Love At First Not: A Non-Stereotypical Love Story

Chapter 9

"You better stand tall when they're calling you out; don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down." -It's My Life, by Bon Jovi
~~~~

As Evelyn waited for Ava and Skyler on the way to their next class, she let out the laughter she'd been fighting back the whole time.

"That was brilliant, Ev! Insane! The look on his face when Mrs. Thodis walked in— oh, that was great!" Ava laughed as she and Skyler caught up with her. "And when he tried arguing with her, too! He looked absolutely clueless! You think he'll get the message?" Skyler chimed in excitedly.

"Well I have a message to share with you, Somali. And you too, Parks."

The three whirled around to see Jack glowering menacingly at Ava, shooting Skyler a hard glare as well. "What do you want, Jack?" Evelyn said, immediately getting defensive of her friends.

"I wasn't talking to you, darling," Jack cooed sickeningly. "Now run along to your next class while I deal with these troublemakers." Then, as if Evelyn was invisible, he turned back to Ava and said, "Somali, what did you do to my desk? Thanks to you and your sidekick Parks, I've got myself a detention. Honestly, I should be running the school if this what the discipline is like. Anyway, I ought to beat you up for disgracing me like that!"

"You're not supposed to hit a girl, Jack," Skyler said sassily. "But of course, you wouldn't know proper etiquette if it slapped you in the face."

"Oh you watch it, you little b—" Jack started toward Skyler, but before he could do anything, Evelyn and Ava shoved him away from her. He struggled against the two, desperately trying to get a good punch in.

"Ahem."

The four looked up to see a disapproving Mrs. Morris staring down at them. Just their luck. "All four of you, my office. Now."
~~~~
Evelyn stared at the ticking clock as Mrs. Morris walked into her office. She didn't know if she should feel guilty, or angry, or excited. Quite frankly, she was mostly angry at Jack for being such a bully to Skyler and Ava.

"All right, I want to hear this story from the top. Ms. Somali, you start," the principal said.

"I- um, so Skyler, Evelyn, and I were on our way to English class, laughing about something, when Jack came up, and, well, accused us— me, really— of pranking him in homeroom with Swedish Fish. Then he said he'd beat us up if he could, and Skyler— Skyler said that-" Ava started to giggle a little bit at this point— "that Jack wouldn't know etiquette if it slapped him in the face. But anyway, he jumped at her and would've beat her up if Evelyn and I didn't stop him."

Evelyn swore she saw the corners of Mrs. Morris' mouth twitch upward very slightly. "I see," she said, "and were you responsible for... pranking Mr. Walterson with- Swedish Fish?"

Before Ava could respond, Evelyn chimed in hastily, "It was me. I did it, Mrs. Morris. I did it before homeroom this morning. I stuffed his desk with Swedish Fish and left a note saying that there's other fish in the sea. So he wouldn't bother me about being his girlfriend anymore."

The principal nodded. "Mr. Walterson, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"I just want Evelyn to accept that I'll be her boyfriend," Jack said without a moment's hesitation, seeming to not notice the death glares Evelyn was shifting at him. "If she wasn't so stubborn, she'd realize how she's perfect for me. And as for the fight, I was only acting in defense."

"You can't defend yourself from a burn, Jack. Maybe you just startled yourself with your huge ego," Skyler said politely. Evelyn inhaled sharply in spite of herself, and she high-fived the former quickly and quietly. Meanwhile, Mrs. Morris was going on about how it wasn't proper etiquette to hit a girl, and how they shouldn't be pranking each other or fighting in the hallways, and how they have to be kind. When she finally finished lecturing the four, she assigned them each a detention and ushered them out of her office, except for Evelyn.

"Evelyn?"

"Um, yeah?" She responded. What was she supposed to say to Mrs. Morris? Was she in trouble for something else?

"You and your friends— you've got flair. Keep it with you." And with that the principal left her office. Evelyn smiled to herself and ran to catch up with Ava and Skyler.
~~~~
At lunch, the three sat together at a table in the corner of the cafeteria, but for the first time ever they seemed to be the center of attention.

"Word travels fast then, huh?" Ava asked, eating her sandwich as the trio looked at everyone else warily.

"Yeah," Evelyn muttered. "But are they staring at us for the prank, the fight, or the fact that Jack is an absolute idiot to all of us?"

"Don't we all wanna know," Skyler said serenely, and the table lapsed into silence.