10 glances- Ash Redfern and Mary-Lynette Carter- 10 look my way; glance
"Oh. My. God!"
"Who is that?"
"Phwoar! He's gorgeous!"
The sound of giggly, girly voices filled the front yard of Briar Creek High School. It was home time on Friday afternoon and the senior class were just walking through the front doors with Mary-Lynette Carter tailing behind them, alone, as usual.
"Jeez people would like to get home you know!" she snipped, rolling her eyes at the cluster of girls blocking her way.
Mark came up behind her, hand in hand with a grinning Jade who greeted Mary-Lynette with a warm hug.
"Hey sis' what's going on?" Mark asked raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know. But they'd better hurry up and move." she huffed, tutting as her class- "mates" collapsed into a fit of giggles. Then, with a quick flick of their hair, they leaned in towards one another and started whispering about god only knows what, blocking the steps and an extremely annoyed Mary-Lynette.
"That's it!" she roared.
She tapped one girl, Lucy, on the shoulder and stood with her hands on her hips.
"Do you mind?" she asked raising her eyebrows and gesturing in front of her to signal the blockage.
"Mmmm Yes I do actually. Sorry!" the girl laughed and turned her back on Mary-Lynette.
"Aaaarrgh!" she roared and threw her hands in the air. "What the hell is so fascinating that they have to block the whole exit?"
She turned to Mark for help but he just shrugged and leaned in for a kiss with Jade.
"Some help you are." Mary-Lynette muttered under her breath.
She stomped forward, ready to push her way through the mob of girls when she caught of snippet of their conversation. Well, as much as she could considering it was in a pitch only dogs could hear.
"Who is he? I've never seen him before!" Amber wondered, glancing over her shoulder at something.
"Who cares who he is? Just look at him!" Lucy smirked.
"That hair! Oh god I think I'm in love!" Carly quipped in.
"Well back off ladies he's mine. I bet he fancies me and that's why he's here.!" Lucy smiled, fluffing her hair.
"A boy. They are wasting my time and blocking my way because of a freaking BOY!" Mary-Lynette thought angrily. She elbowed her way past Amber and was nearly through the crowd.
"God help that poor, poor boy." she said with a smirk. She couldn't wait to get home as she had arranged to meet Ash up at his house for a movie night.
"Watch it freak." Lucy snarled as Mary-Lynette pushed past but she just rolled her eyes in response.
"Yep. He's definitely looking at me!" Lucy squealed gazing over the courtyard.
Mary-Lynette was eager to see what was so great about this guy.
"Well he'd better be something special. He's made me late for Ash!" she huffed, glancing down at her watch.
She finally managed to push her way through the group of girls and let out a deep breath.
"Finally!" she sighed looking over her shoulder at the girls with annoyance. God she hated those girls. She looked around for Mark and Jade bit couldn't see them anywhere.
"Probably still sucking face." she laughed and made her way forwards, looking around for the mystery boy.
Her eyes roved over the courtyard and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Freshmen with their skateboards thinking they're cool. Seniors with their cigarettes thinking they're cool. Girls. Boys. Ash. Teachers.
"ASH!" Mary-Lynette screamed her eyes popping out of their sockets as she took in the sight before her.
There was Ash, her beautiful, brilliant boyfriend. He was sitting on the wall surrounding the school, wearing a black leather jacket and faded jeans. He had his hands in his pockets and a triumphant expression on his gorgeous face. His lips were curled into a devilish smirk and his eyes were bright and sparkling. Mary-Lynette knew it was because of all the attention he was getting from the girls.
"I am going to kill that stupid, ignorant, clueless jackass!" she muttered, her cheeks flaming at the attention he was receiving.
Ash ,who had been eyeing a group of approaching girls with a wary expression, looked up and spotted Mary-Lynette standing frozen, glaring at him. His face broke into a huge grin and his amber eyes filled with warmth.
"Mare!" he yelled, waving at her from his position. At the other side of the yard.
"Oh god!" she whimpered as every eye in the courtyard turned to stare at her.
"I'm going to murder him!" she whispered blushing as red as her backpack.
"Mare!" he yelled again, oblivious to the commotion he had caused or the to the outrage of his girlfriend. "Come on, we're going to be late!"
"Shut up! Shut up you stupid dense fool!" Mary-Lynette thought ferociously.
"Please. Please just let the floor open up and swallow me whole. Or even better please just let a werewolf come kill me now." she thought miserably. She had never been as embarrassed in her whole life. Not that she was embarrassed of Ash, how could she be? But at the stares of bewilderment and hate she was receiving and at the fact that she was the centre of attention. One thing she never wanted to be.
Ash was still smiling happily but the smile fell from his face and was replaced with a look of worry and concern as Mary-Lynette blushed and glared at him with all the resentment she could muster.
"No way! No freaking way!" Lucy muttered in a not-so-quiet whisper.
"There's no way he's going out with her. He must be her cousin or something." she guessed as all of her minions quickly agreed.
All of the boys had gotten back to whatever stupid thing it was they had been doing but all of the girls continued to stare at Mary-Lynette like she was an alien.
"Yeah, you're like totally right Lucy." Amber offered. Her intelligence never ceased to amaze Mary-Lynette. "Like totally, you know?" she added at the end as if they hadn't understood her first "totally."
"So what's the deal Mare?" she snickered cruelly. "How'd you end up with such a hot cousin?" she sneered.
Ash, who had no doubt heard the whole conversation, was making his way towards the girls.
"Em I- " Mary-Lynette stuttered through her embarrassment. "Well, erm, he's"
"Her boyfriend." came a voice as smooth as silk but with undertones of danger and protectiveness from beside Mary-Lynette.
She looked over at him with relief, her anger forgotten, and laughed as he gave her a cheeky wink with sapphire eyes.
"Yeah, sure!" laughed Lucy who had placed her hand on Ash's arm like vice.
"You going out with her?" she snickered. "You're like so out of her league."
Mary-Lynette's heart dropped. She knew it! This had always bothered her: how much better than her Ash was. And for once in her life Lucy was right. Ash was way out of Mary-Lynette's league and she knew it.
Ash placed a protective arm around Mary-Lynette's waist and glared at Lucy.
"O god!" she thought feeling Ash's anger from him as he pulled her into his side, joining them together.
"And why is that?" he asked her, his green eyes burning. "Because she's not tall, blonde and wafer thin like you? Or because she's not preppy, or girly like you? Or is it because she's not obnoxious, snide, nasty and stupid like you? And actually has a personality?" he laughed as Lucy spluttered, gazing at him with shocked eyes.
"Because if that's the reasons then I'd much rather have someone like Mary-Lynette than someone "In my league" like you." he smirked, shrugging his shoulders.
All of Lucy's gang stared, open-mouthed at him as Lucy turned red with embarrassment.
"Thank you, Ash." Mary-Lynette murmured gazing up at him gratefully.
"For what?" he asked smiling down at her, tucked into his side. "You expect me to let them treat you like that? What kind of a boyfriend would that make me?" he asked.
"An un-thoughtful, annoying git of a boyfriend….which you are." she teased as Ash bent down to press a kiss to her lips, earning loud gasps and tuts of disgust from the girls beside them.
"Bye girls!" Ash called pulling Mary-Lynette away. "See you around." he winked, waving at them, as they turned on their heels and strode back into the school.
"Really, Ash. Thank you!" Mary-Lynette smiled as they sat down on the school wall.
"Don't thank me idiot. I only did what anybody would do." he laughed kissing her hand which was linked with his.
"So that's the girls you're always complaining about." he asked, as Mary-Lynette nodded.
"I can see why. They're a nightmare!" he laughed.
They sat in silence for a while, Mary-Lynette's head resting on Ash's shoulder.
Then suddenly a she slapped him across the head.
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" he roared, rubbing his head.
"For embarrassing me like that!" she stated, kissing it better.
"But really, Ash what were you thinking coming to get me from school?" she asked.
"I was thinking it would be a nice gesture to surprise my girlfriend and show her that I love her! I didn't know that would happen!" he cried exasperatedly.
"Oh, well thanks I guess." she said biting her lip. "Sorry about hitting you."
"I'm used to it by now sweetheart." he smiled ruffling her hair. "And anyway I like it when you play rough!" he winked as Mary-Lynette kicked his shins.
"You little minx!" he winked as Mary-Lynette hid her face in her hands.
"You're a pig!" she said, her voice muffled.
"And you're a beautiful, smart, funny girl so don't let them annoy you ok?" he asked pulling her hands from her face.
"Ok, thanks Ash." she blushed kissing him on the cheek.
"Those girls went crazy over you!" she laughed remembering the stares and whispers he had received.
"I know." he laughed, grinning.
"Hey!" she cried, slapping his arm. "I bet you loved every second!"
"You know me can't resist me. Who can blame 'em?" he smirked.
"Aaaaaaaaa" he yelled as Mary-Lynette pushed him off the wall.
" Git." she muttered and walked around the wall to help her boyfriend up.
"Come on, we're so late already." she told him pulling him to his feet.
"The abuse you give me! I know I said I like it rough but not that rough." he laughed rubbing his side were he landed.
"You said it!" she laughed. "So tough."
Ash took her hand and they began the walk back to Burdock farm.
"I love you, Ash" she whispered giving him a hug.
"I love you too, Mare. And no matter what Lucy says you're perfect. And perfect for me." he promised.
"Aw look at you, being all romantic." she laughed poking him, playfully in the cheek.
"I have my moments." he shrugged and pulled a squealing Mary-Lynette onto his back for a piggy-back.
"Ash!" she cried, laughing.
"Hold on, Mare!" he laughed "Here we go!" he cried running down the street with a squealing Mary-Lynette holding on for dear life.