Valentine's Day
Quinn couldn't understand why she kept looking in that direction. John sat at the corner of his lunch table, eating silently. She munched on her chicken sandwich, and mulled over her thoughts. She couldn't get the day before out of her head. She had been sitting in class before most of the other students had come in. John sat next to her, and he looked how she felt--depressed. When Jacob had entered the room, and asked what was wrong, he muttered, "I'm just lonely, that's all."Quinn knew what it was like, she had felt it a lot lately. Most of her life, she had felt like there was no one solid in her social circle. People came and went, they alternated being her best friend and her worst enemies. John was that way. Years ago, they were always talking during class, but they drifted, he found new friends, and she began to wonder about his sanity.
But that day at lunch, he sat with some of the most well-liked people in their school. She studied his face. He was very different from anyone else around there. His hair was on the long side, and a fiery red. As she studied him, she realized that if she didn't know him, she would find him attractive. Black looked good on him, which was a good thing since he was usually head-to-toe colorless.
John looked over at Quinn, who by then was trying to eat an apple slice, but leave the peel behind. She was having a difficult time of it. He wondered about her at times. Yesterday, he had felt so disgusting, and all she had done was reach over and touch his arm. He had jerked away reflexivly, but she didn't get upset, just shrugged and turned around. He didn't know why he was thinking the things he was. He looked at the crowd of people at his table. None of them were jocks, but they were the intelligent crowd, and he fit in with them in that respect. Their school had a program for the academically gifted, and they were all enrolled in it, but he felt out of place.
Then he looked at Quinn. Her hair was cut short to her chin, and it seemed perfectly groomed, but he know better. Her face was round with two almond-shaped emerald green eyes. They stood out so beautifully. She seemed so bright, but he felt so dark. He had always thought she was beautiful, and she was as smart as his group, probablly smarter, but she didn't even apply for the gifted program. She knew somehow the way they whispered about her. John looked at her again, and tried to figure out why everyone believed she was so annoying.
That day in English, Quinn sat silent through most of the lecture. Her pen moved diligently across the page, but her mind was as far from her notes as possible. John watched her silently. When the teacher asked them to get in pairs to review, he amazed himself by asking her to work with him. They moved to a croner of the room, and sat with their notes on their laps, not saying a word. She sighed deeply. "Quinn?" John touched her arm, expecting her to pull away. When she did, it was because she crossed her arms, and looked at him, puzzled, "Hmm?"
"It's just, you looked like you were lost somewhere."
"I was." She looked him in the eye for a few moments, "Maybe I'll tell you about it some day." John knew better than to push, so he went back to his review sheet. He looked up a moment later and she still hadn't moved. He felt compelled to make her happier. "I know, you're thinking about your plans for this weekend. You're probablly having a huge party."
Quinn smiled breifly, "Far from. I was thinking of how bored I was going to be. You know Saturday is Valentine's? Everybody is busy. I feel like I'm the only one on the planet without plans."
"Is that all?" John thought, but out loud he said, "I don't have plans either. We could be bored together." About then, he wished he was saying what he was thinking instead. After the words were out of his mouth, he immeadiatly regretted them. He couldn't handle rejection right then.
"Depends on what you want to do. I wouldn't mind maybe going to a Guy movie or something."
"A guy movie?"
"As long as there's murder, a few chase scenes, some cheap laughs, and at least one big explosion, I'll be happy."
"A Guy movie it is." John looked at Quinn and they both smiled. Soon they turned back to their review and there was no more talk of the movie until they started packing up. John mentioned meeting at the theater, and Quinn nodded.
That night, John realized exactly what had happened that day. He wasn't sure how he felt about Quinn. She didn't hang out with the people he did, actually, they hated her. It was strange. He had disliked her for so long, but in one day, when he wasn't looking, he had suddenly wanted to be her friend again.
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