After effects

"So, how was your day?" Dad asked, as I helped prep dinner.

"Ok"

He shot me a look with raised eyebrows. I knew that he could be as persistent, though much more subtle, as my friends. I sighed.

"I humiliated my self after school by yelling at Stephen Cigary." I tried to sound casual, but I had never been good at hiding my emotions. The elation and freedom I had felt earlier was dampened by thoughts of facing my peers the next day, mixed with something else I couldn't quite pin point.

"Ah." He nodded, putting the veggies, as I chopped them, on kebabs for the grill. "What brought that on? Turn your tuna salad to kitty litter?"

"Ha! That might be an improvement on tuna." I said drily. Tuna was one of the things I abhored. "I happened to find out that he is the reason I never get asked out or anything. Apparantly he warned everyone to leave me alone."

"Hmm." Dad gave me a long look than I couldn't read. I frowned back.

"He's just a big bully! I don't know what I ever did to him, but hopefully he'll stop after today."

"That boy could use a lesson in communication." He picked up the tray of kebabs and headed towards the deck.

"Communication? If he doesn't like me he just needs to leave me alone." I muttered, hurrying to beat him to the door and held it open.

"Well, I hope you have a more pleasant day tomorrow." Dad smiled. "If nothing else, those feminist fanatics will be cheering you on."

I rolled my eyes at that. "That was when you were in high school, Dad."

I left him to the grill and started the rice so that everything would be ready by the time mom got home with my brother, Leif.

++++++++

The next day dawned full of clouds. By the time I made it out the door it was drizzling. Today was Luca's turn to drive. We rotated to save on gas since we all lived in the same neighborhood.

I took a few minites to gather an umbrella shield over myself to keep the rain off while I ran to the car. Despite the weather I felt energized, the day seeming bright with my new assertive attitude. Ok, I admit I was a little nervous too, but I was determined to reign that energy in for my benefit.

Unfortunately we had to park in the farthest corner of the parking lot due to everyone trying to get in before the heavens let loose. Luca popped a physical umbrella, not wanting to waste her magic on something she didn't need to. Cassie wasn't so conservative with hers, and we both took a minute creating shields before making a mad dash for the school entrance. I felt mine begin to weaken as I neared the steps, taking a deep breath I tried to harness my nervous energy to keep up the shield the last 15 feet. It seemed to enlarge with more power than it seemed to have before. Once inside the doors it popped closed, figuratively speaking, and I shivered at the sudden feeling of the cool air conditioning.

The morning passed with little incident. No pranks, and casual, if a little curious, greetings from classmates.

"So, tell me what they are saying." I demanded once Cassie, Luca and I were seated at our usual table in the cafeteria.

"Just that you and Stephen need to work it out." Luca offered.

"And that you must be PMSing." Cassie added. "That was the girls and the guys."

"So they aren't taking me seriously." I was confused, not sure whether to be offended or not.

"Look, Bridge." Cassie took my hands in hers. "I think this stuff with Stephen is more of a flirting nature than mean spirited."

I snatched my hands away in disbelief, and proceeded to unwrap my lunch- cafeteria food was horrid and not many ate off the hot line regularly. How could my own friends, with a front row seat take it that way! "Have you forgotten how he put a spell on my arm the first time we met? It hasn't stopped since then!." Ugh. It was tuna salad. Dad never sent me tuna anymore. I couldn't remember the last time he packed that for me. Maybe I needed to start packing my own lunch.

"Come on, that was the worst he's ever done." Cassie argued. "Nothing else has been that bad."
"It wasn't directed at you." I muttered, poking at the tuna sandwhich. Nope, couldn't stomach it. I pulled out the chips and apple.

"Heard that you told off Stephen Cigary yesterday." Gideon Haverstack slid on the bench next to Cassie. They had been going out for a few months now. "

"I guess so." I was feeling deflated by now.

"Really ballsy." He said, grinning.

"Thanks."

"I overheard Eric Levine talking about maybe asking you out, now that the 'ban' has been lifted, so to speak." Luca offered.

"Really?" That was encouraging- someone liked me! But Eric wasn't the smoothest talker, quite literally. He stuttered. Though it wasn't as bad as when we were in grade school. Then he had been "Er-eric". He had always been good at sharing, though.

"But is he the best you can get? "Cassie sent me an appraising look. "You might hold out awhile."

Gideon elbowed her. "So did you hold out for me, or are you just waiting to dump me for the next best thing?"

"What could be better? You are the best thing!" Cassie leaned towards him, batting her eyes, and Gideon laughed, putting his arm around her and pulling her towards him.

"I don't think it would hurt for you to go out with him." Luca said. "Why play games? Get to know him and see if there is anything there."

"Yeah, I don't know." I mulled it over. Did I really want just any date? It wasn't like I was going to marry the first gut I dated and kissed, but I didn't want to leave a trail of broken hearts and bad feelings behind either. I made a decision. "I'll give it till Monday before I accept any dates, no matter who it is." I told them.

Cassie raised her eyebrows. "I guess that will give you time to consider all offers- and you are going to get a lot, girl!" She nodded to emphasize her point, and I shook my head at her confidence. "Do you want this to be public knowledge?"

I frowned and shook my head, decisively. "I'd rather it didn't. If anyone asks I'll just tell them I'll get back to them."

"That's sure to dash any guy's hope." Gideon said.

"Well, it's going to get around even if you don't announce it." Luca said, pragmatically. "Everyone's going to want to know your answer if they knew somebody was going to ask you out."

I groaned. This wasn't the kind of attention I wanted. Stephen's pranks had always landed me in middle of unwanted attention, and with my crazy outburst from yesterday I had put myself there again.

++++++

The rest of the day continued uneventfully, though I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. And right before the last class of the day, it did.

Eric appeared in front of me, looking shy and as though we'd never been properly introduced instead of the childhood playmates that we were. In his hand was a posy of roses. I took a fortifying breath, and gave him an open smile, hoping he would relax and not make this more awkward than I envisioned.

"Um, th-th-these are for you." He stuttered, and I blushed from our mutual embarrassment, accepting the outstretched blooms.

"Thanks." I was sure I had never felt more awkward.

"I was w-w-wondering if you w-would like to go out sometime?"

"Maybe." I resolved to stick with my decision, though I was longing to put him out of his misery, and mine! "I kind of decided that I would wait before saying yes to anybody, if anyone asked."

Eric's face fell briefly before he regained his composure. I could see what Gideon meant.

"No, I really mean it! There isn't anybody in particular I'm holding out for, it's just that I want to give everyone a fair chance." I laughed at myself, feeling stupid and emabarrassed. "That sounded wrong... I doubt there is anyone els, I just want to take my time and think about it."

Eric relaxed a little and gave me a relieved smile. "I understand. Monday, then?"

I nodded as we scooted off in opposite directions for our last classes. I was relieved that was over.

I didn't have time to put the roses in my locker, or anywhere else, and ended up with the bouquet on the edge of my desk next to my pencils. I kept my gaze straight forward, or on my book, to avoid the open looks of curiosity and whisperings.

As soon as Mrs. Pilot finished her droning on the Punic Wars I shoved the text and my note book into my shoulderbag, and managed to knock the flowers to the floor. A hand reached for them before I could snatch them up.

Chauncey, one of the popular athletes, presented the bouquet with a flourish and bow. "I believe these are yours, my lady?"

"Um, yeah." I made to grab them and escape as quickly as possible.

"Ah." He held up a hand and kept the other with the roses a little out of reach. "I insist you let me carry your heavy burden to your ride."

Unsure of how to respond, and fear of the lingering crowd, I handed over my bag and he relinquished the flowers.

"After you," he said gallantly, gesturing for me to lead the way. I stepped ahead of him and once we were in the hall he walked beside me. I felt a little useless with him carrying both our bags while I tightly clutched the flowers in both my hands before me.

"I'm not going out with anyone or giving my answer until Monday." I mumbled, avoiding eye contact with anyone as we walked.

"Huh." Chauncey made a face, and then shrugged. "Guess that leaves me plenty of time to impress and woo you then."

He easily kept up with my quick stride. I was ready to crawl in a hole to escape all the stares. This was as mortifying as trying to talk to Eric. The only way it might be more comfortable to have someone carry your things would be if you were holding hands. I tightened my grip. I guess it was a good thing I had something to hold.

At long last we reached Luca's car. She was waiting, but Cassie had yet to arrive.

"Thanks." I said, lamely.

"My pleasure." Chaucey gave a saucy grin and saluted us both. "I will see you fair damsels on the morrow."

After he turned I slumped against the car. "How humiliating."

"He was cute." Luca smiled, then nodded to the bouquet. "And the flowers are from...?"

"Eric"

"Nice." She took them from my hand. "Not quite as good as the natural ones, but not bad." She sniffed them.

I took them back and sniffed them for the first time. Eric had definietly crafter them himself. Pink roses with no thorns, and a more salty, spicy scent rather than the floral of a real rose. Created things tend to carry an imprint of their creator, usually in a slight scent. The better you were the less noticeable it was. If you changed one thing to another it was nearly indecipherable who the caster was. And everyone had their strengths and weaknesses.

Cassie bounded up to the car, her apricot curls bouncing. "That was Chauncey Edwards, right? Nice going! So who are you going to pick?"

I gave her a suffering look over the top of the car before climbing in. "I told you I'm not picking until Monday- that's four days away."

"Oh, come on. You have to have some idea!" She argued, leaning over the front seat. "How about a picking party Saturday night? We can analyze all the gifts and gestures and decide who is worthy of you attentions!"

"Like I will even have that many options!" I snorted. Cassie was so over the top. "You sound like I am picking a husband or college!"

"That does sound weird, Cassie!" Luca seconded.

Cassie sighed, dramatically. "Okay, we'll get together and pig out on ice cream."

"Sure, sounds good." I laughed, despite myself.

Reviews

[Starzee]

Loved it! Read it on Wattpad, but decided to put a comment on here.

I would like to know more about the school - is it a normal high school or is it specifically for the gifted children? So a bit of background there would be awesome. And you haven't yet clarified that all of the students are gifted. You imply it in the second chapter but I think you could really explore the different kinds of 'strengths/weaknesses' students have if the reader knows beyond a doubt that all of the students have some degree of magic abilities.
A few small spelling/grammar mistakes which you are already aware of. Apart from that a brief decription of her dad would be cool, and maybe more on what Eric and Chauncey look like - could slip that in when they approach Bridge. At the moment it seems like Eric wears glasses and Chauncey has a huge cleft in his chin lol. I don't know why, it' just who I'm picturing at the moment. Ooh and I'd like to know why Chauncey talks kind of old fashioned - that piqued my curiosity.
I don't see anything wrong with the dialogue at the end. I think Cassie's idea of a picking party is quite funny. It might even make for an interesting scene. Bridge says no and next thing you know they're having a picking party.