Into Your Own

Ch. 5: Lickity Split
When Lisa finally left I knew I was going to be in for questions like I had murdered someone. I had never brought anyone home but Jimmy, and although Dad looked simple with is big eyes; he wasn't.
"A very nice girl, Evie."
"Yeah she is." I said as I headed for the stairs leading to my bedroom, may be I could escape.
"I wouldn't break her heart though. And I don't think this is the best way to keep your secret."
My dad had figured out that I didn't exactly like boys about half a year ago when Jimmy had tried one of his tricks in front of my father no less, and I had obviously rejected him. Later that night Dad had asked me about it with a look in his eye that demanded honesty, and I had come out to him. He thought it was very funny that I wouldn't tell anyone in the town and warned me that if I hid too long I would forget it was just a mask. My dad was usually very observant but he was just being a little biased here. What he suggested couldn't possibly be true.
"Daaaad. It isn't like that. She's totally strait, has a boyfriend and everything." Dad raised his eyebrows questioningly but thankfully kept his mouth shut. "It's not. I'm just helping her out with some math okay? She doesn't want anyone to know okay so don't say anything." I paused and then told him the rest and her little story. "And just in case anyone asks she's helping you out with some work."
"Oh... that's why she was asking about...." I nodded. Lisa really hadn't been sly in getting information from Dad.
"Just don't say anything Dad."
"Okay, but just for the record I think she likes you Evie."
"Dad" I said in a flat tone that said the conversation was over. That was a ridiculous idea, little miss perfect liking girls please.
"I'm just stating my opinion." Looking at he T.V he tactfully changed the subject, "So what's on tonight."
Nothing much was on, but we watched the new Planet of the Apes and had a friendly argument about the probability of it ever happening. We also concluded that he old one was much better and believable. Then I went upstairs and did my homework, read a little and went to sleep. Well that's to say that I tried but I kept thinking about Lisa, how cute she had looked while snuggling up to my couch, picking up the pizza after it had fallen on the floor while stretching it away from her like it was the most vile thing, learning and being totally amazed that she could, waving goodnight to me.
"Shut up brain." I said softly while banging my head against my pillow.
Grabbing onto Brad while kissing him, ... grabbing onto me ...
"God damn it ..." I took a peek at the clock only one, not that late, but I would really rather go to sleep than spend the night on the computer. I threw my pillow at the clock and forced myself to stay perfectly still until I fell into a restless sleep.
I was glad when my alarm clock went off the next morning and I could give up my attempt at sleep. Following my usual schedule I got up, showered and dressed. Then I went downstairs and grabbed a Poptart that I could eat during first period. I didn't get hungry for about an hour after I got up and I only took about an half an hour to get dressed and to get dressed, but today it had only taken me twenty minutes to get myself together in a reasonable fashion. I guess I could have gotten to school early, but I really didn't want to deal with anyone and all the baggage they came with.
Did I mention I'm not a morning person. I might be able to handle Jimmy when I'm fully awake but this early was truly an impossibility without begin able to smack him around a little. So I went back into my room and started messing around with the make-up I kept there for special occasions. I didn't wear it regularly for three reasons: that would require me getting up ten minutes earlier; it would encourage Jimmy; and I really didn't need need any make-up. I had good skin and so I never used foundation or anything, which just left eye and lip stuff. Not having a mother, I guess I never got into it. But for some reason that day I decided to put it on. Since I was wearing a purple shirt I used purple eye shadow. Then I put on some black eyeliner and mascara which I have to say a most interested invention. Lip stuff I didn't do because it would come off and I had no desire to be putting it on all day.
Afterwards I looked at myself in the mirror and saw me with crappy make-up on. I laughed at myself in the mirror. What had I been expecting, a great transformation? Well, the purple did bring out my eyes and the eye liner make their cat like shape more definite, not too bad. I looked at the clock and realized I still had about two minutes to kill. Now was the time where I usually washed it off because I realized that I didn't want to go through the hassle of leading Jimmy on or god forbid have another guy go for me, but today felt different. May be it was that I was offended that Lisa thought that I needed help with my appearance, but more likely it was that Dad's words from last night were ringing through my head, I think she likes you Evie. I shook my head to clear it of it's crazy ideas and went into the bathroom to wash my face. The cool water felt good against my face, bringing reason to my mind. What had I been thinking? I didn't want to wear make-up to school. Who would I be attracting that I would want anyway? Stop it, I told myself. Then I grabbed my backpack and headed down stairs.
Dad was in the kitchen and I waved good-bye before leaving the house and heading to a brand new day at school. First period was English 12, which was good because that meant I could just sleep through it, not that I really paid attention in any of my classes. It was a normal English class, and I have to say it was pretty idiotic with vocabulary words like theory and juncture. I sat down in my seat and brought out my Poptart and current book just as the bell rung.
"Well we have a full day today class ..." was all I really paid any attention to because I was already in another world.
Next period was Anatomy. I had thought the class would be fun; you know clanging but I was totally wrong, only a month in and already it had lost its appeal because all we did was memorize parts of the body, like that was interesting, at least we got to dissect things. Third was P.E. and Lisa. I was excited. I couldn't decide if Lisa would actually say hi to me or not. Not that really mattered I just wondered if she was really as independent of her friends as she thought she was. Lisa was the girl who could do no wrong but fraternizing with weirdoes just wasn't done.
I kept to my regular routine. Enter locker room and walk blindly to my locker, good only number 69, while my eyes adjusted to the dark room for the benefit of those shy girls. I hoped not to bump into anyone but I wasn't really worried because people generally kept out of the hallway leading off to all the lockers because of that exact reason, but today I wasn't that lucky and who did I bump into but Michelle. She actually fell down in a tumble of long limbs and boy was she mad when she got up. By this time my eyes had adjusted enough to see enough to realize that I had just totally knocked over Michelle and that Lisa was right next to her looking a bit worried. She helped Michelle up who grudgingly accepted it. Her eyes were squinted in dislike and her hands were fisted at her sides.
"Watch were you're going, dork." and then she pushed me. I stumbled back a few steps, but all Michelle really exceed in doing was ignite my own anger.
"I couldn't Michelle, " I clenched out. "Everyone knows that no one can see right after entering this room. You should have been watching where you were going. And don't push me around because I push back twice as hard."
Here Lisa cut in realizing that the tension was rising a bit too much and that unlike everyone else in the school I wouldn't put up with Michelle's shit. "Well, hello Evie. Michelle and I were just leaving. Weren't we Michelle?" She grabbed Michelle's arm and with surprising strength started to tug her towards the door.
And Michelle just had to yell, "This isn't over Dapple, Lisa won't always be there to protect you." I looked at her. What the fuck? Did she really think that I needed Lisa. She had gotten off lightly. She might be a few inches taller than me but I could take down her skinny ass in a second. Whatever. At least Lisa had said hi to me, not that it really counted because I had just mowed down her cousin.
Oh well, we'll see what she does for the rest of the day. It' not like she can avoid me in a school this small, but I was wrong. Lisa did manage to avoid me even during Gym class. I don't know how she managed that, but it was certainly a feat. Was she really that embarrassed by me? May be she was just keeping Michelle away, but it was a long shot. Lisa knew I could take care of myself. Oh well, I told myself, what did you except. You'll see her at 4:30, just like yesterday.
And it was just like the day before. Lisa showed up at exactly 4:30; was the woman ever late? And they studied, then ate dinner, which was sandwiches because they were easy and fast. Dad of course ate with us and was dropping hints of a relationship the whole time, god was it embarrassing. Thankfully Lisa didn't catch on. Lisa and I only talked a little about things other than math and when we did talk it was just the normal teenage bullshit. Bands, who was cool who wasn't, the latest movies and such, I was now able to fit in and actually talk about normal kid things due to Jimmy's influence. Lisa surprised me with some of her opinions like for example she absolutely loved old movies, the real old ones you know the ones in black and white. She thought all the integrity had gone out of the movies when they stopped paying the actors minimum wage. That wasn't the only thing that surprised me, it turned out that little miss doe eyes had a brain, a good one. She caught onto sin, cosine, and tangent in a snap. There applications were also memorized in an extraordinary amount of time. I asked Lisa about her skills and all she did was blush and said it came from having to remember all the different people in town. I answered that at least then they were good for something; Lisa had laughed and then felt bad about it. I guess I was rubbing off on her; she was actually starting to get my sadistic humor. And thus we continued all week, talking a little here and there, even laughing occasionally. Lisa somehow managed to avoid me during school, except for in third period. I had a feeling that Lisa would have said hi to me if it wasn't for Michelle, who was still snubbing me, and was afraid she would start a fight. I didn't really know why I had this feeling but she was starting to grow on me, making me trust her. Me, the one who trusted no one, not even her best friend. But thank god her test was on Friday and that would be the end, unless she needed help in her other classes which I didn't see happening. I was confident that Lisa would do well enough on her test to raise her grade sufficiently and would see that she didn't need me. And that the set of mind that I headed to school with on Friday, but it seemed Lisa had a different ideas.