One More Time, One More Chance

Chapter 9-Rumor Has It

A few weeks have now passed since Evan kissed me, and the time I realized I like him. Now, I bet you're wondering what happened after the kiss. Not much happened, really. After the kiss, we went back to normal, ignoring the star-struck crowd behind us. Mandy better not think of a ship name for us, or I'll kill her in the most painful way imaginable.

It was a quiet afternoon. We were dismissed quite early, so I sat on the bus for an entire hour, working on a sketch. A lot of people say that I'm a good artist and that I should attend some awesome art school like LCAD, Ringling, or CalArts, but I told them that that's not what I want to do with my life. For me, art was just a hobby. What I really want to be is a pilot.

Cue the horrid gasps of sexism.

Yes, I want to be a female pilot. What the hell is wrong with that? I love adventure, despite always staying in the sidelines. I want to be able to take passengers to places they dream of, like couples on their honeymoons, a parent about to see his or her grandchild for the first time, or maybe a little girl about to be reunited with her parents.

My thoughts were interrupted when everyone else came in the bus. Because I didn't want them to see my sketch, I began reading One Day by David Nicholls.

"Marcia," RJ called when the bus started moving. Ugh, what could he possibly want now? I don't want to talk to anyone right now. Isn't the book enough for a signal?

"What's with the L?" RJ asked, pointed to a cursive and sparkling letter L dangling from my ID sling. It was actually a gift from some friends of mine from a previous school. We were still quite young then, and they had a hard time pronouncing Marcia, so I just went by my middle name, Leigh.

"It stands for Leigh, RJ, my middle name?" I snapped. I seriously didn't want to be disturbed right now.

"Are you sure it doesn't stand for Lewis?" RJ pressed on. I tried my best to fight back a blush at the mention of Evan's surname. It could, if it was only Evan who gave it.

"No," I grimaced. "It means Leigh, RJ."

"Do you like Evan?" another girl, Mantha, asked. Once again, I tried to fight back a blush. Yes, I like Evan. Yes, I think he's a great guy. Yes, I wish he likes me back, but no, I am not admitting any of that to you.

"No," I said again.

"But wasn't his name on your Starbucks a few days ago?" RJ pressed. This boy really won't quit, huh?

Damn. I'd been caught.

"That was his, but he just gave it to me instead. He told me he didn't want it anymore," I lied. Thank the gods I'm a good liar, but another girl, Rita, kept pressing on.

"Oh, so you really don't like Evan, huh Marcia? Well then look me in the eye and tell me it's not true," she said.

Thank the gods as well that I am just that good of a liar.

I looked into her green eyes full of curiousity, smirked and told her straight in the eye.

"I don't like Evan Lewis," I snapped.

This is why I didn't like being put in the spotlight. They find out my deepest, darkest secrets; secrets which I would like to remain a secret.

***

The past few days passed like the breeze, and the next thing I know, it's Friday again. I really didn't want to go to club hour, but there was nothing I can do. I'd fail if I cut meetings.

I took my usual seat next to Hayley as Miss Morgan discussed about a gig we'll be having tomorrow, and that there are no excuses. Everyone has to join. I mentally groaned in frustration. Why? I want to spend my weekends relaxing, not singing in front of a crowd.