Liza didn't know how to feel about Friday's events. She'd been an outcast since middle school, when she picked up her alternative style. She found more comfort in animals, and she found a rat she liked. Being small, she was able to keep it with her, and it brought her comfort. Unfortunately, it meant she gained the nickname 'Rat girl' in eighth grade, and it had stuck with her, even until now when she was a junior. She was a year older than Eve and a grade higher, but her mom tried to get her to be friends with anyone who wouldn't shun her, and Eve tried to at least play nice.
Friday changed everything though. She'd gotten along with Eve, Nina, Cecily, Sarah and even Chapin. The thing that had surprised her the most was she also got along with Todd. She'd been terrified when Nina had given her the dare. Not only was she not looking forward to wearing the slutty cheer-leading uniform, but she really didn't want to wear it in Todd's closet. She'd made the mistake of finding him hot, and early on Friday, he'd said he might 'superman' her for half a million dollars. They even picked Jenny Nema over her, who was considered the nerdiest girl in school.
She didn't think she'd ever get over how nice he was to her after his friends left. He sort of comforted her when she started crying, sprayed room spray in the closet after she complained about it smelling like boy funk, and they talked while she kicked his ass at rock band. He was the first one who told her she wasn't ugly, but explained it was because she carried around her rat. He even flirted with her after it reached midnight and she was able to leave his closet. Even if it hadn't gone exactly as bad as she thought, she was still glad to get out of that stupid cheer-leading uniform. Her mind wandered to the various things that happened the rest of the night.
Liza had just changed out of the cheer-leading uniform in Eve's bathroom, texting back and forth with Sarah to figure out where the others were. She had no idea how she was going to get there. She had her license, but her mom didn't trust her with her own car. She finished buttoning her dress and shoved the ugly uniform into her bag, being careful not bury Bela under it. When she came out, she found Todd downstairs, picking at the leftover pizza.
"I guess I'll see you later," she told him as she put her bag over her shoulder.
"Are they going to come pick you up?" he asked, glancing over at her.
She shook her head. "No. They told me where to meet them, but it's not that far so I figured I'd just walk," she said with a small shrug.
"Or I could drive you," he offered, catching her off guard.
"Really? You'd do that?" she asked, surprised. She figured he'd just been hitting on her and he'd go back to hating her and making fun of her with his friends on Monday.
"Yeah. I mean, you had to deal with my friends, and 'boy funk' smelling closet for a few hours. It's the least I could do," he said, joking a bit, setting down the pizza and went over to grab his keys.
She smiled and started to go outside when he grabbed her arm. She glanced up at him and got ready to ask what he was doing when he leaned down and kissed her. She was attracted to him, so she kissed him back. They made out for a few minutes, but when his hands started to roam, she pulled back. "I'm not hooking up with you tonight, Todd," she told him. She didn't just want to be some girl he boned and told his friends about. He'd have to work for it, but she wouldn't be opposed to doing it again.
"Alright, alright. I'll just drive you to meet the others. I'll behave," he promised, before they went out to his car. Actually, he had a big truck that she wondered if it was classified as a monster truck. She had to pull herself in, even with the step-up.
"Hey, I am sorry for what I said at school today. I was just being a dick with my friends. It wasn't cool of me," he apologized. She would have thought he was just trying to charm her again, but he sounded sincere.
"Thanks," she said, giving him a shy smile. "And I didn't reject you because I don't like you. I just don't want to be a girl you hook up with for one night then ignore or go back to making fun of when you're around your friends," she explained.
"I get it, it's cool," he said, looking over at her. He didn't exactly deny it, but she still couldn't find herself able to be mad at him.
They said their goodbyes when he dropped her off, and the girls had accused her of hooking up with him. There was no way she'd tell them that they made out.
Later that night, they'd crashed a party none of them had been invited to, but Liza was wondering if Todd had joined his friends there. She stayed with the girls and tried to be discreet about checking him out, but his friends noticed her, calling her by her infamous nickname again. Todd told them to shut up and pushed them away. He seemed like he was going to say something other than hey, but got discouraged when Eve showed up. She was disappointed but talked to Eve for a few minutes before Todd got up the courage to get her attention and invited her for drinks. She was a little embarrassed to agree in front of his sister, but she got over it and went with him.
"Are you having fun at my sister's party?" Todd asked her while they hung in an uncrowded area, drinking beer. Liza actually hated the taste, but she wasn't going to tell him that.
"I actually have more fun hanging out with you. The girls are being cool, but.. I dunno," she shrugged.
"I bet they're not as hot, and you don't make out with them.. But if you do, I'd really like to see that some time," he flirted.
Liza rolled her eyes. "I'd need a lot more beer for that, Todd," she said. God, he was such a boy.
"So you're saying it's a possibility," he teased, causing her to smack him. He laughed and gave her an apologetic smile. "How about making out with me? Would you have to be drunk for that to happen again?" he asked.
She blushed. "No.. But I'm not making out with you in front of everyone at a party," she told him. Nina told her to slut up, and Chapin would probably call her a slut for just hanging out with him, but she really hadn't done much with boys. She kissed a few in middle school but since then, none really paid attention to her.
"What if we go some place more private?" he asked.
"Maybe.." she said.
"Maybe?" he asked.
"Two thing. One; You have to promise not to ignore me on Monday, and making fun of me doesn't count," she said, looking up at him very seriously.
Todd nodded. "Easy. Two?"
"Just find a good place that isn't too slutty."Todd took that as a challenge and he looked in a few doors. Most were little closets ere and there, but he finally found one that was a bathroom.
"Private and not slutty enough?" he asked.
Liza thought about it, before nodding. Any place 'private' at the party could be considered slutty; A walk in closet, some bedroom, his car. She figured a bathroom was as good as anything, and she hoped they wouldn't get interrupted. Even though she was most certainly not going to lose her virginity in a strangers bathroom at a random party with a guy who just started being nice to her.
He locked the door behind them. It wasn't actually that big of a bathroom, even though it was full. A counter and sink, toilet next to it and bathtub/shower across. He kissed her again, and she was reminded just how amazing it felt to kiss him. She wasn't sure if she was actually developing a crush, or if he was just a really good kisser, but she was pretty sure it was a bit of both. They kept making out and she let his hands explore outside her cloths, and he actually behaved pretty well, stroking her sides, back and outer thighs. His slowly started to unbutton her dress, and she hesitated for a moment, but let him continue. He stopped after a few buttons, reaching in to play with her breast, keeping his hand over her bra. She moaned into the kiss, tangling her fingers in his hair, kissing him deeper.
It continued for a few minutes longer, before they heard commotion outside the door, and the other girls calling for Eve. They pulled away and she tried to button her blouse as they bursted out of the room, being caught by Chapin, who had stopped to give them a glance.
"What's going on?" Liza asked as she had finished her last button.
"That's what I was getting ready to ask you.." Chapin said. Liza glared at her and rose her hands in surrender. "Slut up," she told her. Clearly, the girls were just having drama with the game, and Liza gave Todd a look, wondering what they should do. Through the exchange of look, they decided to shrug it off, and go find some place else.
They ended up in the backyard, on one of those swing-sofa things. There weren't many people out there, so they made out there, hands staying on cloths. She liked the fact he was willing to make out with her in public, where anyone could see them. It was short lived, because she heard a bunch of people saying that Chapin was the one to cause Stacy St. Clair to jump off the Jogger Bridge on a dare during a game of Triple Dog and Malory had just accused Chapin of not being able to do it, so she was going to do it. They'd stopped making out to hear the rumors spreading like wild fire, before they all heard people yelling after Chapin to stop. "I'm so sorry, I have to go and see what's going on," Liza apologized.
"Before you go, can I see your phone real quick?" he asked.
She looked at him confused, but she was kind of in a rush so she figured she'd oblige and gave him her phone.
He fiddled with a few things, before holding it back out to her, showing he'd put himself in her contacts. "Hit me up sometime," he said, winking.
Liza flushed and gave him another kiss before quickly making her way through the house. The rest of the night was a blur. Following behind the others, seeing Chapin jump off the bridge, trying to find her, and once everything calmed down, they all headed back into town. They voted Chapin to win the game, and Eve ended up shaving her head, because she didn't get to follow through with her dare. The party was over and it was late. Cecily ended up driving them all home, and Liza's mom was asleep by the time she got in.
It was Monday, and Liza hadn't really heard anything from the girls. She had been frequently texting Todd and heard that their mom had a fit when she found out Eve shaved her head. Apparently Eve was grounded for a month, and Liza felt kind of bad for her, but they hadn't made her shave her head. She chose to.
She made her way into school, heading toward her locker. She'd actually left Bela in her cage at home, and it felt a little weird, but she knew it was for the best. She got a few books out of her locker, shoving them in her bag.
"Liza!" she turned when she heard her name, a little surprised to see Todd. Sure, he promised, but she didn't know how well he stood by his word.
"Hey, Todd," she said, shyly tucking her hair behind her ear. She'd brushed out her hair to get it to lay relatively smooth. She wasn't going to totally change just because a guy, but she figured she could still be an individual without a rat and brush her hair while she was at it. She was still planning on dressing the same, and what not. She had her interests and anyone who wanted to be mean about it could go fuck themselves.
He came over to her, kissing her on the cheek. "Do you want to have lunch together later?" he asked her, clearly not phased by the fact people were staring at them. Liza was usually an outcast, so that a guy like Todd – Who was pretty popular with the girls – was talking to her, let alone kissing her and asking her to join him for lunch was really weird for people there.
She smiled and nodded. "I'd like that," she said. She was a year older and in a grade higher than Eve, so the juniors and seniors had lunch hour together.
"I'll meet you here at the beginning of lunch hour?" he asked her. She nodded, and he leaned down, giving her a full kiss on the lips, before winking at her. "See you later, Liza." he said, heading off to his class.
So the next chapter will be their lunch date. How will Todd's friends handle him hanging out with a 'freak'? What will Liza's new found friends have to say about her hooking up with Eve's brother? And how are they going to handle their feelings? Reviews make me happy and give me insensitive to keep posting.