Into Your Own

Ch. 2: The Proposal
I needed help. This wasn't something that I had ease in saying since I had been taught from an early age to never accept help, especially if said help was given from someone outside of the family. I was Elizabeth Cambell, the Mayor's daughter from the oldest family in Vallycrest, and I was horribly failing an simple Trigonometry class, not that I was doing much better in any of my other classes but at least there I squeaked by with Cs. Here I was really failing and after only a month of school too. I really needed a private tutor I so could not go to the study sessions after school because then everyone would now and the whole idea here was to keep it from my parents. I needed help and fast before my parents saw my grades. They fully expected me to get into many private colleges but to decline all of them in favor of starting a family with Brad.
Now there was a subject I liked. Brad was a beacon of male perfection. He was a simple uncomplicated fellow and was easy to control and keep in line unlike his sister. It seemed that Michelle got all the temperamental genes. He even had a good body or so I should think so if I was to listen to what the TV told me. Well he better since he was the football team and worked out most everyday. We had been kind of destined to be together since the had been born around the same time and there needed to be at least one Campbell Hampshire union in every generation. It was a good thing we got along; there were worse things in life, like flunking out of high school.
On that note I took a big breath and steeled my resolve for what I knew I had to do, ask help from her. She was a total brain-i-ache. The only problem was that she was so weird. She had never fit in, always with her nose in a book or talking about something that was god forbid, political. The only boyfriend she's every had was Jimmy who had been all over her since she had hit puberty and had lost all her baby fat, but he really didn't count because he was like totally a geek. At least Evie could handle herself. That was her name Evie Dapple, such an easy nice name for such a difficult girl, but I shouldn't make assumptions I told myself. You haven't said more than a few words to her in years. May be she's changed. Not every likely, the mean part of me said as I caught the look of her across the quad.
In a pants that were at least two sizes to big for her and a shirt that was so out of style that it actually hurt my eyes. She looked like a dirt bunny especially with that mop of hair she said was her hair. As I looked at her I put my critical eye on. She wasn't all that unfortunate looking with a petite little face which was totally covered with a pair square rimmed black glasses that totally personified the geek persona and a slight hint of breast that you could she through her thread bare shirt, really it was a disgrace that her father let her go out like that, but who could really blame that girl, her having no mother and all. I bet I could fix her up right quick; I would just need to make a few adjustments to her morning routine and wardrobe. I could even set her up with Dan, the tailback on the team; he and Heather had just broke up. With this bargaining chip in mind I walked confidently, if not secretly, over to Evie who had just sat down to eat her lunch which of course had to be soda and a candy bar. How I wished for those carbs, but if Michelle ever found out I had done such a thing I would severely dieting for weeks. She and my mother had had me on a diet since before I could remember.
Sitting down next to Evie I did my best to try and look aloof and unattached to what would happen after this conversation I had found that if it looked like I didn't care about something I would usually get it, especially when dealing with women. "Hello Evie. Nice day isn't it?"
"What do you want Barbie-brain?"
My mouth opened in a gasp at her response. Didn't the girl the smallest thing about civility? Apparently growing up without a mother had also effected her manners. I was so flustered that I could only answer her truthfully, "Well ...." I said twisting my hands together, "if you could maybe help me with some studying." I looked up at her questioningly to see if my plight had as of yet gotten to her, but I was met with the same stone face except now it was turned to me with expectant eyes. So I babbled on, "I ...uuh .. I have Mrs. Simpson for Trig and ya know she's real hard. And ... I'm failing ... usually I can get by, but this is just really hard for me, and I was wondering if you could help me. I'd be willing to like pay you ... or something, and I'd be willing to help you too, like with you hair and clothes and stuff." It was not exactly what I had wanted it to be, but I had gotten it out. Why couldn't I speak reasonably around this girl. Even as kids in eight grade when we had been partnered together on an assignment I had been a total ditz around her, said all the wrong things.
"They have study sessions after school for that, you know." She spoke this common since to me like I had no brain, but I guess she thought I had none since I was always sooo articulate around her.
"I know but I just can't," why was my can't sounding so much whinier than usual, "it'll totally ruin my image, and I can't let my parents know. They'd be so ashamed. I can't let anyone know."
"So ... I'm nobody."
"Oh! No! I didn't mean it that way. -"
"Yes you did," she responded flatly.
"No! I didn't!" I said a bit too forcefully. "It's just that we run with different crowds and you seem like you can keep a secret."
"So you mean that you don't think I talk enough or with anyone or great importance."
"Ugg... no ... I just ...." In hopelessness I looked up at her for sympathy, her eyes were laughing at me and my particular uneasiness. Her mouth was slightly curved hinting at a smile and, I figured that I had lost he battle anyway. "Look will you do it or not? I need help in this, please."
It was my last chance but I hoped that sacrificing myself a little would please her.
"You know math isn't my best subject and Jimmy is much smarter than I am. ... And you would probably get more help at study sessions."
"Uh? Really. Well I would rather you do it. Jimmy has a tendency to talk a bit too much, and he always seems to be doing something while you just sit around." I looked pointy at the book in her hand that she had been about to open before I had sat down.
"You really need this don't you?" She asked.
"Yes, desperately."
"Well I guess that's pretty obvious since you sat down next to me ... at lunch." That was true in some since but I hadn't know another way to confront her except for gym class and that would definitely cause a commotion. I smiled. Surprisingly she returned in, and it wasn't an mean smile like I would have expected now that she held this secret over my head. It was a small sad little smile full of regret which was strange since Evie had always seemed to me to be rather balanced and at peace like she had everything she wanted. But the strangest thing about that smile was what it did to my heart.
As her face moved upward to bring out her high cheek bones and sweet freckles my eyes followed until I was looking directly into Evie Dapple's eyes, and my heart started beating so fast that I thought that Evie would be able to hear it thumping in my chest. I probably only looked into her eye for a few seconds before breaking contact for an awkward silence but to me it felt like I had fallen into her blue eyes there for a second.
Suddenly wanting this to be over I jumped up and, "Well what time is good for you I have ... uh ...extracurriculars? until 4:00, but I could be at your house at 4:30 if that's okay with you. I like to start today or tomorrow because I have a test on Friday."
"That only gives us four days to study."
"I know. Hence I want to get started early."
"You're cutting it a bit short aren't you. Thank god it's only a weekly test and not on everything you've learned."
"Is that problem?" I said hesitantly.
"What!? It is on everything. We've got a months worth of studying to do in four days."
"Well... uh... yeah." I said and offered a weak smile.
"When you get to my house bring pizza, pepperoni, or else no help. That will be your payment for the day. And just so you now you might be at my house for a while." she smiled again, only this one was had more of a classification as a grin and her eyes narrowed in the promise of being a tough slave driver. I gulped and turned to walk away when, "Oh ... and don't forget your books Princess."
Evie was out of my life until 4:30 which was more than I could say about my mind. Her eyes and that sad smile kept popping into my mind at odd moments like when Brad gave me a hello kiss or when I as "talking" (which is more like her talking at me) to Michelle. I wondered who had put that look there and if she would ever smile at me in joy or just continue to hold me in contempt.