Chapter 2

"Hey Ricky! You wanna come to the pool party on Friday?" That's the first thing I hear everyday when I walk through the school doors. I am late so its pretty empty right now but no matter what I always here Tony Walker asking Ricky Evan to go to some party on Friday. You'd think after how many times Tony keeps asking Ricky he'd learn that Ricky hates going to parties. Ricky even plain out said, "I don't like parties dude. Stop asking." Yet poor naive Tony keeps asking.

I guess Tony won't just let it go so he says, "Dude come on. Just one time. It'll be cool. No alcohol or drugs or anything. Just a couple of boys and girls hanging out and talking. Totally chill Ricky." Ricky gives him one of those will-you-just-back-off-you-freaking-jerk looks. I'm so good at telling what kind of looks people are giving to people. "Dude just once," Tony pleads. Ricky turns around and he spots me down the corridor. I swallow hard and stare at the floor acting like I saw nothing. "I'll go if you can get her to go," Rocky points at me. NO. I don't want to go. Never in a million years will I ever go. Tony rolls his eyes and says, "Dude are you serious? Her? Nobody even knows her to begin with. Even I don't know her." Ouch. Now that hurt but I don't take it personal because that's a good thing nobody notices me. I wanted to be invisible so I got it. All is good. Ricky smiles widely and says, "Either you get her to go or there's no way in heck I'm going to that party." I keep walking towards my locker so then I can drop my books off. Dang it. That means I have to pass them. Man!

Tony sighs and walks towards me. I keep staring at the floor. No eye contact. No eye contact. No eye contact. Look away. Don't you dare look at him. Don't you dare Stephanie. "Hey," Tony says as his hands are in his front pockets rummaging for something and I do exactly what I've been trying not to do, I look him straight in the eyes.

I ignore him again and just keep walking. "Don't ignore me. I know you heard me. The least you could do is say hi back or something," he says kind of with an annoyed and irritated tone. "Hi," I say irritated. I don't mind saying hi but that's all hes getting. "I was wondering if you'd want to go to a pool party this Friday?" I finally reach my locker and I unlock it in two seconds. Shoot, I'm going to be SO late for class if he keeps this trying to talk to me thing. I throw my books in the back and grab my science book and a couple pens and pencils and shove them in the front pocket of my bag. All the while Tony is leaning against the locker next to me and is waiting for my reply to his question. "So do you want to come?" I pull my backpack onto my shoulders and slam my locker which is supposed to indicate that he needs to leave me alone. See... Annoying people like I said. Invading my very precious space.

I turn towards where my class is and start walking towards the door. "Wait!" He grabs my fore arm and pulls me so that I have to face him.

He looks worried, almost like a lost puppy that needs to find its way home. He has deep blue eyes that would make other California girls fall head over heels but not me. I'm used to those blue eyes from my brother. I am absolutely immune to their freaky powers. "You never answered my question," he says so quietly I can barely hear it. He lets go of me and runs his hand through his curly brown hair. I think I've ignored him enough. Maybe a party would be good for me. My mother is always telling me to get out of the house and to hang out with friends. The problem is I don't have any friends and I don't want any. "Um. Sure, I guess," I finally say. He says, "I'll pick you up at 6:00. Bring a bathing suit if you want but nobodies forcing you. Whats your address?" I pull out a pen and rip out a corner of the page out of my notebook and jot down my address. "There," I say. He takes the paper and puts it in his pocket, "Do you mind maybe telling Ricky that your going? You see he..." I cut him off and say, "Yeah I know. I was standing right there when everything was going on. I guess I'm really that invisible. Thanks for caring so much about me you jerk." I was so mad. I mean he was getting way out of line with the 'Nobody even knows her.' Don't tell the whole freaking world I'm a loner! OK relax Steph, relax. "Well sorry. Its just that you don't have any friends. You don't hang out with anybody or anything. How come all of sudden you want to hang out with people? I was pretty sure you'd say 'no' but you surprised me by saying 'yes'. Or 'sure' rather." What does it even matter to him? Instead of answering his question I turn my back to him and walk straight to class.
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Never mind. Evasive maneuver. I turn towards my second period class instead. "Wait! Hold on! Does anybody know that girls name? Hey, stop!" The crowd is pushing and shoving trying to get to their next class. Tony keeps trying to yell for my attention but I just keep on walking. The crowd is thick and the smells are making me sick and dizzy. Jeez every single girl is wearing some new found perfume. They probably say they imported it from Europe online to make it seem like their cool. Or they made their own perfume that nobody else has that smells like burnt rubber and glue. All the guys just plain out stink this place up. All their sweaty dirty bodies squishing up against me like I'm invisible. As usual. That's one of the things about being invisible that sucks. "Wait! Tell that girl to stop!" Tony keeps yelling for me. There's no way he'll catch me in this crowd. The door to my next classroom is coming up. I duck my head and walk like I'm bowing to some idol all the way to the door so Tony doesn't see me and try following me into my class. Once I get inside I close the door and take my usual spot in the far corner of the room. Some eyes wander towards me but mostly everyone is just staring at the white board.

I sit down in my seat and start taking out my science book and a notebook and a couple pens from the front pocket of my backpack. Now I am set for some peace and quiet. I'm so thankful that I don't have any classes with Tony. I have one with Ricky next period so I'll probably tell him that I'm going to the party then.

The teacher walks in through the door and rushes into the front of the classroom. A couple kids are missing but were pretty much packed. "Sorry I'm late class. Everyone lets get out your science book and notebook. Mr. James take your feet off of the desk." She lowers her head so that her eyes are peeking out from above her glasses at Joe or Mr. James as she likes to call him. Gosh you gotta admire teachers like her. All stern and such and straight to the point. I wonder if she was like this when she was younger... The eighth wonder of the world.

She writes on the board, 'Homework: Cells, Blood, Cell walls, Nucleus, Heart, Lungs, Epiglottis, Nose, Eyes, Fingers, Bones, Knee, Elbow, Muscles, Arm, Leg, Hips, Skin, Veins, Arteries, Liver, Kidney, Stomach, Small and Large Intestine, Gallbladder and 2 more body parts must be written with a definition and their function. I also want a 5 page report on some new events happening.' Oh my goodness gosh that is a lot. Holy guacamole. Sometimes you just gotta hate teachers like her. Admire and hate, two key emotions to have with annoying teachers. Oh god... Too much homework. I write it down in my notebook real quick.

For a whole 40 minutes she lectures us about the food pyramid and what each food does for our body. This is one boring lecture if you ask me. I check to make sure my hood is still on. Yup it is. Good. I prop my elbow on the desk and let my hand hold my head while it rests on my cheek in one of those I'm-so-bored poses. I shut my eyes and start imagining what the pool party will be like. All the girls in tiny pink bikinis showing off their figures and flaunting it in all the boys' faces like its on sell. I can imagine all the boys with their mouths wide open and eyes wide with wonder while drinking some cheap alcohol that they probably got from Rite Aide. Jeez. Boys.. I can imagine a tiny little blond girl with blue eyes going wild and shes swimming in the pool inviting everyone to come and join so it can get the party started. I don't want to go to a pool party like how I'm imagining it. I hope to god it won't be like that.
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Yes! Third period P.E. here I come. I'm not exactly the most coordinated person in the world but I'm not the worst either. I'm... Average.

I spot Ricky walking towards the guys locker room with his backpack in his hand and he is walking extremely slow. Should I tell him I'm going to the party now? ....No. I'll wait til' we get in roll call. I rush inside the girls locker and head towards my little dark corner of the room. Jeez it smells like foo foo flower perfume and coconut oil crap. My poor nose is not used to these strong smells. Oh man I have a headache. Dang it!

I dress in like 2 minutes and all the girls are still chatting away not even bothering to pick up their P.E. uniforms yet. Idiots. I check myself in the mirror and pull the hood over my head. Hood, check. Hair, check. Clothes, check. Shoes, check. OK I'm ready for P.E.

Pushing through the door, I run into some chick whose talking like shes on fast forward. She looks me up and down and whispers something to the girl next to her and they both stare at me and giggle. Ha. Yeah... So funny those two. They keep walking past me and open the door to the locker room still giggling their brains out.

Now lets see where Ricky is... Nope not there... Not there... A-HA! On his roll call number. Duh. Man Stephanie your such a dunce sometimes.

I walk as normal as possible but I can't help but feel excited talking to Ricky. He'll be at the party after all and hes not that bad looking. Pretty dark blue eyes and light blond hair that sticks up in the front. Not too shabby. He likes wearing b-ball shorts and t-shirts and usually some white tennis shoes. Hm... OK hes cute, but I would never date him. A close friend maybe but nothing more.

He finally notices me walking towards him and he has this inviting smile that makes me feel kind of content. Almost like my life is starting. "Hey," he says. I smile back and say, "Hi. So I'm actually gonna go to the party. You gonna hold up your end of the deal and go to?" He smiles even wider and has this kind of shock in his expression. "Wow. Wasn't expecting you to go but sure. What the hell right? Do you want me to pick you up?" I shake my head lightly and say, "No. Tony offered to pick me up at 6:00." "Oh I see." I stand there awkwardly. He pats me on the back like I'm some little kindergartner. OK, that's so not cool. "Do you mind?" I say. His face drops and he stops patting me. "Sorry. Whats your name again?" I give him a shut-up look and walk to my roll call number.

As the P.E. teacher walks out, Ricky turns his back around and stares at me. Maybe he didn't get the clue that I wanted privacy. "OK everyone were going to play some dodge ball," says Coach Sanders. Some of the guys hoot and whistle. Coach Sanders is a woman by the way. Shes nice and coaches the girls basketball team.

As we walk towards the gym Ricky starts walking towards me. I walk the opposite direction hoping he doesn't follow me. I walk faster just to make sure. She orders a couple guys and girls to grab a ball. When she blows the whistle. All tons of balls are flying through the air trying to hit everyone. I flip out. I forgot how much dodge ball was intimidating. I grab a green verb ball from the ground and try hitting Jo Jo but it misses him by a couple inches.

All of sudden Ricky is next to me. He starts catching every ball coming his way and blocks the ones that are about to hit him and me. He passes me a red verb ball and I aim it at Carla and I hit her in the stomach. She screams as it comes towards her. After her little screaming episode she walks off the court and watches from the sidelines. I smile. I am so dang proud of myself.

"Look I'm sorry Steph. I didn't mean to offend you. I was trying to ask you your name as a joke and I was patting you because I thought it would make you happy but my bad. I'm sorry OK?" i frown. How ridiculous. So I say, "I guess your forgiven." Then he smiles and says, "I think Tony likes you. He kept asking about you in second period." I act like I didn't hear a thing. Then he says, "Come on. You like him back don't you?" "I have no intention of liking him at all Ricky. Hes not even my type," I say. "Oh so you have a type now?" He smiles while saying that. Stupid Ricky.

All of a sudden Tony slams the door open and runs towards me and Ricky. Man that boy looks so scared and worried. "Stephanie! Your name is Stephanie!" That's what he was running in here all freaked out for? He must be in some kind of a rush because in seconds hes already two feet from me. "I think you should kiss me," he whispers into my ear. Oh god. No. Tony what the heck got into you! Hes so incredibly close to my lips. I bite my lip and I try pushing him back, but he resists and gets closer instead of farther. "Heads up!" "What?" I say. I totally forgot the meaning of that phrase. Out of nowhere a ball comes hurling towards my head. My head snaps back and I fall backwards... The rest from there is pitch black.