Chapter 12

Brianna looked at me.

"Hi," I said softly and nearly stammered.

She continued to stare.

"I ... I'm the one who sent you the gifts."

She still said nothing which made me anxious. She finally said, "Do you want to come in?"

"Sure," I said.

I followed her into the den. She sat on one end of the couch and I sat on the other.

"You probably didn't expect it to be me," I said.

She shook her head. I wished she'd talk.

"I ... I like you a lot," I said.

"Your name is Sam, right?" she asked.

"Yes." I felt a little disappointed that my name already faded from her memory.

The situation remained awkward.

"I know I'm only a sophomore and you're a junior."

"It's no big deal. Why did you do all this for me?"

"I like you a lot," I repeated. "I don't know you very well but you're so pretty."

"Thanks." She gave a little smile. It was the first sign that maybe the freeze was warming.

"So ... um ... would you like to go out sometime. I don't have my driver's license yet, but we could still do things."

It took a moment before she said, "I guess."

It wasn't a resounding endorsement.

"So what about this evening. We could go to a movie."

"How long have you liked me?"

"I guess about a month."

"Was it before you saved me from Josh?"

"Yes."

"So were you just sitting outside?"

"No," I said too quickly. "I was just walking by."

"I still think it's really weird that you heard me."

I shrugged.

"You're a nice guy, Sam, but I don't know."

Oh, no! She was changing from "maybe" to "no."

"It's just because I'm not one of the cool guys," I stated. Some disdain couldn't help but come out.

"No."

"Then what is it?" I pressed.

She put her head down.

"Okay," I said sadly.

"I'll give you your stuff back," she said.

"You can keep it."

"I don't mind."

"I want you to have it," I insisted.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"We could just be friends," she suggested with a disingenuous looking smile.

"Let's be real," I said. "You're a cheerleader and I'm a nerd. You want nothing to do with me."

"No. You're just not my type."

"Right. I'm not popular."

"That's not it."

"Then who is your type? How do you know I'm not your type? I guess you don't like guys who want to buy you gifts and treat you nice."

I stood. I was disgusted with Brianna but more so I was mad at myself. Why did I delude myself and believe she would be different? There was no indication that she wasn't just like every stupid stuck up cheerleader. I was such a fool.

"I'm sorry," she said. I was surprised when an actual tear trickled down her cheek.

A new voice spoke. "Oh, I didn't know you had company."

"What are you doing back home already, Mom?" asked Brianna.

"I had to get away from work," Mom said. She looked at both of us. "Is everything okay here?"

"Yeah," Brianna said.

"I was just leaving," I said.

"Is it Mike again?" Brianna asked.

"Yeah," said Mom. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

"Good-bye, Brianna," I said.

"Bye," she said and focused on her mom.

I let myself out the front door and immediately went invisible. I was curious about the conversation. I went right back in to listen to Brianna and her mom.

"Can't you tell someone?" Brianna said.

"He's the shift manager."

"But..."

Mom cut Brianna off. "He'll be cooled off by Monday and everything will be okay at the plant."

"He can't keep asking you for sex."

"No but he's a favorite with the big bosses. He can get away with almost anything."

"But that's harassment!" Brianna said.

"It would be his word against mine."

"Can't you find another job?"

"I wish I could but in this economy it would take too long to find another job and we'd likely have to move. I know you don't want that."

Brianna shook her head concurring she didn't want to move.

"It will be okay, honey. Once he accepts that no means no, everything will be okay."

"But it's been three months, Mom."

"It just takes longer for some men. Who was the boy when I showed up?"

"Just someone I know from school."

"What were you doing? Something seemed to be going on."

"He asked me out and I said 'no'. He was the secret admirer I mentioned."

I was surprised Brianna told her mom about it though in hindsight why keep it secret?

"You told him 'no'?"

"Yeah, he's not really my type."

"What don't you like about him?"

"I don't really know him."

"So why didn't you say 'yes' so you could get to know him and see if you like him?"

I liked Brianna's mom a whole lot now. She was speaking adult sense to Brianna.

"I ... he's just not the kind of boy I hang out with."

"So are you saying you're too good for him?"

"No! It's just ... I have my friends and he has his."

"You can date who you want but you might be passing up on a good guy just because he's not one of the cool kids. I always hated the cheerleaders when I was your age because most of them seemed so full of themselves."

"I'm not that way, Mom."

"I think sometimes you are."

Brianna put her head down.

Mom said, "I didn't say that to make you feel bad. I just want to make sure you treat everyone fairly."

"I'll try."

"I know you will. You're a good girl."

I absolutely liked Brianna's mom! Lisa was her name.

They went off to do something so I decided to go home.

I knew what I was going to do.

When I arrived home, Sara was already getting ready for her date with Andy tonight.

"Brianna said 'no'," I said.

"About what?"

"You know."

"You told her it was you?"

"Yes. She doesn't want to go out with me."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks." I'm glad Sara didn't say anything more like reminding how she told me Brianna was out of my league. I didn't want to believe it but it was sadly true.

"You can always ask someone else out. You can learn a lot about what a certain girl likes beforehand with your ability."

I nodded. Sara spoke truth. I didn't spend much time trying to figure out what Brianna liked though I for sure knew now that she only liked popular boys. A nerdish boy in the grade below was anathema to her.

After school was out on Monday, I invisibly headed to Brianna's house. I left an envelope with her name on it in the mailbox. The note inside said, "I'm going to do something for you just because I like you so much. I know you don't want to go out with me and I accept that but I'm still going to do it because you're the prettiest girl in the world. You'll know it when it happens. You'll hear about it from someone close to you. Sam."