CHAPTER 6 – Box Number Six
"Oh my God! I'm gonna be late!" Guy jumped off his bed. It was a Wednesday morning and Guy was awaken by his alarm clock at 7:45. I can't believe I forgot to set my alarm last night! He thought as he did his morning routine in top speed, and ran downstairs.
"Good morning, honey!" Mrs. Germaine said, preparing breakfast.
"No time for breakfast, Mom! Gotta go!" Guy kissed his mother goodbye and put on his skates before dashing out of the backdoor.
He skated all the way to school so fast that he could even give Luis a run for his money. After a few minutes, he was already taking his skates off by the front steps of the school and went inside the front door just as the first bell rang. "Whew! Made it just in time!" he panted, and went to his locker.
Suddenly, Guy stopped dead in his tracks. Connie was coming his way from the opposite end of the hall on her way to her first period class. Guy took a deep breath as he approached her. "Connie,"
"Hi Guy," said Connie, her voice cold and walked past him.
"Wait, Connie, Please!" Guy implored.
Connie turned to face him.
Guy just stared at her, at loss for words. Connie stared back, waiting for him to say something. "Connie, I … uh" he started, looking for the right words to say.
"Listen, Guy, I gotta go. I don't wanna be late." Connie went off.
"Darn!" Guy stomped his foot as he watch her go.
***
"Whoa! What's their problem? Are they sick or anything?" Connie remarked as she entered her History class.
Every single person is holding a copy of the newspaper. Some seems to be so absorbed with something written on it, while some are talking so enthusiastically about it. This is a very unusual scene to walk into, for students don't usually spend their time reading the school paper, or even bother looking at it.
"I know what you mean" Julie said, she and Connie are in the same class that period. "I better grab a copy before they ran out"
"Oh, grab one for me too" she took out her History book.
Julie came back with the last two copies of EH Weekly. "Here, we're lucky they even spared us 2 copies. I wonder what's so interesting inside" she flipped through the pages of the paper, and so did Connie.
"There's nothing in here" said Connie as she scanned page 3. When she reached page 6, something at the bottom of the page caught her eye, something written in bold letters. Connie went pale. Oh no!
***
"'Pretty, Sporty Brunette seeks fun-loving boyfriend!' I wonder who this girl is," Averman said, as he read the paper aloud in the Ducks table at noon. By this time, practically the whole school is talking about Connie's anonymous ad.
"Probably Katie Armstrong, you know, the captain of the volleyball team. Seems that the description fits her." Dwayne suggested.
"Dude, Katie has a boyfriend, remember?" said Fulton.
"How about Allie Slater? She doesn't have a boyfriend and she hates cheerleading." Goldberg put in.
"Yeah, but she also hates rock music." Jesse said.
"Hey guys," Guy just came in the lunchroom and approached their table.
"Guy! What are you doing here? Don't you have a tutorial session?" Ken asked.
"Nah, I won't be tutoring anymore. Sarah's catching up so I'm free again." He cast a glance at Connie, who was quietly staring at her macaroni and cheese. Guy then took a seat next to Goldberg.
"Where were we? Oh yeah, how about Lucy Burkes?" Luis asked.
"I don't think so, hey! What about Connie!" Portman suggested. Connie almost jumped from her seat when she heard her name.
"Give it a rest, Portman. I don't think Connie would do something like that." Adam said. He looked at Guy, who looked down at his tray.
Connie sighed with relief. Thank God for Banksie!
"Please, Violet! Don't you have anywhere else to go? I have to eat my lunch in peace, you know, with MY FRIENDS!" Charlie added, rolling his eyes.
"Oh, all right." Violet said hesitantly, Charlie shooed her away.
"What's that all about, man?!" Russ asked, chuckling.
"Attack of the freak!" Charlie mumbled as he took his seat beside Russ.
"Okay, if it's not Connie, then it would most probably be Katrina Jones." Said Ken.
"Are you okay, Kenny man? Katrina isn't pretty! She has bucked teeth!" Russ said.
"That's not a nice thing to say, Russ." Connie said.
"Well, it's true!" he argued.
"Hey! Wait a minute! I think I got it! Pretty… Sporty… Hates cheerleading… Likes rock music… pizza… box number six… NUMBER SIX! Julie, this is YOU!" Averman exclaimed
"Eh?!" Julie stared at him dumbfounded.
"Oh yeah!" the others chimed in.
"Are you guys blind or just mentally challenged? Hello! Can't you read? It perfectly says in the ad that the girl is brunette! Last time I checked, I wasn't!" said Julie.
"Yeah right, Jules! What if you just wrote down brunette so people can't track you down?" Goldberg said defensively.
"But I didn't… I'm not…!" Julie said again.
"Nice try, Catlady! But if you really want to be anonymous, try not to use your jersey number. Box #6! Really a given!" Jesse said, cutting her off.
"I told you, that is not me!" Julie said, gritting her teeth.
"So you really did follow my advice and find yourself a guy." Said Portman.
"Aargh!"
***
"Nice shot, Guy" said Julie, as she caught the puck with her glove that afternoon at practice. "Sorry Dwayne… next time, Banks…"
It's Averman's turn to make a shot.
"Oof!"
"Haha! Nice try, Sporty!" Averman said as he skated around the net. Julie had failed to catch the puck this time.
"Averman, I told you a million times! I DID NOT POST THAT AD!" Julie said irritably, taking her headgear off.
"Yeah, sure!" he skated away, snickering.
Coach Orion blew his whistle. "Great practice everyone! Now hit the showers and you may go." With that, everybody packed up and left the rink.
***
"Why do I have a feeling that tomorrow's gonna be the worst day of my whole entire life?" Ken exaggerated. He was lazily taking off his pads.
"Tell me about it!" said Charlie. "You know what Ken, I'd be most willing to trade masters with you."
"No thanks, Charlie. I think I'm better off with the leader of the red jackets gang." Replied Ken.
"Besides, man, I don't think Violet would approve to that. She wouldn't let you go that easily." Russ said. Charlie groaned.
"You guys keep whining like babies! Look at me, I'm contented with my master and my servant, right Sporty?" Portman bragged.
"Don't be so sure, my friend." Averman whispered to Goldberg and Jesse, the three of them laughed secretly.
"I told you, people! Stop calling me Sporty!" Julie yelled furiously.
"Whoa! Cool it, dude!" Fulton said.
"We're just pulling your leg. Fine, we'll stop!" Portman said.
"Good! Cause you're really getting on my nerves!" said Julie.
"I better go now, see you guys tomorrow." Connie said. She got her backpack, slung it to her shoulder and walked out.
Guy stared after her, swiftly packing his own things as well. "Me too, Mom's expecting me home." He stood up and went out of the door.
Adam shook his head, "They really need to get back together."
"Yeah, we have to do something" Luis agreed.
"You're right! Well, maybe I could try," said Charlie thoughtfully.
"What're you gonna be, a matchmaker this time, Cupid's personal messenger?!" Goldberg asked.
"Why not? There's no harm in trying." Charlie replied, smirking.
***
Guy walked very briskly, trying to catch up with Connie and try to talk to her again. But before he could even make it out of the school, there was Sarah, obviously waiting for him by the front steps.
"Guy! Thank God you're still here!" she said.
"Hey Sarah! Listen, I really have to go—" he started, but Sarah cut him off.
"I need you to help me with my Algebra. Please! This is going to be the very last time that I'm going to bother you! Please…" Sarah pleaded.
"Alright" Guy sighed, he just have to talk to Connie some other time.
***
That night, Guy kept walking back and forth by the phone, practicing his line for when he calls Connie.
"Hey Connie! It's me, Guy…" he said, trying to sound casual. "'So, how are you?'…Nah" he paced again. "'Listen, I'm sorry for what happened'… Better," Guy said, smiling to himself. He picked up the receiver, took a deep breath, and dialed Connie's number.
Meanwhile…
"Would you turn that thing down?!" Connie shouted to her little brother, Kyle.
"No way!" Kyle answered. "It's the Championship game!" He is watching a basketball game in Connie's room.
"I've got tons of homework to do! Why don't you watch that in the living room?!" she said furiously.
"I can't! Mom have guests!" argued Kyle.
"Well, keep the volume down!" Connie grabbed the remote from his hands.
"Hey!" screamed Kyle, trying to snatch the remote back. "Give me that!"
Connie kept the remote beside her in the study table. Kyle angrily and purposely went to the television and turned the volume way loud.
"Kyle!" Connie yelled. Then the phone rang. "Make yourself useful! Answer the phone!" she tried getting back to her work.
"Answer it yourself!" Kyle yelled back stubbornly. Connie and Kyle glared at each other.
***
Guy waited patiently as Connie's phone rang. While waiting, he quickly rehearsed his line on his mind. He was startled when someone actually answered.
It was Connie. "WHAT?!" she yelled angrily.
Guy was so surprised that he hung up the phone as fast as he could. Drat! Bad timing! He thought.
I'll try to update as soon as I can. I'm having my exams for the next two weeks so I'm hoping to do some writing whenever I can. Please review. Check out my new site, www.angelfire.com/de3/mddomain and please sign my guestbook. =)
