The Middle

The Friend's Ship

                                    Chapter 3: The Friend's Ship

Alex's POV

I have a friend.

     That's new. I've never really had a real friend before. I usually just kept to myself and my music. Yeah, I know I was a major loner. By the way "Real Friends" is a great band. Anyway I conceal my over abundance of happiness best as possible. Noticing that Maria is smiling widely in my direction my eye brows quirk up with her excitement. "What?" I say with a smile trying to clear up my confusion. "We have three classes together and lunch" she explains so full of giddiness that she is starting to do a little version of a happy dance which I find extremely adorable. If looks could kill than I'd already be" six feet under the stars". (a great song by All Time Low) Maria has dark blonde hair down to the end of her shoulder blades, and sea green eyes that Atlantis would be jealous of. She isn't fat, but she has curves that could knock you. Being pulled back to reality by the second bell Maria grabs my hand and leads me to our first class of the day which would be....

Maria's POV

     Our first class we have today is English. One of my favorites seeing as most of English is reading and writing both of which I love. Focusing back of the warm hand in mine I grin to myself noting how his hand fits nicely in mine. Trudging our way to Ms. Harmon's door we enter, and he takes a seat next to me in the very back of the room. Ms. Harmon is the bomb. She is another reason I love English because she makes it come alive instead of it just being words on a page. But sadly every pro has it's con. The junior Barbie dolls are in this class. Frowny face. The hot pink, hell on heels come rolling in at my mental recognition.

     "Hey loner. I see you found a new puppy to drag around" I roll my eyes at the high pitched screech that belongs to none other than the leader of the Barbie dolls, Kelly. "I'm not a loner I just don't like to associate with people who don't understand the meaning of fuck off" I say smirking at her incredulous expression. "Whatever, you will always be a loser even if you did snag the sexy new guy" looking to Alex I see his face heating up with the complement, but he turns his face up to Kelly instead of looking away. "She didn't snag me. I caught her, and I'm glad I did" he explains as he turns to give me one of his heart stopping uneven grins. My cheeks turn pink for two reasons. One, he just defended me, and the only person who has ever done that is Val. Two, he said he was glad he "caught" me. Alex is so sweet. He doesn't understand how much something like this means to me. You see this is the first time I have stood up to the Barbies. I just felt this urge to give her a taste of her own medicine. Also I didn't want Alex to think I was a wimp that couldn't defend herself. Turns out my prince charming is Alex, and he has came to my rescue.

     Lunch came quicker than expected because the day usually drags on and on... When I got into the cafeteria I automatically walked to mine and Val's table at the back of the lunch room. As I'm walking a route I've taken too many times to count I hear a rumbling voice call my name. Not even knowing this voice for a full two days I know I could recognize it anywhere. Hearing it again I notice that I shiver inwardly at my name rolling of his lips. Turning around I take a step in the direction I heard the voice when I smack into a fleshy wall of muscle. "It seems I'm not the only one that keeps falling harder as time passes" he says with chuckles seeping through his words. Then, he realizes what has escaped his mouth. Holding me steady around the waist with one arm, and the other is scratching  the back of his head in embarrassment as both our faces begin to flush.

     "Umm... so where do you want to eat?" he stammers trying to break the silence. "Uh, over there" I say as I point to the table at the back of the room where a smug looking Val sat. Rolling my eyes I knew I would have to deal with whatever she was referring to with her smirk later. Motioning with his arm for me to go ahead I take a the steps forward. A few seconds later I feel his arm go around my waist again. I smile up at him with my eyebrows uneven with confusion. Taking his arm back and noticing his face turning red I realize that I feel kind of empty without his arm around me. Coming to terms that I may not have handled that the right way I get and idea. I get on my tip toes and place one hand on shoulder, and give him a simple peck on the cheek. Which didn't help with the heat rising into his cheeks and ears because now he is a color that a tomato would be jealous of, but it helped with his mood because he has a grin plastered on his face from ear to ear. A smile seems to be growing on my face too, and I start to giggle at what a pair we must make.

     "Hell-o? Now I really enjoyed the love fest that's going on between you and your punk prince charming, but some people want to keep their lunch in their bodies." Val ending her statement with motioning to her  mid section. Ignoring her comment I look Alex up and down. He is wearing a well worn band t-shirt along with a pair of hole ridden jeans, and his wrists are full of leather and band bracelets. Again, I realize that I've been caught checking him out when I look up to meant his milk chocolate eyes. He's now sporting his signature lopsided smile, and it's pointed straight in my direction. Soon my ears are filled by New Found Glory's song "Make Your Move". Turning towards the direction of the music I see none other than my childhood best friend Valerie.  "Very funny Val" I exclaim in a voice dripping with sarcasm as I take the seat across from her. "Well thanks for the musical introduction, but I'm gonna get some food" he said as he began to walk towards the lunch line.

     After, Alex was out of ear shot a hear I hear Val speak up from the other side of the table. "Romeo, Romeo where for art thou Romeo?" Val says in a breathy voice trying to sound more Shakespearean. "Apparently 'Romeo' is in the lunch line" I say giving up on trying to get her to stop what has just began because once she gets that stubborn head of hers rapped around an idea nothing and I repeat NOTHING will make her stop. "And his dearest Juliet be sat across the table from thee" she ends with a smirk. "What?! Me?! No you have the wrong idea Val" I try to explain, but instead she cuts me off. "Nope I think YOU have the wrong idea Mar Mar" She says trying to act as innocent possible. "Ah, young love, and both are too oblivious to see... well at least one of them isn't totally oblivious." she ends with sending me a glare my way. "Well if you are going to speak the language of love please don't compare us to Romeo and Juliet because you know how that ended" I say in a state of defeat.

     Alex came back after a few minutes holding a throw away tray which the contents were unknown. The color pallet of food ranging from brown, green-brown, and puke brown. "Well that sure looks appetizing" Val says with sarcasm very prevalent. "I don't think that's actual food Alex" I explain while trying not to upchuck my breakfast onto the table. He just stares at the plate as if the substances were from another planet... which they very well may be.

     Snapping my fingers in front of his face hoping to get his attention "Alex?..." "Huh?" he says quizzically. "It's not polite to answer a question with a question you know" I explain hoping he recognizes that I'm kidding. "Ha ha ha" he replies smirking at me. "I was only trying to get your attention" I retort with a sly smile. "Well sweetheart you don't have to try to get my attention" he ends with a knee buckling wink and lopsided smile combo. Hearing this makes my face burn with embarrassment from his suggestive complement.

      Looking up for a split second I find he has turned a light shade of pink. Suddenly "I Want To Know What Love Is" by Foreigner is filling my brain. Thinking it is just in my head until I see Alex's blush darken. "VAL! SO NOW YOU KNOW MUSIC?!?!" raising my voice up a notch above normal conversation volume. "Not really, you are just rubbing off in me" she replies in a nonchalant tone. Val can be so exasperating at times, but I still love her like a sister.

     "Well I think I'll leave the love doves to their mindless music chatter, so I can go unlock all the vending machines again" she says with arrogance as she makes her way towards her intended destination for delinquency. Leaving us behind to our "mindless music chatter" Val leaves  throwing a wink over her shoulder at us. "Is she really going to unlock all the vending machines?" Alex asks clearly doubting her level of bad ass. "Yeah, it's not the first or the last time that it will happen either. She likes being the rebel of the school." "Ah, now I understand completely" he says as if  he has made a earth shattering revaluation. "What?" I ask clearly confused. "Why you picked me to be your friend because you don't like people who are apart of the 'in' crowd" closing his statement with a lazy smile filled with wonder set in my direction.