Fake it, If you're out of direction

Fake it, If you don't belong.

Fake it, if you feel like infection, Whoa, You're such a fuckin' hypocrite.

"Once again, the police are on the lookout for an unknown thief, being reported to have stolen money from another local bank, There are no traces that have left potential suspects. The police are now investigating the premises, If you have seen anyone suspicious please call..."

I flicked off the TV.

How many times had they played the same news reporter saying the same thing about robberies? The police haven't been doing shit all if this culprit was still on the loose.

I smiled to myself and rolled off the couch. It was 7:30 in the morning and I had to hustle- Katie would be here in twenty minutes to pick me up on her way to school. We've had classes together since kindergarten and in her mind, that hypothetically made us best friends. She insisted, the day she got her drivers license, that she'd come by my loft every morning to give me a lift, like an overbearing mother. She got no complaints from me though. After all, she was the one paying for gas.

Stripping from my baggy pajama pants and t-shirt, I pulled out a leopard print tank top and a taut black skirt from my closet.

Within minutes, I heard the loud vibration and ringtone of my cell phone in the other room where I left it on the table. That meant Katie was here and just in time.

Grabbing my backpack from my bed, I raced down the stairs and picked up my cell phone.

"Hey."

"Get yourself out here!" Katie's voice always sounded shrill over the phone. She blames it on the frequency of my cell but I didn't think she sounded much different on any other phone.

Without saying goodbye or even providing an answer, I shut her off and headed out the door to meet her.

"'Morning Beth!" She cried, honking her car horn. "Don't you look hot today."

I silently climbed into the passenger seat, rolling my eyes at her behavior.

She started to rattle on about the cute guy, Rob, in our English class while I watched the scenery fly by from my window. Would he ever notice her? How come there weren't any hot, nice boys that were secretly crushing on her, like in movies and books? - How cliché.

Dave Lizewski. I'm not sure if I'd call that interest "secret" though. Could a guy be any more obvious? He was friends with Todd and Marty and all of them sat in the second row to the front of my physics class. Katie was incredibly oblivious to his feelings towards her. I could see them, Erika could see them, why was she so blind? We haven't mentioned anything to Katie yet. I figure he'll tell her some day, Besides, I've spoken to him a few times, He seems nice enough. A little awkward though.

I came out of my thoughts just as she asked, "So what about you? Has anyone caught your eye lately?"

Kissing my teeth, I lazily rolled my head across my shoulders to look at her.

"When I see one, I'll let you know."

"You're no fun, Beth!"

The day flew by, Class after class, assignments piling up. Notes being thrown across the room to reach their designated individual. No, I'm kidding. No one writes notes anymore, what year do you think this is? 1980? Everyone has a cell phone now, if we want to talk to someone across the room, we'll text them.

Half of my classes were with Katie, a quarter were with Erika. The rest I had either alone, or with Todd.

"Please read chapters four to seven for next class."

A series of groans and complaints shot throughout the classroom. It had been like this all day. Fridays are everyones favourite day of the week, including the professors. Weekends meant two days of studying to them. Two days to be productive and get shit done. Weekends for students meant going to parties and getting shitfaced.

As I was getting up to leave, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Todd stood there, smiling away like he didn't just get assigned seventy eight pages of nine point font to read before Monday.

"Hey, Bethany?"

I held up a hand. "Remember Todd, It's just Beth."

"Oh, sorry. Well, Me and Marty were wondering if you wanted to come with us to Atomics Comics. Dave is gonna' come too."

I definitely knew where this was heading.

"And you want me to bring Kate and Erika." I stated, winking.

His face heated up and he flushed red.

"Well, It's just that..."

"It's fine, Todd. I'll ask them."

I scooped up my bag and left him there, beside my desk in the classroom. Katie and Erika would be just outside at their lockers.

And surprisingly enough, There they were... with Dave Lizewski.

I strolled over to them silently, not wanting to interrupt this rare moment, but then Dave just turned around and left.

"What was that?" I questioned.

Katie turned around and began to giggle. "He thought I was waving at him."

"Ah. Well, guess who invited us to spend our evening at Atomics?"

Erika moaned and slapped her hand to her forehead.

"That stupid Haynes geek again?"

It was the third time this month that Todd had asked us to come along with them. And each time, we denied the invitation. It was like he had no concept of rejection. Strike three, you're out Todd.

"Doesn't he understand no means no?"

"Do any boys understand that no means no?" I fired back.

Katie let out a snort in amusement and shut her locker door.

"We're going to watch She's the Man at my house, Are you coming?"

No. Katie always does this. She loves to have girly movie nights with awful chick flicks. I've been dragged to several of them and every time I go, I end up spending more time talking her cat, Tinkles, in the bathroom than actually watching the movie. One time, I even made an elaborate dinner just to get out of watching A Cinderella Story.

"No thanks, girls."

They both made pouty faces but I hurried back into the classroom before they could say any more.

Todd was still there and his face lightened up when he saw me re-enter the room.

"So your answer is...?"

"No."

His joyful smile dropped, like it always did, and he shuffled back and forth on his two feet, awkwardly.

Seeing him like that made me feel kind of bad. "I'm sorry, Toddie. It's Katie's movie night. Her and Erika are going to watch She's the Man and paint each other's toe nails and stuff.."

He lifted his head up to look at me with his doe-eyed expression.

"You're not busy though, right?"

"Umm. No."

"Well, will you come with us? Just you?"

Sighing inwardly, I nodded my head. "Why not, Todd."

And that was how I discovered Atomic Comics for the first time.