Beautiful Dangerous Love- Teen Sampler Page 4
3
Parallel Universe
Monday, January 9th
· Nualla ·
“So who are you going to ask to the Winter Ball?” Nikki asked, staring out at the students around the atrium.
“I already have a date,” I replied as I flicked through Facebook on my iPad. I was trying to see if Patrick was in any of the pictures I had taken in the last four years. Maybe he was like a vampire and wouldn’t show up in photos. That would explain a lot, really.
“Really! Who?” Nikki asked, soda halfway to her mouth.
“Patrick Connolly,” I answered still flicking through pictures.
“Who?”
I pointed across the atrium to Patrick. “Him.”
Nikki looked out over the gathered students to Patrick. “Never seen him before, he a new student or something?”
I gave up flipping through the photos and rested my chin in my hand. “No, apparently he’s been here all four years; which is odd because I can’t remember ever seeing him before today. Hell, Mr. Savenrue didn’t even remember him and he’s in one of his classes.”
Nikki stared at me in disbelief. “What?”
“Yeah it’s weird, he’s in a lot of my classes but I can’t remember seeing him before today.”
“That is kinda weird. Hey wait, when did this happen?”
“In the hall right before Chem. Michael was trying to make me go to the dance with him and Patrick stepped in.”
“So he saved you from Michael?”
“Yep.”
“Damn he’s good.” Nikki said, with a choking laugh. “You should keep him around; Michael repellent is always a good thing to have.”
“You think?”
“Though it was your damn fault for dating Michael in the first—”
“Hey, you said you wouldn’t pick on me for that anymore!” I said, pushing her.
“Sorry, it’s just so hilarious how badly you frakked up there.”
“I know I did, so please stop reminding me.” I said, sighing in exasperation. It was nice to see that my screw-ups made for an endlessly entertaining spectacle for my family. I poked at my lunch as I looked out at Patrick. “What nationality do you think he is?”
“A mix,” Nikki replied without much thought.
“Well yeah, I figured that, but a mix of what?” I asked as I turned my eyes away from Patrick to Nikki.
“My bet’s on some European and Asian.” Nikki answered, after staring at him a few seconds longer.
“Yeah, I think you’re right, Nikki.” I said, turning back to look at Patrick.
“He’s really hot.”
“Most definitely,” I agreed over my can of soda. Nikki nudged me and we both burst into giggles.
“So ladies, what’re we talking about?” Shawn asked as he leaned between us with his tray of food.
“Nualla’s date to Winter Ball.”
“Really, who is it this time?” Shawn asked, sliding onto the bench next to us.
“Patrick Connolly.” I answered, jabbing a fork at my lunch.
Shawn paused, his burrito less than an inch from his mouth “Who?”
“Him,” Nikki said pointing at Patrick.
Shawn looked over at Patrick, burrito still a few inches from his mouth. “Never seen him before; he new?”
“See what I mean? It’s like he just appeared out of nowhere.” I said, throwing my fork down. This was starting to get really weird, and that’s saying a lot coming from people like us.
“Maybe he’s here from a parallel universe and just doesn’t know it yet.” Nikki said, looking at Patrick curiously.
“Nikki, I think you’ve been watching too much of the SyFy channel.” Shawn said, gesturing at her with his lunch.
“Hey, you watch it too!”
· Patrick ·
“That Galathea girl is checking you out.” Connor said, in complete disbelief as he looked past me.
“Really?” I looked up and sure enough Nualla and her cousin were looking at us; at me more specifically.
Nualla was sitting with Nikki and Shawn, the pale January light making them look even paler. Like a handful of students in the school, they seemed unusually pale even for foggy SF. They were all extremely pale, not in the chalky vampire way but in that I’m Irish and have always lived in Seattle kind of way.
I scooted around the circular picnic table nonchalantly to be able to better look at Nualla without actually appearing to be going out of my way to look at her. As I did, Beatrice scooted to fill my spot without her eyes ever leaving the book in her hands.
“Wonder who she’s going with to the dance this time?” Connor said, between bites of his lunch. This speculation had been torture in past years but not anymore, because I knew who she was going with this time.
“Me.”
“In your dreams dude,” Connor said rolling his eyes.
I pulled my eyes away from Nualla to look at Connor. “No seriously, I’m taking her to the dance.”
Connor pointed at me with a French fry. “You’re full of it.”
“I am not.”
“He’s telling the truth, I heard Tara Spellman talking about it in third period.” Beatrice said, without looking up as she pushed her black cat-eyed glasses back up her small nose.
“How did she know about it? I just asked her second period!” I asked, scandalized.
“She overheard you guys on the way to the rest room.” Beatrice took a sip of soda, almond eyes still firmly fixed on her book. She was always reading a book—always. I had never seen Beatrice outside of class without one in all the years I had known her.
“Wait, I want to know how you ended up asking her to the dance. I mean have you even talked to her once in the last four years?” Connor asked as he looked at me skeptically.
“Um, actually… no,” I admitted to my plate.
“So…” Connor said, leaning in.
“Well, that prick Michael was trying to bully her into going with him to the dance. So I stepped in and told Mr. Savenrue I was taking her.”
“Wait, why was Mr. Savenrue there?”
“He came down the hall and saw me and Michael arguing. He scolded Michael and took him off to his office, and sent me and Nualla to class.”
“Oh man, seriously? I would have paid to see that!” Connor said, laughing.
“Paid to see what?” Jenny, one of our other usual table mates, asked as she walked up with Sara. They placed their lunch trays on the table and sat down.
“Mr. Savenrue berate Michael and haul him off to the office,” Connor answered barely containing his laughter.
“What did Michael do?” Sara asked, before biting into an apple.
“He was demanding Nualla Galathea go with him to the Winter Ball but she’s already going with Patrick.” Beatrice answered, over the top of her book.
“Really?” Sara said, nearly choking on a bite of apple, pale green eyes wide with disbelief.
“Well actually I asked her after I told him she was already going with me.” I admitted, running my hand through my hair.
“Well played man, well played.” Connor said, clapping me on the shoulder. “That was a gamble you could have lost spectacularly.”
“Yeah tell me something I don’t know.” I said, with a slight smile.
“Oh, but I was…” Jenny said startled, a piece of Caesar salad halfway to her mouth. Then her ice blue eyes narrowed, “wait, I thought you had never talked to her?”
“Well no, not before today at least.” Geez, if even my friends didn’t believe me how was anyone else ever going to?
“And she said yes?” Jenny asked, in complete unbelief.
“Of course she did. She had the choice between Michael and Patrick. Who the hell do you think she would pick?” Connor said, gesturing to me.
“Thanks Connor, that’s not really a winning endorsement you know.” I said, rolling my eyes.
Sometimes I thought I must just be a joke to
my friends. I really couldn’t blame them though; I had been pining for a girl who was way out of my league for the last four years. But now that I had a shot with her, albeit a slight shot, I was at a loss to what I should do. I had to play my cards right or I was going to go down in flames.
“So you were late to class because you we asking her?” Sara asked, looking at me inquiringly.
“Yeah, among other things.” I answered, looking out at Nualla.
“That’s right, she’s your Chem partner now too, huh?” Connor said as he nudged me.
“Yep,” I answered smiling.
“Bet you’re really glad now you didn’t take Field Biology.” Beatrice said, smirking over her book.
“Hey there’s nothing wrong with Biology!” Jenny said, a little too upset.
“Yeah, but in Chem you get to blow things up.” Connor said as he demonstrated an explosion with his hands.