Opposites Attract

The bell rang shrilly in my AP English class, making half of the students jump awake in alert. Today’s lesson was rather boring. We spent the first twenty five minutes of class going over an essay some guy wrote a long time ago before spending the rest of the time writing a paper on what we had thought it meant. Needless to say, half the class slacked off and fell asleep or doodled wordlessly in their notebooks. Our paper ended up being due tomorrow instead of on Friday, our punishment for not doing what the teacher said.

Oh, well. Everyone knew that Mr. Fredrickson was an asshole anyways. Nothing ever made that man happy.
I quickly gathered my books in my arms, before dashing out into the busy hallway. It was lunch time for some students. Others had to wait until after next period. Luckily, I got stuck with the earlier lunch, as did Max, Ronnie, and Robert. Omar and Bryan were the unlucky souls who had to wait another hour before they could fill their hungry stomachs.

After pushing my way through all the fellow adolescent bodies, I finally reached my battered, brown locker. Whoever had this storage space last year was kind enough to doodle all over the outside with a black sharpie. My fingers quickly spun my combination into the lock. I carelessly tossed my book into the locker, along with my backpack filled with my notebooks and folders. Hastily, I slammed the door shut. Juniors and seniors were allowed to leave school grounds for lunch. Today the four of us decided to go to the pizza place that was within walking distance from school. A lot of students went there not only because it was so close, but because the food was so cheap.

The halls were emptying out with half the students in class, in cafeteria, or out to lunch, making a clear pathway for me to head to the entrance. The senior lockers were closest to the front of the school, so it only took me a couple minutes to reach the front doors.

I hurriedly pushed myself through the large doors. A smile instantly covered my face as I stepped outside. Rays of the sun beat against my body. It felt nice to get out and be in the fresh air after being stuck inside for five hours straight.

My eyes began to search the entrance for any signs of the boys. Sunday after everyone woke up we all went out for breakfast at a local diner. I tried to make up an excuse to stay behind and start my homework, but Max would not have it. He insisted eating something would help me feel better. The greasy hash browns and eggs I ordered did seem to help settle my stomach. It actually ended up being a really good time. Robert, Omar, and Bryan were really kind to me, helping me break out of my shell a little bit. All these years of knowing Max and I thought his friends hated me. Turns out they were just as cautious about approaching me as I was them.

Max had been acting strange to Ronnie when we were all together. Every time he spoke to me, or even looked at me, Max would shoot him a side glance, watching him carefully. Later on that night when we went back to his place, sneaking past my dad’s apartment door, he asked me why Ronnie slept with me. My face turned red instantly, knowing his assumption and told him what happened. He merely raised his eyebrows in surprise at my answer.

“You know I can tell when you’re lying right?” he questioned slowly as we both sat on his couch in his living room. His mom was out working at the hospital for the night so we had the apartment to ourselves. “You have a crush on him don’t you?”
“No!” I exclaimed shrilly, trying to keep myself calm. “Why would you even think that?”

Max’s thin lips turned up into a huge smile as he hastily shoved a accusing finger at me. “You’re such a liar! You have a crush on Ronnie Radke!”

My eyes narrowed at him. “Could you be quiet! The whole apartment building can probably hear you right now!”

Max barked out a loud laugh at my embarrassment. “Relax would you? It’s not like you’ve committed a crime. You just have a crush on someone.” He paused for a moment. “I just never would’ve pictured you to like someone like Ronnie.”

I groaned and shoved my face into one of the sofa pillows that I was holding. “It’s stupid isn’t it? I mean, I don’t know why it even matters. There’s no way he’d like someone as plain as me.”

It went silent between the two of us as I slowly breathed in and out. I felt like a complete idiot now that Max knew my little secret. I couldn’t believe it was that obvious to him. Hopefully it wasn’t that obvious to Ronnie.

“Hey,” Max murmured gently, reaching out and putting his hand in my shoulder. Hesitantly I brought my head up, meeting his gaze. His green eyes were soft as he spoke to me. “Don’t be like that. You’re gorgeous Abby, even if you don’t see it.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Yeah right,” I murmured in disagreement. “That’s why boys at school are lining up to date me.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “If we weren’t such good friend’s I’d bang you.”

My mouth hung open in shock at his words. “Maxwell Scott Green!” I exclaimed loudly, disbelief in my voice. “Don’t ever say that again!”

“What?!” he asked innocently. “I’m just being honest with you!”

I took the pillow in my hands and smacked Max in the face with it. “Stop saying that! It’s just wrong!”

Max chuckled lightly at my reaction. “I’m just trying to tell you that despite what you think, boys notice you. Even your lover boy Ronnie.”

At his words my face began to warm. “You think so?”

Max rolled his eyes. “I know so. Just, be careful with him okay?” he told me, seriousness washing over his body. All joking was gone. “Ronnie’s a bit, wild, and likes to go through girls. Not saying he’d do that to you. I just don’t know if he’s really the relationship type.”

I nodded slowly at his words, before sending him a small smile. “Don’t worry Maxie. I know. I’m not planning on doing anything about it. It’s just a crush. I’m sure it’ll pass.”

Max snorted in disagreement. “Okay Abs, whatever you say.”

After that the subject of Ronnie was dropped and he watched stupid tv shows while I did my homework. Needless to say, the rest of the weekend was relaxing.

Focusing back to the present, my eyes continued to scan around the large court yard. My face lit up as I saw Ronnie resting easily against a tree, looking around for his friends. Finding some courage, I decided to make my way over to where he was.

He continued to scan the crowd, not being able to see me. I was almost too where he was standing when Heather suddenly approached him. I instantly froze in my tracks, watching as she reached out and touched his arm, a seductive smirk on her face.

Ronnie’s eyes carefully scanned up and down her body, an impish look taking over his face as he began talking back to her. She let out a loud, flirtatious laugh at what he was saying, sticking her chest out further as she flicked her hair. She was definitely putting the moves on him and he was falling into her trap.

My feet began to take slow steps back, no longer wanted to be seen. I wasn’t sure if I could go to lunch if Heather was going to be there. I had nothing personal against her, but she would do something to embarrass me or do worse. I couldn’t handle Ronnie and her flirting with one another. I knew it was just a stupid crush, but it made me so mad that Heather could just butt in and whisk him away without any effort at all. Why couldn’t I be confident like that?

“Jealous much?” my subconscious scolded me.

I shook my head, shaking away the thoughts.

Not paying attention to where I was going, I didn’t see the boy walking towards my retreating form. In seconds I felt myself backing up into somebody, making me jump in surprise. Quickly I spun around, ready to apologize, but instead found relief wash through me. I would notice those aviator glasses and curly black hair anywhere.

“In a hurry there Abby?” he questioned, a look of amusement on his face.

I let out a nervous chuckle. “What me? No, no way!” I stammered, rubbing the back of my neck. “I was, just, ummm, getting some fresh air. I have a paper due next period that I have to finish, so I don’t think I’ll be able to do lunch today.”

Robert raised his eyebrows high above his glasses. “You have a paper due for phy ed?” he questioned doubtfully.

A anxious laugh came out of my mouth. “Yeah, well you know me, always wanting extra credit.”

“Hey guys, ready to go?” Max suddenly popped up out of nowhere, startling me.

Robert shrugged. “Abby says she can’t go because she has an extra credit paper due for phy ed,” he told him before I could get a word out.

In my head I was shooting Robert a dirty look. Way to just throw me under the bus, jerk.

Max’s green eyes turned to look at me. I squirmed under his curious gaze, knowing he would be able to tell if I was lying or not. “Extra credit, huh?” he pondered carefully.

I gulped and looked away from his eyes. “Got to get md grade up somehow.”

“Mmmm” Max hummed as he continued to stare in disbelief at me, crossing his arms tightly around his chest.

I shot a look at him, begging him to just drop it.

Max caught my drift and turned to his friend. “Dude, look at that hot chick walking into school!” he exclaimed in false excitement.

Max’s distraction worked as Robert quickly whipped his head in the other direction, facing away from us.

Once we knew he wouldn’t pay attention to us, Max quickly whipped his head back to me, looking flustered.

“What is wrong with you?” he mouthed quickly to me.

I shook my head quickly back and forth before mouthing back to him. “Look behind me!”

Max looked confused, but did what I asked. His eyes roamed around the courtyard quickly, knowing Robert wouldn’t be distracted for to long. His eyes went from person to person before I assumed he saw Ronnie and Heather. His nostrils flared slightly in annoyance as he shot me a quick nod of understanding. He may not know that Heather was still snarky with me, but he did know that Heather still wasn’t the fondest of me.

I mouthed a quick thank you at him just as Robert spun back around to us. “I didn’t see any hot girl.”

Max sent his friend an apologetic look. “Sorry man, must’ve missed her.”

Robert frowned but didn’t say much else on the subject. His gaze fell back on me;. “Well I guess I’ll see you next period, yeah?”

I nodded my head slowly, sending him a reassuring smile. “Of course, with my paper in hand!”

Max rolled his eyes at my obvious bluff before jerking Robert away from me. “Come on man, we don’t have much time. If the pepperoni pizza is gone by the time I get there I’m going to be pissed.”

Once I knew they were both out of hearing distance, I let out an exasperated sigh. Looks like I would be spending lunch in the cafeteria by myself today, nothing new there.