Thanks to GeminiPrincess, GoodnightxGoodbye, michelle1203,and asmyth for the reviews!
A few days later, I sat in Astronomy class, staring out the window. From my seat, I had a good view of the track and I saw our track boys doing laps, shirtless. Our track boys were hot and sinewy and I couldn't resist a good look.
I looked back to our teacher, pretending like I was still paying attention and I happened a glimpse at Jonathan. I looked at him and he was staring at me. After a few seconds, he looked down at his desk and recording a note from the lecture.
"How long has he been staring at me?" I wondered.
I never thought about or talked to Jonathan the rest of our high school years. However, every now and then, I saw him staring at me. I never thought much of it. For all I knew, he was probably trying to make my heart explode with his mind.
At our graduation, we were paired up yet again. The guys were supposed to escort the girls to our seats for the ceremony and he had to escort me. I made a joke with Austin and Michelle, that I would escort him.
"I wouldn't think so." Austin said, "I have PE with him, he's not as weak as you'd think he'd be. Y'know judging on how tall and thin he is. He was able to knock over Justin Parrs over last week in dodge ball." Justin Parrs was a guy we all fondly called "Chop" because he was so huge and loved pork chops.
Michelle laughed, "Maybe he will escort you after all, Addison!" She laughed.
Then, the big day came. We had our graduation at the football field with a stage set up at the end zone. I think our principal was trying to be symbolic with that one. Leading to our seats in front of the stage was a little fenced off pathway of balloons in our school colors.
Our graduating class stood behind the bleachers, talking until the ceremony started. "Every body get with your escorting partner!" One of our teachers yelled.
I groaned, not wanting to be paired with such a wet blanket, and hunted down Jonathan in the giant crowd. I finally found him, dressed in his valedictorian robes, which I was none the least bit shocked.
We didn't say anything as he offered his arm and I took it.
"You're hand goes on top of my. Girls hand goes on top." He said in annoyance, adjusting our hands.
"Then why are you making such a fuss?" I asked sarcastically.
"Maybe if you were a little less crass you could have a decent boyfriend and not the idiots you've dated previously." He retorted.
That struck a nerve with me. I'll admit, I have a thing for the bad boys and I have a bizarre Darth Vader fetish because of it. My three ex's were either petty thugs, stoners, or gang bangers and all they left with me was heart ache. I would only be surprised when I learned about 'The Scarecrow'. I would never peg the bookish and shy Jonathan Crane as a sadistic criminal, or believe that I wouldn't like it.
"You don't even know what you're talking about." I said angrily, staring straight ahead and put on a smile as we started walking to our seats.
First our superintendent gave a speech about how he's proud of us and blah blah blah, next came our principal giving the exact same generic speech, just worded differently. Then, Jonathan was up. I didn't even listen to his. Afterward, he returned to his seat. After our salutatorian's speech, our diplomas were handed out.
"Jonathan Kevin Crane."
Jonathan stood up and retrieved his diploma, shook hands with our principal and superintendent and as he walked back to his seat, Eric Sanders, the one who slapped him on the back of his head Junior year tripped him in front of everybody there. Words and glares were exchanged and Jonathan returned to his seat.
"Are you ok?" I asked, swallowing my pride.
"I'm fine." He said sharply. "I'm not as frail as everybody seems to think I am."
I said nothing and rolled my eyes.
"Addison Katrina Walker." I got my diploma with no fuss.
After the ceremony ended, we all headed back to behind the bleachers where we were all parked. The parties were about to start and I saw several of my classmates hiding beers and other liquors. I myself had nothing planned. Michelle was going to stay for the night and we were going to try to hide Austin from my parents. If they knew a guy was staying the night in my room, they'd freak.
"Hey, Crane! Ya got something you wanna to say to me?!" Eric exclaimed, strutting up to Jonathan with a beer in his hand.
I looked back at Michelle and Austin. We smelled blood. I quickly made my way to them intending to break them up before the administration did with Michelle and Austin following close by.
I was too late, one of them pounced on the other. Austin plowed ahead of me and grabbed Jonathan by the shoulders, pulling him away from Eric.
"I could've taken him!" Jonathan exclaimed.
"I know you could've, I pulled you away for his sake!" Austin exclaimed.
"I'm not afraid of you, Crane!" Eric exclaimed. I looked and saw that he was working on a black eye and Jonathan was unscathed with the exception of mussed hair.
"You should be! One day you will be!" He exclaimed, pulling himself away from Austin and driving off.