handle [discontinued]

SPRING // 5

thursday, 8:15am, French

"OMG! The dance is tonight!"

"My dress is pink. What about yours?"

"I have my tux ready."

See, this is why I didn't go to school dances. Everyone freaks out and spends money on dresses for a school event only lasting an hour. And it sucks, too. I have never gone to a school dance before; it's just a charity event. Every other girl had their dresses ready and were leaving school eay to get their hair and nails done.

I was in class, daydreaming. I pulled out my phone and began tumbling. Ms. Xanos called me over to her desk, surprisingly not in French. I assumed something was wrong. Do the teachers think something is wrong with me?

I stood in front of her desk and looked at her. She looked at me a little but harder.

"Oui, mademoiselle?" I asked, hoping that was the right thing to say. She shook her head.

"I want you to speak to me in English when I ask you this." She ordered.

"Ask me what?" I inquired. She laced her fingers together, just like Mr. Johnson Onondaga. I was kind of nervous. Hopefully she didn't know about Mom.

"Why aren't you going to the dance?" Oh wow. This was simple. "I know it's none of my business, but I was just curious. Don't you have any boyfriends or guyfriends or girlfriends to go with?" She tilted her head to the side, like a dog asking for a treat.

"To be honest, Ms. Xanos, I don't want to go. And even if I did, j wouldn't have anyone to go with." I truthfully responded. She nodded. "I don't have a boyfriend, and I surely don't have any friends in general." I thought of Denim immediately. "Wait, that's a lie. I do have this one friend . . ."

She smiled and leaned in close. "Who is it?"

"His name is Denim." Her pretty smile made me smile.

"Ooh. I have him. He's cute. Do you like him?" She wiggled her eyebrows at me.

I laughed a little and shook my head. "No I don't."

She made a pouty face and that made me laugh a little harder. "I haven't seen you with a guy ever." I sighed and then the bell rang, causing 1st period to spill into the classroom. "Please, take a boyfriend into consideration. And you know who I'm talking about." She hugged me and I hugged her back. I went back to my seat so class could begin.

--

The bell for Electives ran and I scurried out of class. I was almost done with my project and I couldn't wait to finish. I was drawing a picture of a mom Id taken a few years ago. She was dressed in orange and it looked good on her. She was also wearing a flower crown I'd made her. She still had that flower crown; it was hanging on her closet door.

I pulled out my Electives binder and shut my locker. I looked down the hall and I saw Denim looking at me from afar with his friends. I turned around and walked to class. He looked nice today. He was wearing a red & navy blue striped polo sweater with some acid washed jeans and Tim's. And a gold chain. God, stop it, Drew. You're supposed to be avoiding him.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Denim asked. It was good to hear his voice.

"I'm not." I lied. I walked into art class and sat my stuff down on the floor next to my chair.

Get started on your project. The board read in big black marker. I grabbed my painting off the painting racks before anybody else could. Denim followed behind me and grabbed his. The class soon simmered down and became quiet.