Standing for Weirdo

Chapter 2

"Aliceee!" As always, the warning scream came after the solid impact of someone bulldozing me from behind.

Books jostled in my arms and a notebook fell with a rustle. I sighed.

Same old routine, same old casualties.

"Hey, Stella." I nodded in her general direction and bent over to retrieve my things with a cursory glance to the fallen, trampled item. Calculus homework. No great loss.

Stella planted her fists on her hips, grinning and ready to go into speech mode. I didn't find out what she wanted to say, though, because all the fun went out of her when I straightened up again and she got a good look at my face.

"Damn, girl, you look awful," she said with a frown.

"Gee, thanks! I thought we were friends and all?"

"I'm your friend, but you know I can't lie to save my life." This was true. I had seen Stella trying to make up excuses, and it was painful to see. "So, spill. What's wrong?" She poked my side and my books nearly fell off again.

"Nothing, really. I didn't sleep much, that's all."

Actually, I had slept all of four hours. After arriving home the previous night, I'd faced a long, detailed lecture on why I shouldn't be out at such times... yada yada. I'd tuned it out after the first ten minutes, but it still kept me up for too long. It wasn’t like I could walk out on my parents while they were doing their level best at parenting, after all.

Of course, she misunderstood my reasons.

"Alex!" Her voice dropped to a loud whisper that could be heard from the other side of the corridor. "You couldn't sleep, all caught up thinking about him, right?"

"Wrong." I rolled my eyes. "It had nothing to do with him!"

She laughed. "You mean that you weren't nervous in the slightest after yesterday night? Did you turn into a statue of stone and ice or something?"

Okay, that got my attention. I stopped and turned to look at her. A kid bumped me, but I held my ground.

"What about yesterday night?"

Stella pulled at her blond ponytail, clear giveaway of nerves if there was one, and gave me a quizzical look, as if I were being dense on purpose. I didn't budge and she fidgeted with the hem of her T-shirt. When she started talking, she looked everywhere but at me.

"He didn't...? But I know he wanted to. Not because he had told me or anything, but it was kind of..."

"Stella, you're losing me. He didn't what?"

"I thought he would take you home and, you know, say good night or something!" Her eyes blazed as the words tumbled out. "That's why we all left! I'd not have left you in the parlor like that otherwise, Alice. You know it. I'd have gotten Josh to give you a ride. We just thought it was better to clear the way. He didn't leave you stranded, did he? That bastard! I hope... I hope someone will scrape his car! No, wait, I'll do it myself!"

I had to laugh. Tired and half asleep as I was, and facing an endless lecture on hideous numbers right ahead, it kind of warmed me over to see Stella so worked up on my behalf. She was genuine in her anger, too, and I knew that Alex's shiny BMW would be all the worse for wear at the end of the day if I didn't speak up.

I slung my arm around her shoulders and gave her a grateful half-hug.

"He did offer. I refused."

Silence.

"What? But, why would you do that?" Her mouth dropped open in shock.

The bell rang just then and lockers slammed shut everywhere. I waved my fingers in a clean, perfect exit. Later, I mouthed and then turned and let the throng of people put distance between us.

Later, I knew, she'd forget to ask about it. It made me breathe a little easier. I could lie well enough, but I hated doing that to her... And there was no way in hell I could tell her the truth.

"No, look, I ditched him because I wanted to drop by an old house that's falling apart and listen to what the weirdest kid in town was doing, total psycho like. But don't worry, I'm not dangerous!"

I could almost picture her face after my confession. She'd think it a joke, but I didn't want to take risks.

Dropping the armful of books over a table to the side of my classroom, I snuggled up against the wall, grabbed a pen and struck the pose of the perfect student, ready to take notes and deep in concentration.

And then, I promptly fell asleep.

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