Pizza?
I came out of the hall to find Mark, the Freak and Elizabeth all waiting for me. My filthy mood lifted instantly.
We thought you might appreciate a lift home. Zach told us your mum dropped you off this morning, so I figured you might be looking for one.
Zach had it more sussed than I realized.
Yeah, sure. Thanks.
I watched Elizabeth mucking around with Zach just ahead of us. He was talking to her like he’d known her his whole life.
Mark broke the silence.
So what did Brother want?
Elizabeth had stopped and waited for Mark and me to catch up.
Have you been dropping your pants again?
This girl had no shame.
You wish!
It was out of my mouth before I could take it back. There was a second’s pause and then she let out a full belly laugh and hit me on the shoulder.
That’s a bit cheeky, isn’t it?
The bad pun wasn’t wasted on any of us, except maybe the Freak, who was looking a little bit confused but he laughed along anyway. I forgot being embarrassed and started to feel more relaxed.
Actually, Brother Pat was taking the time to tell me what a wonderful asset I have been to him.
You’re full of it!
Wait, there’s more. He thinks I’m such a fine role model that he’s asked me to play at the school liturgy and the school singing practices!
At this point Elizabeth and Mark cracked up laughing. You see, they understood the code. The difference was they didn’t care about it. Only the Freak was looking like I’d just been named Best New Performer at the Arias.
That’s really cool, Will! This means we get to hang out at school too!
Mark threw in his twenty cents’ worth. Yeah, Will, that will be really cool!
I could easily have thumped the bloke.
Shut up, you sarcastic bastard!
Mark bolted to his car and the Freak followed.
Elizabeth fell back to walk beside me. Any thought of anything else but her evaporated. My body was on sensory overload. I could smell her shampoo, hear her breathing and I burned all over every time we bumped shoulders. How was it she could manage to string sentences together and I couldn’t?
She patted me on the shoulder and spoke in a really sincere voice.
It won’t really be that bad, Will. I think you’d look cool even playing the guitar in a school singing practice.
I was still trying to recover from the impact of her touch. The fact that she thought I looked cool playing my guitar was way too much to handle. I finally worked up enough courage to look directly at her.
She laughed.
No, not really, but it made you feel better, right?
You … She took off across the playground and I followed. You girl!
Good comeback, Will. I’m really offended you called me a girl!
I cornered her out by the old chapel. It was an ancient sandstone slab that seemed permanently in the shade. The juniors carried on about it being haunted but it was more likely rats had set up home there than lost spirits.
I moved closer toward her. And she stayed exactly where she was….
You act all tough but I can see you’re worried.
Her laughter bubbled out of her.
Yeah, Will, really worried …
I stopped one footstep away from her. Our eyes locked. The world slowed down.
If I’d reached out my arms I could have touched her, but I didn’t. We just looked … looked at each other for what felt like the first time … for what felt like a really long time. No grins, no playful smile, no awkward embarrassment or red faces, just us.
I took one more small step. Elizabeth matched it with her own.
Mark says that if you don’t get your sorry arses into the car, he’s going to leave you here and send Brother Patrick to find you.
What?
Will?
I felt a familiar tugging on my sleeve. The Freak, right on cue!
Come on, Will, I think Mark’s getting cranky.
All right, mate, calm down.
As I was pulling myself together I watched the Freak grab Elizabeth’s hand. He made it look so easy.
Come on!
Elizabeth smiled, waved and followed. I was the last one to get to the car and tried hard to appear normal.
I thought you said she was a nice girl? I said to Mark as I jumped in the back with the Freak, who I was deliberately ignoring.
Well, she is to me.
Yeah, but that’s because you deserve it. I watched her reach over and pat Mark on the knee.
Nice and sweet, that’s our Elizabeth.
He returned the pat and I felt a small twinge in my gut. The gay guy and the Freak were doing better than me.
I could feel the Freak’s eyes cutting into my back like lasers. I turned to face him.
What?
He sat there grinning at me.
What are you smiling at?
He was about to burst, he could barely contain himself.
Oh, nothing!
He kept grinning.
Cut it out!
Then he started to flick his head in Elizabeth’s direction, roll his eyes and burst into giggles.
I grabbed him in a headlock and silenced him. But he was laughing so hard I had to release him so he could get his breath and then I resumed the headlock.
Just as I was about to tell him that he was going to meet a very premature ending it dawned on me that he shouldn’t be there.
I stopped mid-pummel. Hey, Freak, does your dad know you’re here? Don’t you need to ring him?
No, he rang and said he couldn’t pick me up for another hour. I told him that I would be fine because I’d hang out with you guys.
Yeah, but I didn’t even know I was getting a lift home, so how did you?
Because I heard Mark and Elizabeth talking about going to get a pizza and I asked if we could come.
You asked if we could come?
Yeah. Well, I thought you’d want to too.
The headlock changed into a kind of bear hug. I loved this kid! There was no denying he was a Freak, but he was a great Freak! Not one trace of embarrassment.
Hey, Will, if you’d prefer to go home I can drop you off?
Mark was looking at me really innocently. He truly was a master of the subtle piss-take.
No way, buddy, I’m not missing out on pizza, even if it means I have to be seen out with you rejects.
The car erupted with all three of them telling me to get stuffed. Elizabeth was whacking me with her script, the Freak was attempting to king-hit me from my left and Mark tossed an empty water bottle at my head.
All right, all right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. Now let’s get out of this dump!