Monday's are the "Mondayest" day of the week. Johnny and the guys were found standing around their bikes talking. At first, they discussed the movie Saturday night.
"I for one am thankful she brought Dawn," Bobby stated with relief.
The guys were at the movie theater waiting for Ava to show up. Bobby had been sweating bullets worrying she'd bring Rachel. Sure she's pretty to look at, but there's not much there. Plus the fact he thinks she's up to something really throws him off.
He spotted Ava walking toward them and saw Dawn with her. Now that is a shock in itself because he (like everyone else) thought they were rivals. However, he could have cared less. It wasn't Rachel, that's good enough for him. He was able to breathe easier. Smiling, she caught his eye and motioned not to mention anything to Johnny. When she walked up, she hugged him from behind. It was sweet. He's glad Johnny has his girl back, his original, true girl.
Jimmy agreed with Bobby. "Me too. Who knew Dawn was cool? This whole time I thought she was a stuck-up witch. Turns out she's funny and nice." She's actually cute too, but he didn't say that last part out loud.
Scratching his back, Tommy spoke up. "I thought she was Ava's enemy. Who knew they're secret friends."
Dutch being Dutch said "I am my own rival. Every day I wake up and think about, how can I best my hair from yesterday. Or how many chicks can I ask out in a week? And no matter what I always win." He then went on to add, "But if she is friends with Dawn, what else is Ava hiding? Hmmm... And why didn't she tell me? I'm great with secrets because there's a good chance I wasn't even listening."
They started talking about homecoming week when Ava walked up. Johnny pulled her into a hug. "Morning." He kissed her cheek. She greeted him "good morning" too, and kissed his cheek as well.
Handing him breakfast, she asked, "What are you guys talking about?" She dug through her school bag and took out a piece of paper. She gave it to Jimmy, who gave her a look. When he opened it, his face lit up.
"We're talking about you not telling me about your secret friendship," Dutch told her.
Smiling and laughing, Ava responded. "And why would I tell you? She and I have been friends for years now. But I haven't always been friends with you guys, after our awkward ending." She pointed to herself and Johnny.
He gave her a look that said are you kidding me. "Because I'm amazing and a man of my word. I speak therefore I have words like I can clap with one hand." He turned to Tommy, "Did you know I could do that?" Tommy was about to say something but Dutch cut him off. "Yet again that's why I'm amazing. You should all be proud to know me."
Not amused in the slightest, Jimmy stated matter of factly "When I close my eyes, sometimes I can't see. Therefore I'm amazing too."
A bored expression played on Dutch's face. "Hilarious. No. You're an idiot. There's a difference," he commented with deadpan humor.
Intervening, Bobby inquired to everyone, "So do we know the themes for Spirit Week yet?"
Instantly brightening, Ava perked up. "Yep. Dawn has a friend on the student council. Monday is Neon Day. Tuesday is Movie Day. Wednesday's theme is Tacky Day. Thursday Letter Day and of course Friday is School Spirit."
Dutch scratched his chin. "Interesting. The Godfather will be playing Tuesday. Right here all day long." Â Turning to Tommy he said, "Be careful or you'll wind up with a horse head in your locker." Tommy shoved him.
Everyone rolled their eyes or shook their heads. Continuing to speak, Ava wondered something. "Anyway. Who are you guys taking to the Homecoming Dance? If you don't have dates yet, you need to ask." She saw their faces draw a blank. "No seriously. Do you know how long it takes to find a dress? And then it might have to be altered, but you also want to coordinate your colors with hers."
Looking puffed up with pride, Dutch couldn't help himself. "I don't need a date. I'm my own date." The guys groaned at his words.
The rest of them didn't have too much to say. They haven't asked anyone yet. "If you want to ask Kara you need to get a move on. I think Joe from the football team might be interested," Ava told Tommy.
Jimmy announced he was going stag with Dutch, but really he thought about the letter Ava gave him. It's from Charley. She asked if he would be interested in going to the dance with her. He's had a crush on her since forever.
Since she happens to be standing next to Bobby, Ava became curious about who he'll bring. "So what about you? Any thoughts about who you're asking?" She saw him blush. So he's definitely thinking about someone and she hopes it's the someone she's thinking of too.
"Maybe. But we'll see," was all Bobby said. He's not giving away anything, always holding his cards close to the vest. Then he turned to Johnny. "Have you asked your girl yet or are you just going to assume she's going with you?"
Huffing out a breath, Johnny remarked "What do you think I am an idiot?" He turned to Dutch. "Don't even think about answering that." Honestly, he hadn't even thought about asking her, but now that Bobby mentioned it... "So, Babe... Since we're already dating, why not go to the dance together? It just makes sense."
That is his ask?! No, no, no. Ava decided to make him sweat a little. "Well, the thing is someone already asked me." She saw his face turn inflamed. The anger sparked in him, that much is clear. "You were too slow to ask. There's a dress that needs to be bought. I kept waiting and waiting two weeks ago, then last week with the Halloween dance. I waited for you to ask but you never did." All the guys started laughing behind their hands.
"Quiet!" His jaw clenched and every muscle is tight. He pointed his finger at her. "What the hell?" Â Right now he's beside himself with frustration. "You're my girlfriend. My girl, not some, some loser's who only asked you to the dance with impure intentions I'm sure. You're supposed to go with me. Did what I say mean nothing to you?" He glared at her.
Oh dear, she's awoken the beast. Now to put out the fire. "Johnny I was only kidding. No one has asked me, well that's a lie." She saw his posture turn rigid at those words. "Two guys did, but I told them no. Why? Because I'm dating you. Duh! I'm not that girl and you know I'm not that girl. Please breathe." She rested her hand on his arm. "Besides idiot, I love you." Gasps were heard from the boys.
Looking at them, she admitted "Yes. I love him." Turning back to him, "I love you. Always remember that. And yes, I'll go to the dance with you. I need to go to my locker before the first-period bell. So, I'll meet you there." She hugged him and left.
Now the guys have something to talk about. "Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait!," Jimmy articulated. "She just said the three words. The three words!"
Dutch shook his head and patted Jimmy on the back. "Thanks, Jimmy. That was insightful of you. Who left the bag of idiots open today?" Jimmy glared at him.
Taking control of the conversation, Bobby asked "So if she said the words to you, then did you say them to her? Because if you did, that's huge. A huge freaking deal Man."
Letting out a breath, Johnny spoke. "Yeah, I did. I didn't say anything to you guys because I kind of wanted it to just be our special thing. But yeah, I said them. She said it first, and it was a huge freaking deal."
Tommy sighed dramatically. "I always knew it would be her."
"Are you? Are you crying?" Dutch cannot believe his friends. First Jimmy, now Tommy. "Do I need to go get a tissue, Man?"
Tommy also glared at him, as he wiped the corner of his eye. "I'm not crying. Something blew in it." Dutch did not believe him but turned around to wipe at his own eyes.
The first bell rang and the Cobras started heading to their classes. As they walked the real idiot, Daniel, came up to them with Ali hot on his heels.
"Hey, guys. How ya doin'? It's good to see you." He walked up to them. "Sorry about the eye their Johnny. Shoulder OK Tommy? You guys be careful not to go steppin' in front of any more buses there alright?" He laughed and walked on.
Seething with anger, Johnny slammed his books on the ground. Bobby stepped in front of him and put his hand on his chest. "Hold it. Remember what Sensei said. You gotta wait for the tournament."
Well, Tommy is pissed. "Must be take a worm for a walk week," he yelled.
This does not help his anger. Johnny feels like hitting something, or someone. Dutch massaged his neck. He picked up his books and they began walking again. Of course, that idiot is walking in the same direction they are. Lucky for him Mr. Harris is here too. At the tournament he's dead.
The second bell rang and the Cobras went to class. Johnny was late to Mrs. Kirkwood's English Lit. She gave him a warning, which is better than having detention. He took his seat by Ava. She gave him a questioning look. "I'll tell you later," he whispered. She nodded.
Mrs. Kirkwood began class. "Alright, students. Today we'll be discussing chapters thirteen through seventeen of our book. Let's open the discussion. Any thoughts on this?"
One girl, Sally Marvin, opened with her thoughts on Mr. Wickham. They are as follows "He's like totally handsome and like well-spoken and stuff. And like he gets Elizabeth and Elizabeth like gets him and stuff. And like so they should just be together and stuff."
Being unable to help it, Ava snorted. Of all the stupid drivel...
Mrs. Kirkwood heard her snort of dissent. "I take it, Miss Green, you disagree and stuff." Mrs. Kirwood hates the butchering of the English language, especially in her classroom.
Holding her head high, Ava gave a voice to her disagreement. "Yes, I do. Let's just take these two quotes for example." She picked up her book and began to read.
"Mr. Wickham was the happy man towards whom almost every female eye was turned, and Elizabeth was the happy woman by whom he finally seated himself... His manners recommended him to everybody. Whatever he said, was said well, and whatever he did, done gracefully. Elizabeth went away with her head full of him. She could think of nothing but of Mr. Wickham, and of what he told her."
She took a breath before speaking. "The thing is he's such a deceitful, duplicitous, charmer. He's so good at being a fake, he can't be anything else. The contrast between he and Mr. Collins, before him, set this up. Mr. Collins is a dullard and a doofus. That contrast with Mr. Wickham, who is anything but, is stark. It's not a mistake he is the ONLY male character in the book described by Jane Austin as being extremely handsome. His appeal is surface-level. He has no depth of character."
Then she added "You can be handsome and pretty all you want, but if there's nothing in the heart and mind to go with it then what a waste. What a rip-off. And that's a point Ms. Austen was trying to make with the contrast of Wickham and Darcy too. One is handsome and full of self, while the other is handsome and full of inner character."
She knew she had done well when Mrs. Kirkwood smiled. She so rarely smiles, except for thoughtful, insightful comments. Johnny turned his head and raised a groomed eyebrow in her direction.
The class continued with more discussion of the book. Ava took notes of important things she wants to remember. Looking over at Johnny, she saw him doodling. It's funny because most people think he's doodling just to doodle, but he isn't (sometimes he is though). He doodles his notes. He's a visual learner and he draws to help him remember important things.
After class ended, he helped her with her books. He has Spanish and she has math. He won't see her until lunch and PE later. In the hall, he brought their clasped hands up to his mouth and kissed hers. "This is where we part ways. But just know I'll be thinking of you."
"Of course. Me too. And don't forget I want to know what made you late to class," she told him. They hugged and said with quiet voices "I love you." Ever since the first I love you, they can't stop smiling.
On her way to Trigonometry, barf her out, she passed a group of girls talking. She knew they're talking about Johnny because, the minute they saw her, the girls started whispering. Shaking her head, no one knows her boyfriend. Not really, except a select few. Yet they think they do and judge him harshly, based on what they think they know. It must be exhausting being these people, who have nothing better to do than gossip.
But Johnny heard talk about himself too, from inside a stall in the boy's bathroom. Some guys came in and began speaking about him. Normally he could care less, but lately, he's been more sensitive than usual. That mainly has to do with how, the whole month of October, he had changed. Really changed. Everything was better and then that idiot reject provoked him and Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo-freaking-hoo. Everything changed back into an ugly pumpkin.
Between that, and Daniel, he feels dispirited today. Ava noticed this before lunch while they were at their lockers. "Hey. What's up?" She closed her locker and focused on Johnny. She can hear him even when he's silent. His silence is more expressive than anything. "You want to eat by ourselves today?" His sulkiness is all the yes she needs.
Taking him by the hand, the couple walked to the bleachers at the football field. They both straddled the bleacher facing each other, knees touching. She handed him his lunch and she took out her own. "So, what's up?"
He told her about the twerp. "I haven't told you this yet, but... He and his Sensei showed up at our practice Saturday. We have to leave him alone until the tournament. He's going to enter the tournament! My tournament!" He sneered the last part. His fists clenched. "Then today he waltzes up to us like nothing happened and mocked my black eye and Tommy's shoulder. Like he had nothing to do with it." Running a hand through his hair, he told her "I don't get it. Everything he does is looked over. But if I breathe wrong, I get yelled at. And everyone is talking about me like I'm some disease."
Looking away, his shoulders slumped and his chin ever so slightly trembled. To any other person, it would have been nothing, but to Ava who can read Johnny like a book, it was a big stinking deal. This whole mess has really gotten to him.
Taking a sip of her water, to wash down her bite of sandwich, she thought about what she wanted to say. When she was ready she spoke. "Everyone thinks you're a Mr. Wickham. Charming, fake, and deceptive. But I think you're similar to Mr. Darcy. I think you're misunderstood like him." His head angled towards her.
She started talking and motioning with her hands (the way she does when something is important). "Like him, you're selective with who you let in, who sees the real you. And there's nothing wrong with that. All of these people know of you, but they don't really know you. They aren't loyal to you. They're loyal to their need of you. Once their need changes, so do their loyalty."
That cut him deep.
Continuing, she told him "For the past few years, those people have been loyal to your cool factor. You're still cool, but they've been waiting to see you fall. Once Ali and Daniel began dating, and he continued to provoke you, their claws have come out too. People pretend well. Fake people will always fake people and real situations expose it."
They will not see him fall. If they want to see that, then they'll be waiting a long time. Even if he has to crawl across the floor and use his damn teeth, he's going to come out on top. Or at least try to.
When he talked it was to say "Every day I'm convinced there's no way I could love you more. But then I'm proven wrong. And I hate being wrong, yet I've never been more glad. A year ago I would've never believed life would be like it is now. I'm with the girl I love and she loves me back, despite my moodiness. That's badass."
They held hands. "I may not be able to fix your problems Hot Shot, but you won't go through them alone. Not anymore." She gave him a peck on the lips and brushed his hair off his forehead.
It needed to be said. So he said it. "Now that you've helped me. How can I help you?"
Smiling, she said with a sweet voice "Right now I'm good, except for one thing. What color should I wear for homecoming? I'm going dress shopping after school with my friends."
That's easy. "Teal. You look hot in teal or red." Totally hot. And now he's hot thinking about it and her in it. He needs to think of anything but her right now. Picturing Danielle's ugly mug helped immensely.
She definitely will remember teal. After they ate, he pulled her into his arms. Her back to his chest, they sat cuddled together. Just the two of them. His head resting in the crook of her neck, his scent surrounding her, and his hands holding her tight. Being soft and strong is the perfect combination. Few have mastered it but Johnny, Johnny is this. He's the right amount of both.
He has the arms she wants to be wrapped up in. The eyes she wants to drown in and the smile that melts her heart. And his voice, even when he says "quiet" or "asshole", it's his voice she could listen to for hours. Her heart decided on him long before she had the guts to tell him so. And maybe one day she'll explain just how long that was to him.