Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story, except for the ones I made up. They all belong to Disney, and any other company that owns 'In a Heartbeat.' Someone else owns the Matrix. Read the previous chapter if you haven't read it yet.
The Odd Man Out
If you only knew
Hank avoided Marianne, and she knew it. Nonetheless, both remained speechless towards each other. As another bell rang, Marianne hurried to her English class. As if on cue, Val and Caitie arrived at the same time.
"Hey Marianne!" Val greeted.
"What's the rush?" Caitie asked.
"Nothing," she replied as the 3 sat at their normal spot and began their 'before-the-bell-rings' chat session.
"Something's bothering you," Caitie said.
"I said nothing," Marianne told Caitie. "How can that be something?"
"Well, from the tone of your voice to your facial expression, we could just tell," Val answered for her friend.
"So, what's the problem?" Caitie asked.
"Who's the guy?" Val jumped in.
"There is no guy," Marianne told them.
"You mean Hank Beecham?" Val inquired.
"OK, is everything that I'm saying completely incomprehensible to both of you?" she said infuriatingly.
"No," Caitie replied. "You say one thing…"
"And we interpret it," Val finished.
"Then how did Hank come up?" Marianne challenged.
"Isn't he the problem?" Val retorted.
"Am I really that obvious?" Marianne asked.
"We all know you like Hank," Caitie said.
"When you talk to him, you have this certain glow in you," Val tried to explain.
"Well, yes, it's Hank," Marianne finally caved in. "Do you guys know what's wrong with him?"
"No!" both girls said in unison.
Marianne looked at them suspiciously. 'Something is definitely going on, and they both know it.'
"Um, do you guys want to come over tonight?" she asked them. "You know, like a slumber party."
"That'll be great," Val said. "Caitie and I were going to invite you to come to my house, but your house will be fine."
"Here's the address," Marianne said as she handed them a piece of paper. "Don't be late. Come around 8:00."
"We'll be there," Caitie said just in sync with the bell.
Although it was a Wednesday night, the theater was still full of people.
"Can you believe this line?" Tyler said as he pointed out a line that must have been 50 yards long.
"I know," Jamie said. "What a total waste of time."
"Can't we just do something else?" Hank said, not at all in the mood for an outing.
"We can just go to my house and watch a movie," Tyler said. "I mean, we have the drinks. We have the food. We have a small entertainment room at the basement. A classic guys night out."
"What movies do you have?" Jamie asked.
"We have a bunch of movies in different genres," Tyler told him. "My mom and William have their own section, while I have one of my own. Any action-adventure movies. Just name it."
"How about the Matrix?" Jamie asked. "I haven't seen that one. Besides, I heard I look a lot like the main character."
"Are you kidding me?" Hank asked.
"No, I'm not," Jamie told him.
"I know that," Hank said. "I guess that's the first one we'll watch then."
"All right," Tyler said as he took out his car keys. "Matrix here we come."
Val, Caitie, and Marianne were having some fun of their own. They've been talking about basically everything. Marianne was glad to know more things about them, although she had one thing in mind.
"So Val, how long have you and Tyler been going out?"
"Two years," Caitie remarked.
"That long?" Marianne asked.
"No, more like one week," Val said. "Although he asked me out like a month ago."
"I don't get it," Marianne commented.
"It's a long story," Val informed her.
"Humor me," Marianne said as she waited for Val to tell her all the details.
So Val went on about Tyler asking her out, to Tyler having an amnesia, and then to Tyler finally remembering.
"Wow," Marianne said in awe. "That was the most beautiful story I have ever heard. But I would have believed Caitie about the two years. You two seem so…close."
"I guess it's because we've been friends for that long," Val explained. "I always liked him, and I guess he liked me too as well."
"It was obvious," Caitie added. "The entire school knew about it."
"Anyway, I guess the incident only brought as closer," Val finished.
"How about you and Jamie, Caitie?" Marianne asked
"We've been going out for about a month now," she told him. "But, like Val and Tyler's case, we also had a mutual liking to each other and we were friends. I mean, we still are, only more."
"How did you two decide to get together?" Marianne inquired.
"Well, he asked me out when the accident happened to Tyler," Caitie started her story. "Jamie took me for a walk and then he just started talking about life and seizing the moment. I was actually taken by surprise because it wasn't Jamie at all. And then he asked me out."
"I'm so jealous of you two," Marianne said with a sigh. "You two seem so happy and all. And you seem to have the perfect guy by your side."
"How about you?" Caitie asked.
"What about me?" Marianne asked.
"How did you meet your boyfriend?" Val asked.
"Who told you that?" Marianne asked, now confused.
"Jamie told all of us," Val replied. "Actually, Tyler told Hank and Jamie, and then Tyler told us."
"Well, he's wrong," Marianne said. "I don't have a boyfriend."
Val and Caitie exchanged glances.
"You don't?" they both exclaimed at the same time.
"No, I don't," Marianne said.
"Jamie said there were pictures of you and him in your locker," Caitie told her.
Marianne didn't even bother to ask how Jamie saw the pictures. 'I guess the news flies fast here.'
"Well, I only used that excuse to get rid of all the guys who were asking me out," Marianne told them.
"Are you serious?" Caitie said.
"Then who's that guy then?" Val asked as well.
"Yes, and my brother," Marianne said with a smile.
"So you are single," Val said at her revelation.
"Single as the number one," Marianne confirmed.
"I guess this clears it up more," Caitie said. "I was about to ask if you're having second thoughts about him since it's obvious you like Hank."
"Honestly, I'm having second thoughts about Hank," Marianne remarked.
"That was an awesome movie," Jamie exclaimed as he grabbed the bowl of popcorn from Tyler's hands and threw some at Hank.
By now, the basement was a total mess. The thing one would expect from three young men.
"I told you it was good," Hank said.
Hank fell silent all of a sudden.
"Hank?" Tyler asked. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Hey, why are you acting like such a bonehead towards Marianne?" Jamie asked. "The girl thinks you hate her."
"I'm not acting like a bonehead, and I don't hate her."
"Why are you avoiding her then?" Tyler asked.
"Because I like her and it's hard to be around her knowing she likes somebody else."
"You didn't even ask her yet," Jamie told him. "I felt the same way about Caitie, but I figured our friendship is better than nothing. I didn't even know that she felt the same way until I asked her out and took control of things."
"Same here with Val," Tyler added.
"Well Jamie, I guess you're right. And Tyler, you and Val obviously liked each other so that doesn't count."
"I didn't know she liked me," Tyler said.
"It's probably because you were blinded by your infatuation for her," Hank said. "So you really think I should tell her?"
"It's not that easy, Hank," Jamie told him. "She already has a boyfriend. Why don't you wait for a while?"
"It will probably ruin any of your chances to be together if you tell her while she's attached," Tyler said. "It's a huge risk. You can't afford to lose her friendship."
"So wait it is," Hank said as he sank to his chair. "This is so complicated."
"It always is," Jamie said.
"And it always will be," Tyler followed.
"Why?" Val asked.
"He's avoiding me," Marianne said. "I think he hates me or something."
Val and Caitie tried to avoid her gaze.
"Do you know something?"
"No!" Val and Caitie answered nervously.
"What is it you're not telling me?"
"Nothing!" they simultaneously said again.
"There's definitely something," Marianne said.
"Do our words mean anything to you?" Caitie asked.
Marianne and the girls grew silent, and then collapsed into laughter.
"You're a fast learner," Caitie commented.
"Yea," Val added.
"I try," Marianne said before becoming serious again. "So, is there something you ought to tell me?"
Val and Caitie exchanged glances once again.
"There is this one little thing," Val started to confess.
"Actually, it's not so little anymore," Caitie interrupted. "Hank likes you."
"What?" Marianne cried out.
"He does, and that's why he's avoiding you," Val finished.
"See, he still thinks you have a boyfriend," Caitie told her.
"So this is why he's acting like that? Because he likes me? I can't believe this. And all along I thought he hated me."
"Far from," Val said.
"I better straighten this out with him. I really like Hank. How do I tell him?
"Well, there's this dance that's coming up," Caitie said.
"I guess that could work. But don't tell anyone yet, especially Hank."
"We promise," Val and Caitie said.
A week has gone by, and Hank continued to avoid Marianne. Marianne on the other hand is pretending like she knew nothing about Hank. She even decided to play around with him, trying to approach him only succeeding to see him run off like a runaway dog. Hank filed out of the cafeteria when he saw her approach him. 'Why is she doing this to me?' Hank went to his locker and took out the books he needed for his class. Upset, he slammed his locker shut.
"Marianne, you're killing me," he whispered softly. "Oh, if you only knew…"
"Knew what?" a voice asked from behind him.
Hank practically turned stiff. He knew exactly whose voice they belonged to. 'I guess this is it. No more running. Tyler had warned me, but this is a risk I am willing to take.'
Sorry guys, but I have to end it there. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm sorry it took a while. Anyway, don't forget to review. I'll be back! ~ Scarlet182