I didn’t get to Haley as she was quickly absorbed into a crowd of girls who looked like extras from a Black-Veil Brides video shoot. Not that I had an issue with goths, but at that moment the spell that I was under, the one that compelled me to get up and walk through the lunchroom. The one that made me think the ocean of students would part and it would just be the two of us, faded away and instead I found myself walking to the door that lead to the lunch line. I pretended that I was looking at the price of Cheetos as Haley was cloaked in a veil of black, red and purple hair. I could have been an emo-goth, but my parents would have thrown out my shirts if they had that many holes in it.

“Smooth moves there, Pete.”
I gave a sarcastic grin and sat down.
“I see you’ve come back down from lofty heights.”
“Yeah, I guess that wasn’t going to work like I wanted it to.”
“Never does man, never does.”
“One day it will, Bryce.”
“I gotta hear this, lay it down, man. Lay it down.”
“It’s not a huge dream or anything.”
“Yes it is, and you know it. You would have married Amber if she had yes.”
“Maybe.”
“Did you ever ask her? Please tell me you didn’t ever ask her.”
“Almost did. It was a month or so ago. I was just going to say it.”
“Besides a minimum wage job, no education, she was a scheming ho, what stopped you?
“Wasn’t the right time. I guess there never was a good time for us.”
“But you and the new girl?”
“Haley.”
“What is it with you and chicks with five-letter names?”

I kept my mind off Haley for the rest of the school day. Glimpses of her raced through my head at times and the thought of owning a two-story house in the country with chickens and one of those gazebos that no one really ever gets to enjoy until later in life did come up a time or two, BUT for the most part my mind was on my studies and for work that afternoon.

Besides, we were probably worlds apart. I would be those kids who—if he was any thinner and not a friend of Bryce—would find himself slammed into a trash can, since our lockers were the half-size model. I would more likely walk across the street and get struck by a car than see her in any context that we could ever talk again.
“I should have talked to her,” I relented to Bryce as he started his car.
“Yes. You should have.”
“Thanks.”
“But I can understand why you didn’t.”
I only looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Your Rock impression needs work.”
Bryce turned past the crossing guards and onto the street. We had fifteen minutes to get to work on time.
“She was right in front of me, but I didn’t want to look particularly needy.”
“You were already looking needy.”
“Maybe.”
“There ain’t no maybe. Just go find her and talk to her again.”
“Just like that and ask her?”
“I said talk. You’re thinking date.”
“I’m kind of thinking more.”
It was Bryce’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “I wish you good luck and Godspeed, Pete.”

“Okay, so would you meet me halfway and say she’s better than Amber.”
“I don’t know enough about to her assume anything and neither do you. Your mission, should you chose to actuulay go through with it, will be to meet up and talk with her.”
“Like, plan a date talk?”
“No, fool, just talk with her, let her lead the conversation and don’t sound like a nervous kitten.”
“Nervous kitten?”
“Would you rather me say like a pussy? Cause if you want it stronger, I can oblige.”
“Kitten will do just fine. Thank you.”