Chapter 4
I am surprised to find myself really hoping that Ian comes to sit with us at lunch. I mean, I know it is pretty downright awful of me to think that just a few days after he half-strangled me, but I am a forgiving person. I truly think he regrets what he did, and I want to be his friend.
"Um, hey, is this seat taken?" Asks a deep voice. I look up and am met with the captivating eyes of a certain Ian O'Shea.
"Oh, hi! No, feel free to sit here." I tell him, gesturing to the seat next to me. Melanie raises her eyebrows and shoots me a glare but I ignore her. Instead, I try to focus on stopping my cheeks blushing.
"Thanks. And I just wanted to tell you again, Wanda. I am so so sorry and if you could even forgive me a little bit it would mean the world." He sends me a gorgeous smile and I know that I am smitten.
"It's okay, seriously. It's already forgiven." I say genuinely.
The relief on his face is obvious. "Thanks for that. I haven't forgiven myself, and never will, but that you'd do that for me means a lot. I have decided that becoming popular isn't the way to get over my bullying, to find some proper friends and defend myself is." He stutters, picking at the slop of food on his plate.
"I'll be your friend." I smile at him and Melanie kicks me under the table. I send her a 'What?' face and she shrugs and mouths 'I'll tell you later.'
"Thanks, Wanda. I have Biology next, and I suppose you do too. Wanna go together?" He asks, hopefully.
I can't say no to those eyes. "Yes, that'd be great."
"Why were you looking at me funny?" I ask my cousin later that lunch break as we sit in the empty form room. We are sitting cross legged on the desks and I am still clueless as to what I did at lunch.
"Oh, Wanda." she sighs. "You're too innocent."
"Hey!"
"Sorry. Anyways, when you said that to Ian, he'll take that as you mean you'll be his girlfriend."
"Ohhh. Well that's not so awful." I reply and she looks shocked.
"What, Wanda? You wanna be his girlfriend?" She gasps.
"No, I didn't say that, but would it be so awful to be his girlfriend? He seems like a nice guy, I bet he's really kind and would be a great boyfriend."
Just then the classroom door creaks open and none other than Ian O'Shea walks in, catching onto the end of my sentence.
"Who'd be a great boyfriend?" He asks, strolling across the classroom and flinging his bag down on a desk before hopping up to join us.
"No one!" I am quick to say, perhaps too quick.
"Oh, come on! Please tell me, pwetty pease?" He begs, looking at me with puppy dog eyes. All Mel does is shrug her shoulders and give me a 'You got yourself into this mess' look.
"Uh, uh, u, uh, uh you." I stutter, sending my attention to my lao and turning away from him.
He looks surprised. "Me?" He asks, puzzled. "A good boyfriend to whom?"
"It doesn't matter," I say, not meeting his eye.
"Yes, it does. It does to me." He insists, catching my arm and pulling so I have no choice but to face him.
"It really doesn't." I try to insist but he tightens his grip.
"Wanda, please, tell me. Who would I be a good boyfriend too?" He asks, looking at me straight in the eye.
I don't know what to say - I mean I can't lie to him, that would be wrong. I take the only option out. "Uh, why don't you ask Melanie?"
She shoots me a death glare. I'm hoping she'll just make up a random name, but, oh, she decides to go with the truth. "Wanda. She thinks you'd be a great boyfriend."
Ian flushes a shade I could only describe as crimson. "Oh, and what do you think Melanie?"
"You almost killed her. What sort of boyfriend does that?" She says it with a casual shrug of the shoulders, but I can see her words slice into Ian and the light go from his eyes. It's obvious to me he regrets his actions, and Mel shouldn't keep going on at him.
I lay a comforting hand on his arm. "Ian. Ian, look at me." He obeys, staring at me straight in the eyes. "Ian, I forgive you, alright? I forgive you. Ignore Mel, she's just being protective."
He gives a small nod of the head, but doesn't look much better. "Thank you, Wanda. I'll see you in Biology later, okay? And after will you meet me in the classroom? I have something to give you." He says, turning around and walking off.
Two hours later I am hopping nervously on one foot waiting for Ian to come. Sure enough he walks in moments later, casually.
"Hey, Wanda." He smiles at me.
"Hi, Ian."
"Uh, listen. Here, I wanted to give you this." He says handing me a thin white envelope. "Read it later, okay?" He asks, sprinting off before I have time to answer him.
I grip the envelope tightly and sling my school satchel on my shoulder. Melanie is going on a date with Jared so she couldn't give me a lift home, but I don't mind because now the walk home will give me time to read Ian's letter.
The heat outside is nice, hot but not intolerable. I get into a stride and carefully open the letter.
Dear Wanda,
You say you have forgiven me, but I haven't. I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to be so nice to me, in fact you can go out of your way to be horrible and I won't mind. But if some part of your (lovingly kind) heart does want to forgive me, can you let me do something nice in return? Say, go to the cinema and dinner this Friday? But if you don't, that's okay. And it won't be a date, just as friends.
Let me know.
Here's my number: 043729102746381837
See you tomorrow
x
Did Ian just ask me out? Sort of? Oh, my gosh. Wow. I know I really shouldn't be feeling this way after what he did to me, but he seems so sorry and I have never been asked out before. I know Melanie will disapprove but I pull out my phone to send him a text.
Wanda: That would be lovely. What film?
Ian: What do you want to see?
Wanda: I've heard Silver Linings is good.
Ian: Okay. And thank you for forgiving me.
Wanda: You are very welcome.
Ian: See you tomo then. X
Wanda: X
I know I probably shouldn't have put a kiss at the end of the text, but I couldn't help it.
A/N Thank you for reviewing everyone, I really, really appreciate it! Again, sorry for the slow update, I am working on my The Selection FanFiction Chasing The Crown (check it out, it's my version of The Elite! Chapter 26 just went up).
We are beginning to see a little O'Wanda! Yay!
Tabitha x
