Chapter 4: Crush
Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders
"Wendy! Over here!" I said, waving my arms from my seat. Her brown eyes searched for a moment, finally resting on me. She smiled and glided towards our picnic table, Socs and Greasers starring as she went. I was completely positive; Wendy was by far the prettiest girl in our school. We were fourteen years old and finally going to the same school together. Wendy's parents had split up the year before and she ended up having to move. Luckily, the only house her mother could afford was down the street from us, so we were able to see each other a lot more then just the weekends. I was fascinated by her as she stopped to talk to a friend; her long hair was the prettiest shade of brown there was and her laugh sounded like wind chimes on a summer night. I bit my lip as I watched her talk to other guys, trying to think why she liked hanging out with me anyway. She was already really popular around school; everyone knew Wendy Thompson. I was starting to worry that she would stop wanting to hang out with me.
"Hey, Darry!" she said happily as she placed her lunch between Paul and I. "How'd football tryouts go yesterday? Bet he was amazing, wasn't he Paul?" I smiled to myself as she sat between us; I don't know why I always worry. She was my best friend, nothing was going to change that.
Paul and Matt gave each other a look and waited until Wendy had left to get a soda, then turned to me smirking.
"So Darry, how long have you had a crush on Wendy?"
Their question took me off guard. "What are you guys talking about? Wendy is my best friend!"
"Don't play dumb, Darry." Paul said calling my bluff. "You've been starring at her like that for weeks!"
"No, I haven't." I was a terrible lair.
Matt started hooting with laughter. "Man, look at this guy blush! You really do like her don't you!"
"Why don't we tell her for you, Darry?" Paul said nudging my sides.
"Yeah, no sweat!" Matt said starting to get up. "Hey Wendy!"
I tackled him across the table before he could say anymore. "Shut up! If you say a word to her, I'll beat the crap out of both of you!"
Paul laughed. "Oooh! Sensitive! Geez Darry, you must really be in love with her!"
"I'm not in love with her stupid!" I hissed, panicking as Wendy started to walk back towards our table. "Now keep you traps shut!"
"Darry?" Wendy said, looking at me funny. "Why do you have Matt in a headlock?"
"Why don't you mind your own business, Wendy!" I snapped. "This doesn't concern you!"
She looked shocked and a little taken aback. I immediately regretted what I said. "Wendy I-"
"No your right, Darry." She said picking up her lunch. "It's not my business. I'm sorry." Then she and one of her friends got up and walked away.
The rest of the day Wendy ignored me. I tried to talk to her in History and ended up getting us both in trouble. I tried writing her a note but she didn't read it and when I tried to talk to her after school she just walked away. Wendy wasn't one of those people who could get over something quickly, she stayed mad for a while. I knew it was useless but I couldn't stand her being mad at me. Finally I walked over to her house after my second day of football tryouts and knocked on the door, hoping she'd let me in.
"Oh, hello Darry!" Ms. Thompson said smiling. I looked inside and saw that she had a gentleman friend over; that was sure to put Wendy in a bad mood as well.
"Hi, Miss. Smith," I said, almost calling her by her married name. "Is Wendy here? I really need to talk to her."
"She's in her room Darry, come on in."
I walked down the hallway and came to her bedroom door. I took a deep breath, then knocked. "Wendy? It's Darry. Can I come in?"
"No, you can't."
"Why not?" I asked annoyed.
"I'm washing my hair."
I sighed as I leaned against the door. "Wendy, I really am sorry! I don't know why I snapped at you today. Paul and Matt were pulling my chain and it just got to me!"
I paused, then put my ear to the door. "Wendy? Are you there?"
I slowly opened the door, poking my head into her room.
"Darry!" She screamed running into her bathroom; she was wearing nothing but a pair of pink underwear and a matching bra .
"Sorry! Sorry!" I said freaking out and closing the door. I let out my breathe and smiled to myself, despite my embarrassment.
Finally she opened the door in her bathrobe, a look of annoyance plastered on her face. I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Wendy..."
She rolled her eyes then let me into her bedroom. Her walls were of course, yellow. And she had a white canopy bed with a few stuffed animals; the teddy bear that I had gotten her for her 8th birthday was in the middle. I sat down on her bed and took off my backpack, watching as she brushed her hair.
"You didn't...see anything, did you?" She asked after a moment.
"No." I said lying. She could tell and scowled at me. "Ok, just a little! But I won't tell anyone! I swear."
She rolled her eyes as she turned towards me. "Great."
"Wendy," I started again. "I'm really, really sorry! Please stop being mad at me, you know how much I hate when your upset. Please forgive me! I'll do anything you want me to! Just please don't be mad at me anymore."
She sighed then put down her hair brush. "I'm not mad anymore Darry, I'm just kind of sad. Do you think we're growing apart?"
"No!" I answered quickly. "Of course not!"
"It's just weird, you know?" she began, looking like she was about to cry. "I mean, I know I'm spending a lot of time with the girls on the cheerleading squad and you have your football buddies, but I'm just afraid things are going to change. And you didn't want to tell me something, for once in our entire life!"
I felt a twinge of guilt. "We're meeting new people, sure, but that doesn't change the fact that we'll always be friends!"
"But your hiding things from me!" she insisted.
I felt my throat grow tight; the truth was that I did like Wendy. I liked her a lot. She was the most wonderful girl I had ever met! I thought about her all the time and wanted nothing more then to never leave her side. But I was nervous, I could never tell her that! I sighed then looked into Wendy's beautiful brown eyes. "Wendy, I promise I'm ok and that I'm not in any trouble. But I just can't tell you right now. But someday I will, I promise."
"Ugh!" She groaned. "I hate not knowing secrets! But fine!"
"Well this might make you feel a little bit better." I said as I went to my backpack, bringing up a box wrapped in Christmas paper. "Sorry, it's all we had."
"Is this an early birthday present or a peace offering?" she asked, laughing as she tore the paper off.
"How about a bit of both."
She opened the box and then was silent. She starred at what I bought her for a few moments, then looked at me as her eyes started to tear up. I was afraid that she didn't like it or that I had gotten the wrong kind.
"Darrel, this is amazing!" she exclaimed jumping into my arms.
I grinned, relieved. "I'm glad you like it."
"I love it!" She ran into the closet then came out a moment later, her camera in hand. "Come on! Let's take a picture." She put her arm around me and put her camera above us, then kissed my cheek and snapped a picture.
I took out an old shoe box from underneath my bed and grinned as I looked through it. This shoe box had everything that reminded me of her. There were a few shells from our trip to the beach, Superman comic books, a pressed sunflower, and a bunch of photos she had taken of us through out the years. I laid back against my bed and smiled looking at the first picture she took of us; man we were young back then. It was Wednesday and she was supposed to be here Friday night. I was scared. I didn't know what to do when I saw her, or what to say. But I couldn't not go. Maybe this would be good for me, maybe I was actually over her. I doubted it, but I had to see her. Even if in the end, it would hurt me more.
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