Rejects //

5

"Beth! Denis is here!" I heard my mom shout. I quickly checked myself in the mirror to make sure I looked ok. Not because I liked him or anything... just you know...

I grabbed my jacket and bag and headed downstairs. I got to the bottom of the stairs to see Denis looking around awkwardly.

"Hey."  He turned to look at me. "Hey. You ready?"

"Yeah one sec." He just nodded and I headed into the kitchen. "That Denis is such a lovely boy don't you think Peter?"

"Indeed..." I just rolled my eyes and picked up my books off the side. "I was just telling your father..."

"I know I heard... mom he's just my friend..."

"Well for 'just a friend' you're spending an awful lot of time with him lately."

"Dad tell mom she's getting crazy ideas again..." He just shrugged and didn't say anything. "Well thank you father."

"What can I say? I gotta agree with your mother on this one." I looked between them both in complete disbelief.

My mouth opened and closed several times trying to form words, but it came out in an absolute mess.

"Wh...wha..what? I mean...I don't...I don't...know what... you're talking... about." I stopped knowing I was getting nowhere.

They both just looked at each smiling. "Just... I mean... Shut up!" I put my bag on my back and left the kitchen.

"She likes him." I stopped and walked back in. "That is a lie... I do not like him."

"A mother knows Bethany... a mother knows..." I didn't say anything and walked back out again. "Have a good day a school sweetheart!"

"Bye Denis!"

I hate them.

"Bye Mrs Gaskarth!" I rolled my eyes and practically dragged him out the door. "You're such a suck up. 'Bye Mrs Gaskarth.'" I imitated him.

"What? I was being polite..."

"Oh please..." I scoffed and he stopped to take something out of the bag in his hand. "You won't want this then?" He began waving something round in front of me.

"What is it?"

"It's your birthday present... something you've been dying for..." He began teasing and held it in front of me to take.

As I was about to take it, he pulled it away. "..but I don't think you'd want a present from a suck up. Now would you?"

I looked at him in disbelief and he just carried on smirking. I sighed. "Ok fine. I'm so very sorry... I didn't mean it... you're not a suck up. Just please can I have it Denis? Please? Whatever it is..." I practically begged.

He looked at me debating whether to give it me or to or not. So I pulled out an all time ultimate trick.

The puppy dog eyes.

"No... no..." he pointed at me carrying on walking. "..not the puppy dog eyes... anything but..." I carried on doing it as we were walking. He kept trying to avoid looking at me until he cracked.

He eventually stopped and looked at me. "Damn you..." He passed it to me reluctantly and I smiled in victory.

"Hook line and sinker every time... sucker!"

"I hate you..." I just carried on smiling and opened it.

My mouth dropped and I looked at him in shock.

"You're welcome."

"I could kiss you right now!" My eyes widened at the words that just came out of my mouth. "I didn't mean... I just..." I stopped before I dug myself a hole and gave him a hug instead.

"Happy birthday Beth..." he said whilst hugging me. "Thank you..."

*

I sat there in English as Mrs Dodds chose Denis and the girl he was sat next to Kamila, to read a scene from Romeo and Juliet in front of the class.

I couldn't help but feel jealous.

"So much for not liking him..." I heard Ash whisper next to me. "I don't know what you mean..."

"I can see it in your face you're so jealous right now."

"Am not." I muttered whilst glaring at Kamila. "Well... tell that to the invisible holes you're currently burning into her skull..."

I turned to look at Ash. "So what if he's currently reciting the most popular love story scene of all time with some other girl... doesn't mean I'm jealous or anything... it's not like he's my boyfriend is it?"

A smirk appeared on her face. "You totally like him."

"No I don't... shut up..." I nudged her and she just carried on smirking.

"Okay... What did he get you for your birthday?"

"Nothing..." I lied making her raise her eyebrow at me. "Liar."

"Fine... Dude Ranch and two tickets to see My Chem next month..."

"Oh my god! He totally likes you!" The whole class fell silent and everyone looked at us. "Got something you'd like to share Ashley?" Mrs Dodds asked her.

She glanced at me and shook her head. "No... nothing Miss..." 

"Nothing at all?" She just shook her head. "Oh I'm sure the class would love to hear about Miss Gaskarth's admirer..." I just looked round awkwardly, wanting the ground to swallow me whole.

"Who'd like her?" I heard someone comment. "Mr Perez be quiet."

I looked over at Austin who was just looking over at me in disgust. "Yeah, why don't you just shut up Austin?"

"Mr Shaforostov!" Mrs Donaldson shouted at him.

"Oh, don't tell me you like her Denis?" I turned to look at him and he was already looking at me. "No... I don't..."

My heart sunk when he said that. I got up out of my seat and grabbed my bag. I looked round at everyone who was looking at me and ran out of the classroom. I stood outside trying so hard not to cry. I opened my bag and took the CD and tickets out. "Beth..."

"Don't... Don't talk to me... you both just single handedly embarrassed me in front of the entire class. On my birthday! As if things weren't bad enough in this shit hole! Some friends you are..." I shoved the tickets and CD at Denis and walked off the opposite direction.

Great birthday this is turning out to be... the worst thing now is if I was flour bombed...

I can't believe I thought he might actually like me... how much of an idiot can I be?

I just shook my head and headed into the girls bathroom. Locked myself into one of the stalls and started crying.

*

Denis' POV

"What have we done?" Ash sighed next to me and I just looked down at the tickets and CD in my hand. "I was gonna say I don't like her... I'm fucking crazy about her... that's why got her these... and now she hates me."

"She hates us both... it's all my fault..."

I looked at her. "No, it's not Ash..."

"It is, I was the one who was teasing her about you... and then I stupidly blurted for the whole class to hear. I'm such an idiot!" She kicked the wall next to her and started pacing.

"Ash, look at me." she stopped pacing and looked at me. "We just need to put this right."

"How?"

Honestly I had no idea...

*