Chapter 4

M r. Mulvic was passing out pamplets when Josh walked into the classroom. He asked permission to go to his locker. Having it granted, he walked out the door. As he turned he once again bumped into a short brunett. Andy looked up at him clearly annoyed. This was the third time she had bumped into him in two days. She wasn't complaining, but why did he always catch her off gaurd like this.

"Sorry," he said as she brushed by him. She ignored him and went into the classroom. Why was she ignoring him? What happened? He thought she at least liked him a little from that morning. Did he do something? Maybe she just is embarrased from lunch. He laughed to himself. Why did she do that. It was quite funny. She just stood there in front of him not moving. He got to his locker and pulled out a hand full of paper. He smiled and turned back toward the classroom.

When Josh entered the classroom, Mr. Mulvic was already explaining the papers he had handed out earlier. Josh took his seat next to Henry, or wear Henry should have been. Where was he?

"So everyone pick partners to do the project and I'll give the due date at the end of class."

Josh looked around for Henry, but he couldn't find him anywhere. He raised his hand. Mr. Mulvic came to his desk.

"Yes Josh?"

"Where is Henry?"

"He left sick. You'll have to find a different partner, they'll explain what we're doing."

Josh looked to the front of the room where Andy was with Julie. Mr. Mulvic stopped at their desks.

"Julie," she looked up at him dreamily,"aren't you leaving tomarrow?''

"Yes."

"Well then I suggest that you sit out of this project and do it after you come back."

"But, who will I work with?" Andy asked.

"I do believe that Josh doesn't have a partner."

She looked to the back of the room and saw Josh reading the pamplet."Josh? But Mr. Mulvic." Andy whined.

"I know, not the average partner for you nut give him a chance." He set down a card with "literature" written on it. "Come with me Julie and I'll give you some work."

"Alright," Julie got up to follow him."Sorry Andy," she said sympathetically after seeing her annoyed face. She left Andy sulking in her seat. She looked at Josh who was now looking at her. He motioned for her to come over. She shrunk in her seat and hid her pouting face behind a curtain of light brown hair. She blew it out of the way, but it only landed back on her nose. She hated this. She had been dreading to face him since lunch.Reluctantly she got out of her seat and went to join Josh. She pulled up Henry's normal seat next to Josh's. She set her stuff on the desk and looked at him blankly.

"Don't look so happy to see me."

"I'm not," she answered bluntly.

He frowned at her and asked,"What's wrong? I'm not that bad am I?"

"I guess not. Let's just get started." She threw the card on his desk.

"I don't know what we are doing. I wasn't here to hear it," he explained.

Andy sighed and sat up. She explained that they had to come up with their own way of presenting the changes, importance, and the effects of literature in Greece. "We can just make a poster if you want."

Josh knew that grades were important to her so he didn't want to screw it up for her. He knew a poster would be easy but he wanted to show her that he wasn't stupid. He hated that she thought he was a dumb boy who could care less about his grades or even other peoples feelings. He wasn't like that. "No way, let's go all out. We can do a play or something."

"Really. Well I don't know. You promise you are going to help, because a poster I can present by myself if need be, but if we do a play you can't leave me hanging."

"I wouldn't do that." She was starting to annoy him a little. She needed to stop criticizing him.

"All right you read on Athens, and I'll read about Sparta."

"Where's Athens?" Josh said scratching his head.

"Oh my goodness, in Greece,"she exclaimed.

"And..um...where's Greece?" he asked unable to hold back a smile. She realized he was joking and slapped his arm. He laughed and opened his book to read. She went to open her book but he slapped it back closed and continued reading his book.

"What was that for?"

"What? Shhh, we are supposed to be reading."

She looked back at her book and tried to open it again. Josh knocked it back closed and then turned his page pretending to read it.

"Stop!" Andy said laughing.

"Stop what? Be quiet!" He looked back down at his book and said,"And you're about me slacking off! Geesh!" He shook his head.

She smiled at him as he pulled out something from his bag. Andy turned her back toward him so that she could finally open her book. When she turned back around he had a large pile of paper on his desk. She looked in her notebook for a paper but there were only three left.

"Um, Josh? Could I borrow a peice of paper?"

"No."

"Uh..why not?" she asked surprised.

"Because,"he said looking at her,"You won't give any back. Why couldn't you have the sence to bring more paper."

She knew what he was doing. She had said something very similar to him the day before. "Please, Josh"

He looked at her intending to say another smart comment but saw her face. She had an innocent expression pleading him. He handed her a paper and said that he expected her to return the favor sometime. She promised she would and began taking notes. When the announcements came on she went back to her regular seat.

"Was it really bad?" Julie asked.

"Not as bad as I would have thought."

"I'm really sorry Andy."

"It's not your fault. Are you coming to my house today like we planned."

"Well I'm not gonna ditch you."

"Why not, you didn't mind when you had something to look forward to."

"What do you mean."

"Hello girls," Mr. Mulvic came up from Julie's desk "Um Julie, how are you gonna try out for golf if you're not here?"

Andy smiled at Julie who sneared at her before answering him,"I can't but it's alright," she looked back at Andy with a satisfied smile,"But, Andy still can."

Andy returned the snear. "Actually, Mr. Mulvic I don't think I will.''

"Really, we sure could use a girl."

"No I think I'm gonna pass."

"Alright, if you're sure. Let me know if you change your mind."

"Will do." He went back to his desk as the bell rang. They left the classroom and headed toward their lockers. Josh was the last to leave the room. Mr. Mulvic stopped him.

"Josh could I have a word?'' Josh went to his desk.

"I wanted to warn you that you are close to failing this class."

"I am?''

"Yes, Josh I know what you are capable of and you aren't doing half of it. Why don't you apply yourself?"

"I don't know. I just...I don't know,"Josh stammered.

"You know I can't let you join golf unless you increase you're grade or at least show more effort."

"Alright, I will try, but Mr. Mulvic, I...have know clue what we've been doing."

"Then you might consider a tudor to get you caught up and I think you working with Andy will do you some good on this project. But, I warn you don't make her do all the work, or I won't give you the same grade she gets. You pull your half of the project. Don't ruin her grade either. She's a good student and she doesn't need someone like you to ruin it. Actually she would be a good tudor."

"I'll ask her!"

"All right but only if she is willing"

"Ok, and I promise I'll try harder from now on." Josh left all to happy about his new goal. He now had an excuse to force Andy to talk to him. He could be with her in class and now maybe he could see her out of school. He got excited and couldn't wait to see her again. He didn't understand why he liked to be with her so much. He had just met her really. He didn't know anything about her. He wanted to get to know her and now he had an excuse. Now she wouldn't ask him why he was talking to her. Josh went home and immediatley started reading about Athens. He wanted to get an A on this project.

Julie slumped onto the couch. She opened her sprite can that she had helped herself to. Andy let Guss out then sat next to her and put her feet up on the coffee table. Her mother had warned her many times before not to do it, but seeing as she wasn't there she made herself comfortable. She flicked on the TV to catch the last few minutes of Next Top Model. She and Julie had been following it ever since the month before. They often picked out favorites in the group and they often got to the top groups.

The two friends had the same taste and could easily agree on style. Actually, Andy and Julie were so much alike that Andy could often finish Julies sentences. Julie always knew what Andy was thinking and would tell her not to do something before she even did it. Despite their similarites they still argued. Andy had forever thought that Julie was beautiful. She had perfect dark brown curls that complemented her blue eyes. She had a great complection and never got sunburned. She was skinny to. She insisted that she was the more attractive of the two but Julie contradicted her. Julie felt that she was nothing compared to Andy's looks. Andy, who had fluffy light brown hair, said that she could never tame her hair like Julie's. Her friend thought otherwise. She said that her hair was pretty fluffy. It wasn't crazy frizzy and made her face look soft. Besides, it took forever for Julie to do her hair. Andy could just brush it and leave and it still looked pretty. Julie also pointed out that Andy has a naturally rosy face and never needed to wear makeup. She felt her lips were lost in her face if she didn't wear gloss. When Andy would say that Julie was skinny, Julie would rage that she was uncontrollably skinny and would say that Andy had the perfect ourglass figure.

They had always disagreed on the subject and always insisted that the other was prettier. When they asked another friend to confirm their half of the arguement, they would never answer and told them they were equally pretty. Their friends clearly found them annoying, but they couldn't help their jealousy. Sarah often told them what kind of girl would want someone to say that you ate ugly!

Even though they disagreed, they didn't let it ruin their friendship. They didn't have to worry because they were too shy to compete for their crushes. They would never talk to them anyway so they didn't worry about the other. They agreed that neither of them was a match for the preppy girls at school anyway. They would let the guys who were only interested in looks be fed to the sharks.

After they finished watching the show they headed out to get Russle from soccar practice. They had brought Guss along who sent them racing toward the school. When they finally got Guss to slow down the girls bagan to talk about school. It was when they started talking about Mr. Mulvic, that Andy began getting worried. She hadn't wanted Julie to bring up the project or Josh.

"I mean come on Andy, you have to admit that he is cute."

"Yeah hes attractive... for his age"

"He's only like, uhch, 10 years older than me."

Andy laughed at her knowing that she knew she was being pathetic.

"Well, he's really nice too!"she said begging for Andy to agree.

"Yeah, he's a good teacher."

"And he cares about us individually."

"I'm sure you like that too. Like when he pulls you aside and talks to just you,"Andy went into a dramatic mode and she acted like she was breathless as she clasped her chest,"and you feel he really cares and theres more to it than just teacher student and he is secretly crushing on you too. All you want him to do is forget the age difference and just sweep you off your feet and give you a giant kiss, then marry you and live happily ever after and--"

"Ow," Andy rubbed her shoulder from the punch that Julie had just given her.

"Shut up,"Julie said half laughing, half scolding.

"It's not like that, but today was nice you know when he was talking to me about the project. Oh did I tell you?"

Oh no it had come. She didn't want to talk about it. Andy didn't want to admit to Julie or herself that she was falling for Josh. After all he was just pretending and she was sure that Julie would find her stupid for hoping for something different.

Julie continued,"If Henry doesn't come back to school tomarrow, then I have to work with him when I come back."

"Good." Andy was feeling bitter. Maybe she would get led on too and see what it feels like to see he was pretending.

"Andy, I said I'm sorry, about Josh."

"It's fine!"

"Was Josh mean to you."

"No."

"I know, he won't do the work."

"Surprisingly he seems up to it."

"Yeah, but they always say that. They are just jerks! All of them!"

"Josh really isn't that bad."

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't know doesn't he seem nicer than the others?"

"No." she answered bluntly.

"Really?" Julie shook her head a little confused.

"Whatever."

Julie's face went into a huge smile.

"What?" Andy asked.

"You, like him don't you!"

"No!" Andy insisted.

"Uh huh, you do, I knew it. I told you before. I saw you looking at him yesterday!"

"Well he's cute but like you said he's a jerk!" Andy was desperate.

"Nope. You like all of him. Even his personality. I know you, you can't hide it from me."

Andy could feel her face turning red. She hated it, she could never stop it from showing her emotions. It had sold her out to Julie many times before.

"No I don't!"She could feel herself smiling. She couldn't hide it. Gosh! She turned herface away from Julie in hopes that she wouldn't see.

"Suurrrrrrre!" said Julie smiling.

"Well you have to admit he's cute?"Andy was finally giving in.

"No i I don't! If you don't have to admit that Mr. Mulvic is cute, then I don't have to admit that Josh is!"Julie answered stubbornly with her nose in the air.

Andy rolled her eyes. So Julie knew. Now that Andy was thinking about it, she was happy she knew. Now she could ask her opinion.

"And what's nice is that you have an excuse to be with him too."Julie teased.

"Julie, can I tell you something?"

"Duh."

Andy began explaining how Josh and her crashed into each other the day before and how she left him. Then she told her about that morning. Instead of Julie's face lighting up, like she had hoped, it became uncertain. Andy continued until after class that day. "So what, do you think."

"Well, I don't know, Andy...I mean I've seen him flirt before. It's all the same. He does it to other girls too. I...wouldn't get your hopes up."

"Oh." Andy said dissapointed.

"Don't worry you're better off without him anyway!"

"Yeah."

They continued in silence until they reached Russle's school. Russle came running over to Guss when he saw them. He gave him a big hug and Russ was showered with kisses. They headed back home with Russ telling them of his soccar practice.

"And I scored every goal! Mr. Harper said i'm gonna be starter next game."

"Sounds like you had fun."

"Yeah, I did!"

Andy laughed at her little brother. He was very cute and always knew how to cheer her up. Sure they had their moments where they annoyed each other, but that happened in any sibling relationship. Russ looked nothing like Andy. He had his mother's blonde hair. She envied it sometimes and always wished she had gotten the good hair. Julie and Andy both agreed that Russle had the best hair. Too bad he wasn't a girl. He'd have prettier hair than every snob at Andy's school.

When they reached the house Andy started some dinner as Julie made herself comfortable in a chair with her feet resting on the table. Russle was doing his homework in the living room. They passed the time with ideas to fill Andy's vacation and what it would be like in the Adirondacks. A while later a car pulled in the driveway. Julie immediatly removed her feet from the table. "Can someone open the door!" Andy's mother yelled. Julie opened it and revieled Andy's mother struggling with boxes. "Let me help Miss Johnson."

"Why thank you Julie dear." praised Andy's mother as she offered Julie some boxes. Her mother was a paraleagal and often brought work home with her, often in large heavy boxes.

"Are you staying for dinner dear?"

"Oh no, my father should be here anytime. I have to go home and pack last minute things."

"Oh yes, that's right, Andy told me you were leaving. Where are you headed?"

"The Adirondacks, we are visiting my grandparents up there."

"Oh how nice."

Andy set three plates on the table and called Russ, who was now up in his room, down for dinner. "Are you sure you don't want a bite dear?" asked Miss Johnson as she settled herself in the chair to eat.

"Oh no, I'm fine" Julie looked out the window as she heard a car horn."That's my father, I gotta go." Julie gave Andy a giant hug and shut the door with a last goodbye.

Andy fell asleep that night as soon she hit the pillowcase. She had an exausting day. She tossed and turned in her sleep as she drempt of something very breathtaking.