Best Friends (BxB)

The Dance

Chapter Eight: Age 15 The Dance

"Do you think I should ask Joey to the Winter Formal?" Harrison blurted out suddenly during lunch the next week.

Dane and Alyisha shook their heads simultaneously. "If you don't mind the sting of repeated rejection, then sure. Why not?" Alyisha said, stirring her soup and taking a bite, making a face. Adding salt. "This is terrible," she murmured. "Why am I even eating this?"

"I'm going to do it anyway, with or without your support, bitches." Harrison chirped, head held high. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"He could shut you down and crush your hopes and dreams because he's totally straight and thinks you're insane," Jamie teased, throwing a french fry at his loud friend.

"Stop projecting, baby boy. There's no way I'm listening to any advice you give anyway. You have probably the worst gaydar on the planet!' Harrison stood up suddenly, pulled the ball cap off a boy behind him, put it on his head, grinning. Then suddenly hunched over a little, hand in one pocket, looking bored. "See I bet if you saw me for the first time, just looking like this," He kept his voice deep and lazy. "I bet you'd think I was totally straight."

He flipped the cap back to the guy, who gave him a dirty look. Harrison smiled. "Don't worry. I don't have gay cooties. You're fine." The boy turned back around and put his hat back on his head.

Jamie shrugged, frowned and shoved more fries into his mouth. Jude put his hand in over the blonde boy's lunch tray. "Stop it. No boy is worth those calories. Especially not school fries."

"And...anyway.." Harrison continued. "For once, we are NOT talking about you, Mr. Main Character. I have a love life too. At least, I hope I do. Or will."

"With Joey?" Dane sounded skeptical. "You .. you ... are you really ... you're joking, right?"

"Stop being such a Dane Downer," Harrison went on, Dane's mouth opening in offended shock. "I like him. He's hot. He's smart. He's the jock of my dreams. What's stopping us from having a torrid love affair?"

"Maybe the fact that he's not into guys," Jamie mumbled. "You can like him all you want, but.."

Harrison's face lit up and he literally bounced up and down. "There he is!!! There he is!!! Joooooeeeeyyyyy!!!" He grabbed a napkin and waved it back and forth.

"Oh my goodness," Jude tried to pull him down. "Please, my poor ear drums."

Joey, Noah and Lynne sat down at the table. Harrison pulled Joey next to him, patting his shoulder happily, and Noah sat next to Jamie, Lynne next to him.

"Where's the others?" Alyisha said nervously, looking around. Smiling nervously at the three basketball players. She'd been slightly better around them at Dane's house the other night, but she still gave off frightened rabbit vibes during the light of day when they all sat together.

"Why? Don't you want them to sit with us? People probably think you're racist you know. Do you have something against black people?" Jude said blandly, taking a bite of their tofu wrap.

Everyone stopped and stared at them, then turned and stared at Alyisha. Who looked shocked, appalled and offended.

"I'm not racist. I'm Filipino!!! I have dark skin myself!! Why would you say that, Jude???"

They shrugged. "You never want them to sit with us. You act all scared when they do. You don't talk to them. I just thought it was because you were racist."

"You're a jerk!!" Alysha grabbed her backpack and ran from the table.

"I'm not a jerk." Jude said under their breath. "I was just making an observation."