after school and couldn't wait to see Soda. She didn't’t want to wait.

Haley liked History. It was one of her favorite subjects, but today there was a substitute teacher so not much was happening. Two-Bit and Rusty were in her class too, along with Steve. Those boys were wild. Haley discreetly watched them from the corner of her eye while she sat quietly in the back corner.

It was obvious that Two-Bit was the joke maker of the bunch. Every now and then he would sneak another drink from his flask then slide it back into the pocket inside his leather jacket. His laugh was contagious. Haley found herself silently laughing at them more than once. Rusty couldn't keep to himself. There wasn't a second when his eyes wouldn't’t wonder across an unsuspecting girl. Every girl within a few yards would be cat called and winked once he got their attention. No one would buy into it. He seemed standoffish against Two-Bit and Steve, not ignoring just avoiding. After thinking about it Haley came to the conclusion if she hadn't met Soda first Rusty might be the one she was after. And then there was Steve. He wasn't as loud or obnoxious as Rusty or Two-Bit but he was tougher and still bothersome. Ready at any second to pick a fight with anyone who looked at them wrong. The look in his eye was one of hatred even in a calm state. They were all different but together they all made a pretty rough looking gang.

A few times Haley would catch one of the boys looking at her. She would restrain a grin and continue to look busy. Right before the bell rang Haley heard quiet ‘psst’s’ from the other side of the room. When she looked over the three boys were all cocking their eye-brows and Steve gave a head nod directing her over to them. Quietly Haley gathered together her things and walked to the empty seat next to them.

“Hey, K.C.,” Steve grinned.

“Hi,” She smiled back.

Steve looks to the other two then back to Haley, “So you’re gonna come to the DX tonight, right?”

Haley nodded, “I was going to walk there straight from here.” Two-Bit and Rusty showed identical beams.

“Is that so?” Two-Bit cut in. “Well it just so happens so are we, the other boys too.”

“Oh really?” Haley looked at Rusty who was eyeing another girl. She turned to look then turned back. “Got your eye on something?” Rusty smirked.

“Yeah, so why don’t you just walk with us?” Two-Bit put an arm around Haley. “I mean you’re new and all so might as well have some handsome escorts, what’d ya say?”

“Sure,” Haley smiled up to Two-Bit. “Every girl needs some handsome escorts,” Again Rusty was staring at the girls. When he looked back she winked. Rusty’s cheeks grew red.

“It’s settled then, meet us at the front doors after the bell rings,” Steve said. Haley nodded in agreement then Steve and Two-Bit went back into conversation. For a moment Haley looked around the room, when her eyes returned Rusty was watching her with a cunning grin.

“What?” She asked.

Rusty shook his head and folded his arms, “Nothin’.” Haley took a long hard look at Rusty followed by glances at Two-Bit. Slyly she mockingly nodded smiling. “What?” He called back.

“You’re related, aren't’t you? Cousins, right?” Two-Bit turned to attention and Rusty looked away his smile fading.

“Yep,” He replied in a low mumble.

“I can tell. You look alike,”

“Like hell we do,” Two-Bit scoffed and returned to Steve. Rusty continued to stare at the ground, arms crossed, with a cold stern look. Haley was startled in his sudden change of mood.

Shortly after the bell rang, giving everyone the leeway to cram out the door. They all stood and Steve turned to Haley as they made their way out. “Front doors,” Haley nodded again. All three boys surged ahead of her and as they did something falling out of Rusty’s pocket caught her attention. Stumbling after them she quickly picked up a black leather wallet then came to Rusty’s side flashing it in his face.

Rusty cocked another eyebrow, “Thief?”

“Nope, just good citizen who risked being trampled in the middle of a crowded hallway,” Nonchalantly he nodded and reached for it. Swiftly she moved back and slid it into his back pocket, with a taunting cat call at the same time.

“Yeah you’re alright, kid,” Haley smiled then trailed away to her locker.

Patiently waiting for people to move out of the way of her locker she grew more anxious with each second. She was going to see Soda. Haley felt so silly being this excited just to see a boy. She felt five again. Once finally maneuvering to her locker she jammed her books in then hurriedly walked to the front doors. Haley was only within inches when a hand grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Expecting it to be Ellie, Haley just went with it but when she turned to see her instead it was Rose.

“Hi, Haley,” Rose stood in front of her holding books in one hand while to one she snatched her with hung by her side.

“Uh, hi,”

“Listen, I just wanted to apologize for lunch,” Her words were as fake as her sweet manner. “Maybe I was too forward. But you’re new and I just wanted to make sure, you know the right people to be with.” Haley just stared; she didn't know what to say. Another fire was starting in the pit of her stomach. Rose just smiled and continued, “So why don’t we walk home together, got to know each other a little better.”

Haley shook her head and began to walk backwards away from her, “Sorry, but no.” She kept her voice firm and steady. “I’m meeting people.” Haley then turned and walked out the door. She could hear the clinking of Rose’s shoes hitting the tile behind her. When she stepped out in the bright sunlight she stopped at the top step of the two flights of cement stairs. Again her arm was pulled back and she was spun around.

Rose looked Haley in the eyes then over her right shoulder. She looked back to Haley in dismay, “You’re not meeting them, are you?”

Haley pulled away, “Yeah I am. Do you have a problem with that?”

“Haley if someone like you hangs out with people like them, people will talk. And then all hell will break loose. You just don’t do things like this.”

“Fine, let them talk. Let the whole school judge me. I could care less.” Haley turned and walked down the first flight, but Rose’s voice stopped her again.

“Just wait, you’re going to come crawling back when you realize what kind of people they actually are!”

Haley looked down the bottom of the last flight of steps. Seven boys were all crowded around. A few smoking, one drinking, all with greased hair and reckless smiles. She looked at all of them, first individually then all as one. She didn't see ‘greasers’ or white trash. All she saw were people. Boys. Seven rowdy, misunderstood, nice, boys.