Chapter 54

Opening my locker on Monday I was not surprised when I found a copy of The Outsiders in it. The neatest messy handwriting I loved was throughout the book. There were at least a dozen Get Up Kids references as I skimmed through the notes in the margins. I had to say I was excited to read this. He came up behind me as I studied the book. His hands looping around my waist.

"Hey," He said.

"Hey," I said. He let go of me leaning back agaisnt the lockers beside mine.

"What's that?" He asked. He looked at my book.

"This book," I said shrugging.

"That's cool." He said shrugging.

"Elisa!" Bennett and I both looekd into the direction of the bright red coming down the hallways in a blur. "God, what the fuck? You didn't call me." She was smiling. Beaming.

"Oh," I had compeltely forgotten. How that is possible I had no idea. But I did call I have that. She just didnt' answer. "I'm so sorry."

"Hi, Bennett!" Cass said smiling.

"Hey," He said smiling back. "I heard the news. Congratulations." He nodded at her.

"Thank you," She said. "at least one of the two of you are polite about it."

Bennett smiled. "Hah," He said looking at me.

I laughed. "I'm sorry." I said to Cass.

She sighed. "I'll tell you in homeroom then." She said. She went ot her locker. "Bennett, I heard you are playing the church."

"I am," He said. In fact a lot of people knew. As the day went on. there were a lot of kids asking him. Even askign me. Rachel asked me although I think she still holds a grudge agaisnt me for being Bennett's girlfriend. But now the whispers were rare. And I was more comfortable. Dave shrunk back. I saw him. He always walked down the halls with a ccertain confidence. Now when he passed me and Bennett he kept his head down. his eyes ot the floor. Like mean dog whose been kicked once or twice.

As mean as it was. It felt good seeing that. Although that's a really mean thing to sya especially since I thought I once loved the kid and he was now taking all of the hits one could get all at once. Did you hear? Elisa Simmons- yeah Bennett Williams' girlfriend- yeah, she cheated on Dave with Bennett. Karma's a bitch huh? That was a lot to take especially now. With everyone accepting me as Bennett's girlfriend. Excpet fr the few sore girls who still glared at me.

I wasn't popular. I didn't want to be. But I got what I always wanted. I was there. In a room. I just wasn't the center of attention. I was just known. Which was not as overwhelming as it once was. I took it with strive.

I was happy tohugh.

Of all things. I was happy.


I was making coffee. Pouring and serving it. Kids knew my name without lookign at my nametag. They never said it but the way they looked at me, they seemed to just know. And when Bennett came in it was like Becky and Sean always were. He leaned across the counter and kissed me. Becky smiled teasing us. But I was happy.

That's all that seemed to stand out to me.

Five minutes before my break Miles walked in. He looked at me waving a little. Bennett had just stopped in before goign to work. His shift with Paul was today. He and Paul were almsot better friends than him and Sean.

"Hi," I said.

"Elisa, hey." He walked up. "Are you getting off in a little while?"

"Yeah," I said checkign the clock. "Why?"

"I want to talk ot you real quick," He said. "If you're busy, tell me, but I just wanted to talk to you real fast."

"Yeah, it's fine." I said.

"Cool," He said. He went over and sat at the window. Taking out his phone and playng with it while I finsihed up my shift.

Cass had told me the story. Her and Miles had been talking. In her basement. They were just talking. And Cass was talkign about some kid, one of Miles' friends who she thought liked her. And he was being really weird. Cass never talks about boys liking her. She never really ever cares. She never notices either. But they were jsut tlaking. She had had two drinks. And Miles was getting upset. Not really. I don't tihnk Miles ever really got upset. I have seen him cry, but who doesn't watching My Dog, Skip. But then Cass asked him what was wrong. He just looekd at her. And then suddenly he kissed her. And that was it. Cass had pulled away. Looking at him. And he sais these really sweet things about how he knew you couldn't help falling for your best friend a little, if it was a boy-girl friendship. And that he had been trying not to for a while. But he tohught she was so perfect and sweet. And how pretty he thought she was. And how since she never liked any guys he kenw he would never get jealous. But he did. About one of his best guy friends. And how she just kissed him again. Realizing- although she never really thought about it, it wans't like kissing her brother. And then he asked her to be his girlfriend. Or to go on a date. A date I think, but Cass isn't sure she doesn't remember his words exactly. He was talking softly. And she just said yes. Adn they planned a date. So she figured it was more the date than the girlfriend one.

But here Miles was at my work. I sat down across from him.

"Did Cass tell you?" He asked looking up at me. Hoping she had so he wouldn't have to.

"Yes," I said with a nod.

He smiled. "She said yes." He said. I always had a feeling Miels liked Cass but now here he was. The way he smiled when he decoded poetry for me and Cass or told us about a love movie he watched and loved. "But," He looked out the window into the parking lot. Then looked at me. "Does she really like me? Or is she just trying to save our friendship."

"She really likes you." I said smiling.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"She told me."

He sat back. Relaxing a little. He had been tense. "I'm sorry I had to come to you about this." He said. "I wouldn't have, but I just didn't know and I was desperate."

I smiled. Miles is a chubby-ish kid. He isn't fat but he isn't a stick and he isn't muscular. Just wide and thick. He had long-ish emo hair. That's dark. And he wears glasses sometimes because they are more comfortable than contacts. But he's really cute. Little-chubby-kid cute. He's so smart though. "I mean with you and Bennett, I think she just started realizing how happy you were." He said lookign at me. "She used to be really worried about you and Dave, but now she's so happy for you. I think she wanted to be happy like you. And I think she was just looking for a boy to see her."

I nodded listening.

"I'm sorry I bothered you." He said. "I jsut needed to know. She's just... really amazing. It seemed to good to be true."

I smiled nodding. "I know that feeling." I said. I remembered that first night with Bennett. It seemed liek it wasn't real that I was there. Kissing him and kissing me back. It felt like a year ago but it was only over two months ago. And I saw the distance.

"I won't hold you up." He said getting up. "But thanks, Elisa."

"You're welcome." I said smiling. "You know, I saw this happening.

He had started to turn. "You did?" He said turnig nback to look at me. "How?"

"If two kids fight like a married couple, are best friends and watch Love Actually you sort of start to get the feeling they'll end up together. Especially in high school." I said smiling.

He smiled laughign at this. "Thanks again Elisa." He said.

We said goodbye again. I watched him walk away. To his car. Smiling. Miles had that smile plastered on his face. It was like he was reading a really happy book all over again. Me and Cass have watched him. Actually when we met him we did.

Back when we were fifteen. He was readign a happy book. And he was smiling like hell. Cass and I were watching him. "Hey!" Cass said. She kept saying it. He looekd up finally. "I'm Cass, what are you reading?"

"Oh, The Places you'll Go," He said. Like it was a no brainer.

"Dr. Suess?" Cass said casually right back.

"Yeah," He said.

"Aren't you a little old?"

"Well... you might not know it but, actually theres a lot more meaning behind his book than you might think..."

And now he was driving away. Dating my best friend. The one that had asked him if he was too old ofr Dr. Suess. Psh. Impossible we'd learn from him. But he was happy. And so was Cass. Everythign was falling right into place. The school year was ending. And I felt it aching horribly inside of me. I didn't want this year to end. It was only January. I shouldn't think about it.

So I pushed it out of my head. Getting into my own car, driving to this random place and leaving the heat on. I opened my book. My new one. And started reading. Bennett was right. The Outsiders was a really good book.