Back to The Future!

An awkward encounter

A/N I know the last couple of chapters have been really short, but they were just to start the story off, and to get the general mood. Now I'll be publishing longer chapters, but less frequently. Hope you enjoy! 

When the alarm started blaring at the ripe time of 6am, Violet could feel the regret trickling down her spine and pooling in her stomach. It had seemed like such a good idea last night; wake up early to trek the long way to school so she wouldn't come into contact with a certain 'science wiz'. But that was last night, when it was easy to make promises set in the far distant morning. Yet as her alarm set off another wave of indignant cries, the resolve was wavering. Why did she think it would be a good idea to go this way? Well that was easily answerable at least. She didn't want another catastrophe like yesterday, or at least that's what she told herself, as she angrily muttered to herself about what an arrogant little prick he was, whilst shoving a coat on, because hey it's cold outside in the wee hours of the morning, before the sun has even bothered to rise, and besides, she was pretty sure she saw frost outside. 

Not only that, but on the way she might be able to meet up with her friends Penny and Hiro, who she rarely got to see before school because their houses were so far apart. Finally this morning was looking up for the dark haired Incredible. 

Ha ha not for long.

She arrived at Hiro's house first, knocking on the door then taking a step back and stamping her feet to keep warm. It didn't take him long to answer, his hair in a wild tangle, books shoved haphazardly into his bag, as he hopped on one foot in order to cram his other foot into his trainer. Giggling at his antics, Violet plucked his bag from his hand and helped place his books away carefully and neatly, before handing it back to him. Having finally  gotten his shoe on, Hiro grinned at his friend in triumph and thanks, showing the gap between his two front teeth. "Thanks Vi. Hey, how come you've come all the way around to this part of town today? Not," he added quickly, "that I'm not glad to see you." 

Violet chuckled. "It's just that I...well let's just say I'm avoiding someone."                                   

"Dash?" Offered Hiro. Wincing slightly at the lie, Violet nodded, and hoped he'd leave it there. She hated lying to her friends...her only friends you could say, but it did seem a bit petty to be walking for an extra hour just to avoid meeting some guy who pressed her buttons just a biiiit to much. Still, at least being with her friends would cheer her up.

Hiro and Violet spend the rest of the walk to Penny's laughing and joking. Excitedly, Hiro had told Violet about his upcoming invention, the Microbots, although privately Violet didn't really understand what he was taking about, especially when he started taking about the key mechanics of them. She just sort of nodded and smiled at intervals, and hoped Hiro thought she was listening. It wasn't that she was being rude, she was just...

Distracted. Her thoughts kept absentmindedly wandering back to him. She hated herself for it, but his face just kept popping up in her mind. I'm just subconsciously thinking where best to punch him, she told herself, but she didn't believe it.  Finally, they arrived at Penny's house, and Violet almost collapsed with relief to get her mind distracted with something else. Hmmm, Penniro perhaps? She grinned. I like the sound of that.

Penny, as usual, answered the door almost as soon as it was knocked on, smiling and grinning, and bouncing around, seemingly very happy that Violet had joined the other two on their walk to school. Where does she keep all that energy? Violet pondered, but couldn't stop herself smiling fondly at her childish friend. Hiro, however, was blushing softly; he would later blame it on the cold, or the sudden warmth from Penny's flung open door, but Violet knew the truth. She knew Penny and Hiro had silently been crushing on each other for years now, before slowing confiding in Violet in their very different ways. Penny had blurted it out all in one breath, whilst it had taken Hiro more time for Violet to gently coax it out of him. It had been agonising watching them, but she knew sooner or later they'd confess, and when they did, it would be worth the wait. In the meantime, she had been like an coiled spring, or Dash when he was bored: fidgety and sporadic; desperate to just push them together, or yell that one of them liked the other, y'know, to see the ship set sail.

Honestly she should get a pay rise for all this patience. 

***

Finally, they were at school. Hiro had gone off to meet a new friend of his, an equally clever technophobe, and Violet found herself walking with Penny throughout the school site, making small talk. Suddenly, the girls turned a bend when Violet saw someone on the other side. Tony Rydinger, along with a gaggle of his own friends, were turning the corner. 

Tony Rydinger, one of the most popular people in school, with his flawless hair and perfect smile. Tony Rydinger, the guy that Violet had been crushing on from a distance for so long she couldn't remember the last time she'd had a normal conversation with him without turning a saucy shade of magenta. Yes. That Tony. 

Feeling herself panic, Violet tried to stay calm, knowing that if she got scared she might accidentally turn invisible. Penny was looking at her with confusion, as Violet took several deep breaths before Tony turned round to corner to greet them.  His eyes, thought Violet, are by far his best feature. They're like chocolate, and so deep I could get lost in them. Unaware of the girl's thoughts, Tony waved and smiled. "Hey Vi! Haven't seen you around for a while!" 

Smiling weakly, Violet managed to croak out a "Hello, Tony." 

The atmosphere around the two teens thickened. Penny suddenly let out a snort at the awkward pair, both of which spun their heads around to look at her. "Ahem, allergies!" Spluttered Penny, holding in a laugh. Glaring at her, Violet began to get redder and redder. 

"It's not...she's just...I can..." She deflated. "Allergies." Tony cracked a grin, and waved goodbye. "See you around Vi!" Waving slowly back, with a love struck expression, Violet whispered "He called me Vi!"

Penny smiled, almost sadly. "You haven't gotten over him yet, have you?" 

Looking at Penny for a long time, Violet answered. "No, no I haven't." 

A/N was this long enough? Too long? Please tell me your thoughts, and improvements for me. Not any Wilbur in this chapter, but he'll pop round soon!