“I just don’t…” I tried again. They just wouldn't listen to me...
“And everyone’s going to be there including Mear,” Lupe continued with almost a proud statement that sounded like she made towards Mear that made him go.
“Ya… I’m going…” Mear answered somewhat quietly as he looked down at his sketchbook and flipped a pen between his index and forefinger.
“And it’s not like everyone needs a date,” Lupe continued. “We can all just go in a group and have fun.”
“I…” I tried again. They wouldn't stop talking and listening to me. This is exactly what always happens to me.
“If she doesn’t want to go she doesn’t have to,” Faye reminded Lupe with a calm manner. I was surprised the Faye was sticking up for me. I thought she hated my guts.
“Come on Shupple…” Mear said after a moment. “We can all go together….”
My head whipped to Mear. Did I just hear what I thought I did, or was he asking me to the ball? Impossible. I threw away the possibility, but with everybody pressuring me, I guess I had to say yes just so they would stop bugging me, and to make Mear happy, or at least feeling a little bit better.
“...a-alright...” I answered as I looked down at my cards. I didn't want to look at anybody right now.
Lupe jumped up and down. “Good good,” she answered lightly. “We’ll get everyone to come and it’ll be so much fun!”
“Y…. ya….” I answered, trying to avoid everyone’s attention again. I didn't like eyes on me...
“We still have fliers to put up, Lupe,” Faye commented. Finally. They were leaving.
“Oh right,” Lupe answered, putting her hands together and beaming for a moment before taking a half step to the side. “Time to go then! Bye~”
Lupe and Faye walked off, finally, and I could only look at my cards and not even at Mear. Stuff like this made me feel weird and upset. Mad too. I hated it when people forced me into doing something like this.
I suddenly felt my fingernails enlarge into claws and I scratched them against the table, making a few imprints into the table itself. My nails were glowing, and I had realized that I had gained my new move. Shadow Claw. That means evolving wasn't far away from me now...
"Shupple...? You really didn't want to go... did you?" Mear asked quietly, trying to reassure me or make me feel a little bit better, and I turned my head to him with sad eyes. Dances reminded me of haunting memories.
"N-no.... I.... I don't have good memories of dances....." I couldn't believe myself for confessing this to Mear, but I guess it made me feel a little bit better. I continued. "I said I was the girl who stood out right?" I looked directly at Mear now and he nodded, but with a little confusion on his face. "I was the girl who got punch thrown on her because I was the goth girl who didn't have any friends.... That's why I hate dances, especially since it's Valentine's Day...." I left off, a few tears coming into my eyes, but I made them stay inside my eyes.
Things were quiet once again as more people rushed to and fro in the hallways, rushing to get stuff for the Ball. I realized that I had to get a dress, and I hated picking out dresses. Nonetheless, I knew I wouldn't stay long at the Ball, since Faye suggested it, and I would leave after at least 10 minutes, and Lupe would be pissed if I didn't show up.... I started to know now exactly how Mear was feeling now.
I looked at Mear again, and I found tears coming to my eyes once more. I guess the memories just hurt me a lot. They started to stream down my face, I unable to control them anymore, and I wiped them away so Mear wouldn't see. He did.
"Shupple? Are you okay?" Mear asked, a little bit of worry entwined in his voice. I shouldn't worry him. I wiped away all of my tears and nodded.
"Yeah.... I-I'm fine...." I left off but he didn't take the bait.
"It didn't look like you were fine." Now it started to sound like our previous conversation.
"I told you, I'm fine." I blushed a little as I wiped the last of the tears from my eyes and tried to smile just a little. It worked this time, and then I started to wonder why I was blushing, and realized something else. I think I liked Mear...
"Mhm..." I murmured as I tried to sort things out now.
I have to get a dress for the stupid Ball, I have nothing else to do today besides that, and Mear was drawing again, but looking at me from time to time, probably making sure I was actually okay. The memories were fading. Maybe....
"Mear." I must have startled him a little, but not much. Did I say it in a harsh way?
"Do you need a suit or something for the Ball? I don't know much about guy stuff," I chuckled a little, which made him chuckle slightly. He must have not wanted to catch up in all of the Ball drama crap that was going around, but he shrugged, probably knowing he would have to get one sooner or later.
"I guess..." He left off, probably wondering why I was asking this. I too, was wondering why I was asking this. I was going to ask if he wanted to go and get his outfit as I was getting my dress in town with me, but not as a date or anything like that. Just as friends.
Just as I was about to reply, Eva and I think this guy named Daniel, who stood a few feet behind her, came up to us.
"Why don't you two just go together? You get along great after all." I practically choked on my own spit as I blushed a bright red. Both of them ran off, but we heard one of their last sentences.
"That was mean, you know. You know they like each other from the blushing," I heard Daniel say. I could tell Mear was blushing slightly now, and I knew I was a really, bright red.
"That um.... t-that was a-about th-the ball.... I think," I whispered to him and he barely nodded.
Now things were extremely awkward. I wasn't even sure what to say. I covered my mouth so I wouldn't say anything bad. I wondered what Mear was going to say. I couldn't help but wonder. The only thing we did was stutter at the same time, but that was it.
I waited for Mear's answer as I thought of telling him something to see if I could get him to talk.
"If you were wondering who gave you those p-paints last night, I-I was the o-one who dropped them off at y-your door." I wasn't even sure if this was the right thing I should have said, but it seemed to make Mear blush a little bit more, and think a lot.
There was barely any quiet as people rushed between hallways. I waited desperately for Mear's answer.
