Cool With A "K" Chapter Two:

I sat down next to my best friend, Alice. Her shoulder-length strawberry-blonde hair hung in two low ponytails beneath her ears. She was wearing a weird blue button-up sweater that was a gross shade of blue and looked like something someone's grandma would wear. Alice also had on a bleach-white blouse and navy-blue stretch pants. I must have looked upset, because she looked at me with those huge green deer-in-the-headlights eyes. "Is something wrong, Ange?" I sighed, "Oh, yeah, Alice. Chris is upset because Dad got all worked up when Chris said he wanted to be in the school musical." Alice looked down "Oh....." she said, biting her lip. Last year, Alice had a huge crush on Chris and then I told her that I was sure he was gay (a bit to bluntly) and she blushed and blushed and never talked about it again. Alice decided instead of letting the tension build up between them that she would go on with life as if she didn't know. She and Chris still talk a lot and they get along great. Neither Alice or me ever told Chris she knew, but I think he figured it out. After about a week, Chris started to talk to Alice more and they became closer friends.

Alice and I both leaned out of the seat to look at Chris, sitting two seats ahead and diagonal of us. He was looking out the window, a glassy look in his eyes. He really wanted to be in the musical. He wanted to perform and show Dad that he wasn't useless.

Later in French, we stood up to sing Vois Sur Ton Chemin from Les choristes. For the entire song, I couldn't help but glance

over at Chris every 10 seconds.

When lunch came, Chris came and sat with us as usual. Me, Alice and my friend, Mouse stopped talking.

We all started eating except for Chris. Every few seconds we would all glance up from our trays to look at Chris.

After a few minutes, Chris spoke, "Look, Angie, I know that you told everybody that I was upset and now all of your

little friends are going to stalk me and be like "Oh! Oh! What's wrong Chris??? Did your girlfriend break up with you?

Oh wait- you don't have one! Ha ha ha what a loser!" So please. I would appreciate..... some..... space."

We all sat, speechless. Chris had been quiet and moping all day long and we had been worrying all day long and

after a full day of worrying and moping, Chris suddenly bursts out with all this! I didn't know what to say. He had figured

out our skeem. I guess there are some advantages of being a guy and hanging out with the girls instead of flirting with the

cheerleaders like the rest of the guys at this school.

Chris's face was full of anger, which was a new look for him because he is usually so calm. "C-Chris...." I began, but I couldn't say anything more.

Chris got up and left the table. Mouse looked at me, "Maybe you should just try giving him his space, he could use it." Now I just felt like a bad sister.

I nodded 'yes' as the bell rang.