Chapter 5

He ran as fast as he could, but to his dismay he was at a dead end. He turned around to find them getting closer. He surched everywhere, but there was no where to go. He would have to wait for them to get him. Then he would have to explain. He loved her there was nothing else to it. They were yards away now. He was panicking. He looked around as one last act of despiration. He turned to the stone wall behind him. He pushed it foolishly but hoped that it might just budge. Of coarse it didn't and he turned to see them a few of feet away. The screams getting louder. Then he felt something soft brush his shoulder. He looked to find something soft and brown dangling at his side. He followed it up the wall and saw a window high above the ground. He gave one last look at them before climbing the brown length.

When he reached the top he saw a woman who the brown length had belonged to. It was her hair. He did not know who she was, for he couldn't see a face, but he knew she was beautiful and that he loved her. She was wearing an extrordernary silver gown and was glowing. She came close to him and he embrassed her. He lifted his hand to her neck and let his thumb softly rub her cheek. She locked her eyes with his, which were all that he could see. Everything else was blurred by the silver glow of her dress. He staired into her soft brown eyes and was mesmirised. He tilted her head back and she closed her eyes in comfort. He knew she felt safe in his arms, but truley it was she who had saved him. He softly layed kisses at the nap of her neck. She let her hair fall back. He lifted her head to lock into her eyes again, but instead only saw her rosy lips. He smiled to himself and happily excepted them. He locked her in a passionate kiss that sent them into a portal that niether could excape.

Suddenly there was a buzzing noise behind a door. He broke their trance and unwrapped his arms around her. He held her hand and pulled her along with him as he headed toward the door. He cautiously opened it and let a burst of blinding light enter the room. He felt her hand slip out of his and he was lost in light.

Josh sat up with a start. He looked around his bedroom confusedly. Then he looked down at his buzzing alarmclock. He turned it off and rubbed his eyes. It was only a dream. But it felt so real and it was the second time he had it. Only last time he hadn't gotten any farther than the point where he climbed the wall. He was sort of glad he did. Before he had just seen the beautiful woman, but this time he had done more. Smiling Josh got out of bed and hurried for school. All the while he wondered why he had had such a dream and who it was in the silver dress.

Andy shut her locker. She was glad she didn't have math class that morning. She had been down in the dumps since the day before, when she had told Julie of Josh. She also was flustered because she arrived to school late. She had slept late because she had forgotten to set alarm the night before. Normally she would have naturally woken up, but she had been dreaming. She couldn't get the dream out of her head.

She was glad that gym was her first class. You could get away with being late and the teachers not noticing. Andy quickly got changed and made it into her class when everyone else was entering.

The day went by quickly and Andy hadn't seen Josh. She wasn't complaining but for some reason she couldn't wait until History class. She was figeting with her pencil and biting the tip. French class always dragged on and it was 6 minutes until History class. Her teacher had been writing pointless notes on the board. If it hadn't been for her excitement about Josh, Andy would have fallen asleep. She sat there, now drumming her pencil on the desk, as she stared at the clock. One minute until the bell would ring. She needed to stop. She would see him eventually and nothing special would happen. She needed to calm down. Why was she so anxious to see him. She never had before. Now thirty seconds. Her dream must have given her a little hope inside that maybe someone could actually like her. Maybe that someone could be someone she hadn't expected. Maybe someone like Josh. Why was it so rediculus that he would like her. She frowned. Maybe because she stuck out like a pigeon among a flock of swans. She looked so bad comparing to people like him. Well maybe he wasn't like all the other boys. Was there a possibility that he didn't just care about looks. Now ten seconds. There had to be a reason he kept talking to her. Five seconds, four, three, two--

Andy raced out the door and ran downstairs to her locker. She quickly gathered her things and headed to the staircase once again. But she did something she had never had done before. Before going up the stairs Andy took a detour and shoved the girls bathroom door open. She looked in the mirror, something she regretted, and tried to tame her fluffy hair, but it was hopless. She would never match up to the other girls. The mirror had only discouraged her. She stared at the mirror in a trance. What was she doing? Why was she floundering herself for this guy. She couldn't believe herself. Andy scowled at her reflection and ran out the door to go to History. She tried to act normal as if she hadn't been thinking of Josh all day. She tried to keep her face as impassive as she could, but her attempts were smothered as she turned the corner. Josh was leaning against the wall with his knee bent and as hot as ever. He was drumming his fingers against the wall and shaking his head to a beat. Butterflies swarmed Andy's stomach and she couldn't help her smile from reaching her eyes.

Josh had been waiting all day for this. He couldn't wait until he could finally ask Andy to be his tutor. He was so anxious that he decided to wait for her outside the door. He wondered where she was, it was only a minute until class started. Oh no, was she not there that day? His suspician was faltered as he saw the small brunette walking down the hall toward him. Her face suddenly turned a florecent pink once their eyes met. Josh felt himself blush a little too and a wide smile spred across his face. Why he blushed he didn't know but he liked the fact that she did. They both knew they were thinking of the other before they saw eachother, but would either admit it? No.

"Hi"

"Hi, uh why are you out here?" Andy asked.

"I needed a breath of air, education can be soffacating!"

She gave a grin and shook her head as she brushed by him. Her arm gently touched his and instantly sent her flying on a cloud. She wanted to squeel but then thought that wouldn't be appropriate. She seated herself in the back in Henry's seat, he must still be sick, and was immediatly accompanied by Josh.

Mr. Mulvic told them that they would be going to the library that day. The students all filed out and Andy, as she normally would, leaded the way. To her surprise Josh walked next to her. She felt very awkward in their silence down the hall. When they reached the library Andy reached toward the door but was intercepted by Josh. He opened the door and gestured her in. She smiled and walked in and sat at the first computer. Josh too started to sit with a hesitant look.

"Can we sit somewhere else?"

"Why?"

Her question was immediatly anwered.

"Hey Josh, buddy"

They both spun around to see Robert waving frantically to Josh while suffocating Ashley beneath his arm. Andy groaned. Of course Robert would be in study hall with his girlfriend. It wasn't like he ever attended classes and the library was the perfect place to make out.

"What are you doing here?" Robert walked towards them with his arm around Ashley. Josh looked at her unsurly.

"History project."

"Oh and you picked a smart girl, nice one. Well I'm gonna leave you to your 'studies', while I, uh, study the human anatomy." Robert winked at Josh and went back to the couch in the corner. He obviously didn't think or maybe care that him being with Ashley would hurt Josh. Why would it they hadn't been together in a long time and it was her that had cheated on him. He must hate her. Andy's accusations were denied when she saw Josh's expression. He always was perky, funny, happy, and even sometimes annoying, but not right now. Now he looked like he had been stabbed in the heart. Andy for the first time felt truley sorry for him.

"Josh, we can go in the actual lab, for um, a change in scenery."

He turned to look at her and attempted a smile and shook his head yes. He grabbed her books(she was becoming used to this by now) and carried them to the back farthest corner of the lab where they couldn't see the two love birds. She asked him if he had any information from Athens. Immediatly Josh perked up, not really to his full self but at least he had a smile now. He pulled his notebook out of his bag. and opened it to a full two pages of notes. More than, she was sure, he had taken in his entire life. Maybe seeing Ashley and Robert was a good thing in a way. It had gotten Josh out of his silly mode and allowed them to actually get work done. This was what Andy had said she wanted, for Josh to stop goofing and take the project seriously, but she didn't like it. She didn't like him quietly reading. Although he was extremly cute.

He was sitting there leaning over his book biting his thumbnail and squinting his eyes to concentrate. There was one strand of dark hair that curled out over his eyebrow and she could see hid jaw bones clench as he bit his nail. She would have loved to sit and stare at him but she knew that he had to get happier somehow. Andy decided it was up to her to make the jokes.

She bent down to get a bunch of notebooks out of her bag then she set them on next to the computer with a bang. It made him slightly glance at the books but he continued to read. She made another attempt. She began rumaging through her books making a couple slide onto his book. He finally looked up at her.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a monotone voice.

"I'm trying to find a paper."

"A paper for what?"

She sighed and smiled when she got a blank sheet of paper.

"Here, I believe I owe you one of these."

Finally! He smiled at her and took the paper. "Yes I believe you do." She smiled in return.

"So you've been reading quite a lot there. Got any ideas for a presentation?" she asked.

"I've already told you, we are gonna do a reading, like a play."

"Oh we are?"

"Yes we are."

"Who died and made you boss?"

"I could tell you that, but then I'd have to kill ya"

She laughed. "I was thinking, we could do like Repunzel or something."

"That sounds really good."

Josh began telling her what they could do basically going along with his dream. He knew only that repunzel let down her hair but he guessed the rest of his dream had to be similar. Apparently it was because Andy asked, "How do you know about the story?" She eyed him suspiciously, more so because he had just described the dream she had last night.

"Ahem, SO we have to incorperate how literature was important in the play." They went to work with no more thoughts about Robert or his hore for girlfriend.

Finally the bell rang and Josh had completely forgotten about the tutoring. He grabbed Andy's hand before she left the lab and instantly released it after he relized what he did. Neither looked at the other directly until Josh remembered why he did it.

"I was just wondering, Mr. Mulvic says I'm failing History, and said I should get a tutor. And well, I was sorta wondering, if you wouldn't mind being around me anymore than you had too, well if you'd tutor me? I mean I know I can be annoying, but--"

"Really Josh you aren't that bad... That is to say not as bad as I thought anyway." She seemed to be considering. "Sure, I'll tutor you."

Josh was extremely happy. Not even thinking he lept into her arms making her drop her books to the floor. H gave her a giant hug. He could have stayed there forever. Could have fallen asleep. Her hair smelled really good. He had surprised Andy, but she didn't, actually she had the same thoughts running through her head. She felt at safe in his warm arms. If he wanted to, he trap her in them because he was so strong, but he hugged her so gently. Finally he let go after having a sudden recolection that she probably was really uncomfortable. She said she would tutor him not date him or anything. Hugging was not appropriate.

"Sorry, it's just I really need this."

"It's alright."

"So what days are good for you?"

"Actually today would be the best day, but you probably don't want to start so soon."

"No that's alright. Like I said I really need it."

"Well we'd have to walk to my house and I have to pick up my brother from school. Then we could do it there. You just need a ride home."

"That sounds good except for one thing."

"Don't worry about my brother, he's not--"

"No I mean we don't need to walk"

"Why?"

"I have a car. Just go get your stuff and I'll meet at your locker."

"Alright"

Andy and Josh were the last to leave the library and went into different directions to their lockers. Andy was extremely happy. Josh was coming to her house. Julie would definatly have something different to say now. Then she sighed, no Julie would say he probably just picked the smartest girl available to help him. No Andy wasn't going to let herself think she was only being used. Maybe he did like and wanted to be her friend. Why did everyone think that only popular kids hung out with popular kids and smart kids with smart kids. They could combine. Yes they were completely different but some were bound to be similar somehow.

Josh was the happiest he had ever been. When he got to her locker she was all ready and waiting for him. They went out to the parking lot to his rusty car. Andy had expected a really shiny red neon or something, but what she saw was a rusty, white oldsmobile. He opened the car door for her and went inside. She looked around as he went to the other side. He had a picture of a dog in the corner of his visor that was still down. It was fluffy and black and he had floppy ears. Josh got in and started the car.

"Is that your dog?"

"Yea, she's a Lakeland Terrior, she's just a puppy still, but she's gotten really big."

"How old is she?"

"About 3 years old. Why are you a dog person?"

"Yeah i have one. It's mostly a Golden Retriever. He's around 4 and a half years old."

"Cool. When they pulled out of the drive and came to the light Andy saw something she dreaded. On her side was Ashley driving her shiny convertable with Robert petting her in places unmentionable. They had stopped right next to them. She didn't want Josh to see her and get all sad again. She turned on the radio and a Green Day song came on. Josh exclaimed, "I love this song!" and turned it up. His attention remained on the light. Andy looked at Ashley again who had finally noticed who was driving it. She scowled at Andy with the most evil expression she had ever seen. One made to kill. The light turned green and before Ashley could get Josh's attention, he pulled away in a turn going the opposite way they were headed. Andy couldn't help her satisfied smile.

"What are smiling about?"

"Huh, Oh nothing, just your singing is horrible,"

"What! I don't think so." He bagan singing louder. Andy had lied completely when she actaully listened to him. He had a really nice voice. Nice and soflty low but then he could powerfully sing the higher notes too. She was a sucker for men who could sing and wanted just to squeeze him. His voice was really nice, she could fall asleep listening to him if she wanted. Andy decided to sing along too but had to go an octave higher.

Josh stopped for a second to hear her. Her voice was beautiful. He smiled and joined her again. They sounded really good together. The song ended and a different song came on. Josh turned it back down and asked where they were going. Andy looked around. She had completely forgotten they were going to her house that they passed it.

"Um i think we passed it. Um, turn around up here its back a couple of streets back."

They turned around and didn't pass this time. She directed him to a light green house. It was pleasant with a garden and a basketball hoop on the garage.

"Do you play basketball?" he asked as they got out.

She looked at the hoop wondering why he had asked the random question. "Oh yeah, I play with my brother a lot, actually I think I'm really good."

"Oh really, well I think we should play a little one on one sometime and I'll whup your butt."

"Oh yeah well we could do that right now before we pick up my brother. He has soccar practice after school, so we have time."

"Alright."

"Let's put our stuff in the house first." She opened the back door and Josh entered behind her. It was a small kitchen with a little round table by the door. She clunked her bag on the it and Josh did the same.

"Wait here, I'll be right back."