Chapter Three: Underrated courage

Of all the times that I had been a klutz, I was hoping that this time was just a dream. That someone else had been talking and the words had come out of their mouth while I stood ten feet away in awe of their own stupidity. That wasn't possible since leather-wearing motorcycle enthusiast was glaring at me as he stood up and walked toward my crumbling existence near the fall dress rack.

His height, much taller now than when I spied on him from across the convenience store floor, towered over me. He could've easily rivaled Jeremy Lin for a center court jump ball. Beneath him, I was a bug and he was an angry father with a giant shoe about to squash my head.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked. It sounded like he was ready to kill me, maybe even pick me up and throw me headfirst toward the store door. I wouldn't put anything past him now that I was finally getting a good look at his physique. Moderately bulky jock arms, tattoos that seemed to be asymmetrical along the right side of his body, a hard firm chest. I could tell because of how snug the white t-shirt was.

I lingered for a bit about the words that seemed to be reluctant to come out. Should I answer bravely? Should I try to be funny and play it off? Or should I run like my life depended on it? I chose the last option.

"Bye!" 

My legs took off before I could fully piece together what had happened. I was bolting, making a poorly timed break for it after I was caught in the act. By the time I got back upstairs, I was huffing so hard that my mother's irritated face changed to concern. I collapsed into a chair near her, taking deep breaths as the bag with the dress lay carelessly in my lap. 

Her eyes went from my face to the bag. My face then the bag, until I was calm enough to answer her. "The uh, the dress was on the final sale rack so I couldn't return it." A long pause as we stared at each other, she wanted an explanation for the reason I was acting like I just ran a sixty-meter sprint. "I just felt like running."

With that, she seemed satisfied and rolled her eyes as she took off toward the exit. 

I dragged my feet behind her. 

Too many thoughts had been rolling around inside my head for me to focus on the slight tension that was left between us. The guy that I'd stalked was here. He'd bumped into me and he needed a backpack. And on top of all of that, he was with a girl. Was she his girlfriend? His sister? His best friend that he had faith in to change him? And why did he need changing? In my eyes, he was perfect. 

I turned, looking back at the mall doors longingly as we walked to the parking lot. I had one day left of summer vacation. After that, a senior year packed with effort and restrictions awaited me. I at least wanted to know his name, talk to him, find out what it was like to ride a motorcycle. Ask him which one of his tattoos he liked the best. Know if he really had a girlfriend. 

I sighed. "Goodbye." Speaking to nothing and no one, I continued, chasing my mother as she walked away without once looking back. 

Today you will be your best you. You will not falter in your resolve. You will not break under the weight of their words. And you will not, under any circumstances, run away from school, Allison

I had done enough checking. It was time to leave the safety of my Dad's back seat and head back into the cruel unforgiving place that so many teens dreaded. 

"You think you'll manage to stay the entire day this time?" Dad asked looking up at me in the rearview mirror. I shook my head. "Wanna come to work with me then?" I shook my head again, giving him a half smile that only momentarily convinced him that I could make it through the day. 

"Look, sweetie, you've been through a tough time the last few months, but it's over now. Just get back in there, put on a smile, and try to remember that not everyone feels the same about you. I'm sure you still have some friends left, no matter what happened. You've known these kids your whole life, you know they're not that bad, right?"

My father was right. 

"Kiddo?" Dad turned around, looking at me as my face lit in a more genuine smile.

"Thanks a lot, Dad." I put my hand on the door, looking out through the window at the students lingering to wait for their friends on the first day of school. I escaped the safety of my father's profession appropriate car and squeezed my eyes shut. 

Walking the halls of Madison High felt like I was walking down Death row. My beautiful chiffon dress had lost all of it's appeal the moment I actually put it on, after all, you needed to be confident to make the clothes look good. Elisa's very recent attack in the Mall had left me stripped of all things brave.

Whether or not my Dad was right, I knew that not everyone had forgotten about my screw up in the last school year. That was reassured when I walked toward the group that had hated me the most. Instead of continuing on that dangerous path, I made a sharp right term and took a Beeline straight to the Office.

I'd be safe there until my first homeroom. Or so I thought.

"You?" I heard the voice say. I ignored it. He continued to speak, "Hey, you. With the blue dress." I could no longer escape whatever ill fate awaited me.

Slowly, I turned around, hoping that the voice belonged to someone that I could at least match in height since the tone was clearly something older, more mature. But as I suspected, I was wrong.

There he was, in all his leather wearing enthusiasm. Hands tugged into the pockets of his Jacket. Bag partially slung over his right shoulder. Hair tousled, messy, perfect. And that amazingly symmetrical face in a scowl that was sure to send shiver down any other spine.

"You're the girl from the Mall, right?" he asked.

I swallowed hard. Life seemed to be throwing me all sorts of bullshit luck in the last few days. I couldn't remember how to say the words I thought would save me. Running away wasn't an option anymore since there was nowhere to go. I was, for lack of a better phrase, trapped between a rock and a hard place.

Face the assholes outside, or the hot one in front of me who would either a) try to hurt me, or b) be really nice and forgive me for stalking him over the summer. I hoped for the latter.

"Yeah, that's me. I was at the Mall." I stood frozen. Unsure of what else to say or do, I found that my legs moved on their own, my arm spontaneously extended itself, and my lips curled into a smile, "You're new, my name's Allison."

I was a dead woman. Seconds passed by as I stood with my arm outstretched in what was sure to be the most awkward attempt at a teenage handshake.

He laughed, "What are you, 50? Teenagers don't shake hands around here, do they?" Raised eyebrows awaited a response as I stared up at him.

"Oh, no. I mean, uh, no. I mean no, they don't. Teenagers don't shake hands around here." I quickly pulled my hand away, rubbing my palm against my thigh. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I was the one who called out to you."

Oh my gosh, he was making conversation. And not the scary kind that made me feel like I was gonna die. The kind that made me feel optimistic about some sort of friendship where I would get to know cool things about the mysterious new guy in town.

"So, you were at the mall?" he asked again. I nodded enthusiastically. "Alright, so does that mean you were listening in on our conversation? I saw you at the stationary store, too. Are you following me? Did my Dad send you or is my mom paying you or something?"

I was floored.

I actually hadn't seen him at the stationary store, but unknowingly listening in on his conversation at Jenny's I was definitely guilty for.

"I don't know what you mean," I said honestly. Whoever he was, or whatever life he had was clearly exciting enough for his parents to want to keep an eye on him. "I rea. . . "

"And at the dress place, you said that you knew me from the convenience store? That proves it right? They're making you check up on me." He angrily pulled his right hand from his pocket, causing me to flinch and shrink into myself. When he shoved his hair back, I relaxed momentarily before he scoffed. "You can go back and tell them that I won't do anything stupid, okay?"

His words had a hint of betrayal in them. Like he was hurt by having to make this declaration.

I knew exactly how he felt. For months I felt like my parents were waiting for me to screw up. My mother especially had her ears open every day I woke up, just waiting to swoop in and reprimand me.

"Excuse me," I started, "But I really don't know what you're talking about." I thought giving him the truth would ease his mind. "To be completely honest, I did see you a few times over the summer at the convenience store. Well, I saw you a lot because it was the only place I could really go on my own. And when you saw me at Jenny's on Saturday, it was just a coincidence. You guys sounded like you were having fun so I guess I wanted to see who you were. And. . . "

"And what about now, why'd you come here?" He looked around the empty room.

I laughed, realizing then that I hadn't actually walked into the Office. "I screwed up and opened the wrong door. Really!" I shouted, "I was trying to go into the room next door, the Office with the secretary. I was kinda trying to avoid the drama in the hallway, and I guess I wasn't paying attention."

"You expect me to believe all that?" he said in a disappointed tone.

"I wouldn't believe it either, but it's the truth." I pulled at my dress, looking down at the fabric. "I wanted to make a good impression today on everyone with this new look, but it seems from buying the dress and actually putting it on, nothing has really gone right. I'll be seeing you around then."

Time to bolt, I thought to myself. Keep what little dignity I have left and get out before he says something else. 

I turned and headed back for the door, but made sure to clear something up before leaving, "I hope you have a good first day, whatever your name is. Things at Madison are pretty tight-knit."

The leather-wearing motorcycle enthusiast didn't offer any more words as I slipped out of the room and luckily for me, the group was gone when I walked back into the hallway. I checked both ways before crossing the proverbial street and then continued on my way.

My dad's pep talk seemed to have done me some good. I felt better after speaking to the mystery guy I'd been stalking all summer. I felt stronger, and I was sure that whatever crap would get tossed at me, I could get through it just fine.

A/N Look at me finishing another chapter. Point out any weird stuff. Did you like it? Did it flow well? Were the scene and transitions good? Let me know in the comments below. Next up: Allison's first day back. Remember to vote and share with your friends. 

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