Let Me Love Him

XXVI.

Pinky wakes up because Angie's alarm clock goes off three hours earlier than usual. The sound is spread around the room exactly at 5:45 am, and Pinky rises with unbearable headache, trembling all over her body and an unreasonably angry mood. Angie jumps up from her bed, scoops up all of her stuff from the bedside table and quietly walks out into the hallway while Pinky looks at her every move with a very confusing stare. As the door behind Angie quietly closes, Pinky pulls back and for a while tries to understand why her body is still shaking and whether she's scared or not. She still manages to fall asleep, and she wakes up from the sound of her alarm clock almost three hours later. In the morning at the girls' dorm she doesn't catch anyone but Eunice and Melody.

Pinky's not late for the first Art class and even notes the fact that almost everyone is present here.

The boys often attended Ms. Philips' classes. Even the bullies and the greasers. Pinky passes by Vance and hears a low whistle coming her way, but ignores it, going a little further and taking a seat next to Mandy Wiles. Mandy smiles at her, and Pinky instantly notices her good mood spreading throughout the class. In fact, she even noticed it at the door — Mandy is not always in that mood, especially lately. Either the principal let her miss some of the classes in favor of cheerleading, or Ted Thompson died. One of two.

"Miss Peters has secretly announced to me the pairs on the Bullworth Day Ball," Mandy whispers and winks at her.

Pinky turns to her with a very surprised look. They two can't be seen behind two large easels but she still checks to see if Ms. Philips can notice them talking.

"She plans to gather everyone in the auditorium tomorrow night and make it official," Mandy continues. "But I don't even see the point of going there anymore, because I know absolutely every pair that will be performing at the Bullworth Day."

Pinky stops for a second. It seems strange, because she has not yet had time to think about the person with whom she will dance at such a big for their small town event. Pinky was very keen on it, and she had already seen the dress she would wear. But as far as the couple were concerned, she simply had no ideas. She always thought that her couple would be one of her guys. It was very common, by the way. She performed with Gord, with Bryce, Chad, Bif, with Parker, of course. With Derby repeatedly. And to pair her with someone from her group would probably be the most logical. So Pinky slightly pushes Mandy with her elbow.

"Well, Mandy," she whispers. "Who's going to be my partner?"

Maybe this time it's Justin. Pinky frowns. 

Mandy nods her. 

"Okay," she says. "But I'll be honest..."

Or it will be Tad, because Pinky has only performed with him once when she first came to Bullworth Academy. 

"I don't wanna be on your place."

Pinky clenches a little. The heart starts to rattle faster from the slight excitement. When Pinky picks up the brush, she feels it slide in her hand because her right palm is sweating. Pinky decides to ask:

"Are they pairing me with Algie?"

Algie once gave her a bouquet of flowers which he ripped near the Library, and Pinky laughed in his face. But almost all last year Algie did her homework. So he had some advantages in Pinky's opinion.

"No," Mandy shakes her head, exhales and looks at her resignedly. "Constantinos Brakus."

That's it.  

Pinky becomes pale, and Mandy puts her hand on her shoulder.

"It's not that bad," she tries to cheer her up. "You've already been in pair at practice. Or I can talk to Miss Peters if you want."