My Song Bird

Braiden

This boy, this amazing, wonderful, beautiful boy just talked to me. How have I not ever noticed him? He's even one on my friend's friends so I should have at least known of him right? I mean, this school isn't even that big, it's pretty small really. Anyway, he just talked to me and now my heart is racing a million miles per second and if my breathing doesn't slow down I may die. 

"Hey, you're Nash's friend, right?", he said.

I looked up and stared at him for a second, who is he? Despite not knowing of him or why he knows Nash I still replied, "Yeah, I guess you could call us friends. Why do you ask?"

"I've seen you hanging around him and Maggy a lot so I need confirmation.", he said then he waved and returned to his seat in choir. 

I turn my body towards Nash and tap his shoulder, "Who's that?" I point over to the boy.

Nash looks at me a little sideways, "You don't know Braiden?"

"No, never had the pleasure." I'm still looking at the boy I now know as Braiden. He looks at me and I lower my head and look at my dark purple, sequins, UGGs. He probably just looked at Nash, but still, the rosy color of embarrassment fills my cheeks. 

After we sing a few songs Mrs. Dimitri dismisses us early so my small group of friends and I go to the home ec room. Braiden follows along too, standing next to Nash. When we get into the home ec classroom I go to my box and grab my nearly finished black lace dress.

"You like Braiden." I look over to my best friend Natalie. 

"Are you high or something?", I ask her.

"After he talked to you, you kept looking at him and when he looked back at you, you ducked your head and you're neck turned red so I'm guessing you were blushing."

"Ha, I just found out the guy exists. How could I just fall head over heels for him?"

"It's called true love."

"You and your fairytale love stories."

"Hey, true love is not a fairytale."

"Sure, sure, I need to get to work on this."

"Dude, that dress is awesome, but isn't that project due at the end of the day?"

"No, it's due at the end of class.", I whine.

Nash walks over to us, his arms full of vending machine snacks. "Oreos for Natalie and Kit Kats for Lynden."

"Thanks, Nash.", we both say.

"Nash!" Maggy calls storming over to us. Nash squeezes his eyes shut and turns around slowly.

"Yes, Maggy."

"Nashton Grit Brown you have ruined my skirt!" Maggy points down to a purple spot on her white skirt.

"Maggrielle Maria Hyssop you are overreacting." Nash says mimicking Maggy.

"You purposely shook my pop so that when I would open it, it would explode."

"You're the love of my life, you should have known that I would do that."

"I know I'm the love of your life.", Maggy says and then turns and walks away.

Nash looks at us and raises his arms in aggravation and confusion sending different bagged treats everywhere. Everyone, including Braiden, laughs.  His laugh is deep and hearty, really attractive.  

Nash walks over to Maggy and they hug and Nash decides to sit with her for the rest of the time before gym, so Braiden's left alone. Natalie quickly finishes her dress and walks toward him, she turns her head and winks at me. Shit.

I return to my dress which is nearly finished, I sew on the ribbon belt and add the last section of lace at the bottom.

"Le fin!", I shout.

"Now you need to try it on." Natalie says smirking. Oh hell no.

"It's actually not a very schoolly dress.", I say and look over at Natalie with a pleading look.

"Ah come on, wear the dress, wear the dress." Nash says.

Now everyone's chanting, "wear the dress, wear the dress!" Even Braiden is chanting, and he's smiling a sexy smile too.

"You guys are all jerks!", I shout but I walk to the supply closet we use as a fitting room with my dress. 

I have to admit, this dress is beautiful. It fits perfectly and the ribbon belt ties it all together.

I tie my hair into a quick bun and reapply my lipstick, then I walk out and everyone's jaws fall wide open. 

*Lyn wearing the dress is shown up above

"Holy shit!", my friend Caston says, "she's transformed, she... she's sexy!"

"Shut up, Cas.", I say.

"No, he's right Lyn you just went from sweatpants and BTS sweater to fricking hot.", Nash says earning him a slap from Maggy.

"Yeah, yeah, it's an assignment so I need to turn it in and the bells about to ring so bye.", I say and step back into the supply closet. 

Honestly, the bell was going to ring in fifteen minutes, long enough for me to stay in the dress a little longer and change before class, but when I got those compliments it made me feel like... like when I was little and I was super girly. And... I don't know after I moved to a new school in second grade I just stopped being girly so whenever I get a compliment I hated it. Now that I'm in high school, though, it's like everything has changed. I guess getting those compliments reminded me how much I want to go back to that one version of me. 

After I put my jeggings and my favorite Mark Tuan jersey back on I step out. I walk back over to my desk and rip open the kit kat package. Melted. I lay my head down and fall asleep for a few minutes until the bell rings and we al go to lunch. We all pay for our lunches and sit down. The second I take a bite I pass out.