Chapter 13 (edited)

Allan is the first one recovered from the news. Nodding, he speaks with a smile, "congrats Ray, you actually did it!" Slapping his thighs, Bruce speaks with excitement, "man. I never thought you'd be courageous enough to confess to her, Ray!" Shaking my head in annoyance. I'm retorting his teasing, "come on, Bruce, I'm pretty brave, you know." While Bruce laughing, George finally recovered from his stupor. Shocked, by the news, George shouting at me in fright, "what. You are dating that violent woman, Ray?"

I'm shaking my head in helplessness as I'm reminding him, "George. If Nicole hears you calling her like that, she will be furious, you know." Frightened, in a panic, George try to explain himself. But out of nowhere, Nicole appears with her friends. Grinning, I let out a chuckle, for George misfortune. Oh, speak of the devil, here she comes. Standing behind George, With two hand on her hips. Nicole puffed her cheek in annoyance and interrupting him, "humph. I'm disappointed with you, Mr. Hoffman. Calling me a violent woman behind my back, that's a slander, you know."

Shocked, George falling to his back in fear. Thanks god, I'm catching his body in time. As he's almost hitting his head. Trembling in fear, George says, "hiiii! I-It's you Nicole, w-who is the one that slandering you. I'm not the one who did it!" Glaring at him, Nicole won't budge, hearing his explanation. Feeling her glare, his eye swimming around in panic. So, he's trying to divert Nicole attention by bribing her, "a-ah right, you want to sit next to Ray right?" Without waiting for her reaction. George stands up with a smile while offering his seat with a bow, "here, go ahead, take my seat."

With a huff, Nicole sitting down beside me. Breathing a sigh of relief, George take his lunch tray. And take a seat between Allan and Bruce. Meanwhile, Nicole friends giggling seeing Gorge antic. Hearing their laughter, George eating his food in silence. While he's glancing at Jenny from time to time. Smiling, Nicole sticking close to me by hugging my arm. Making it hard for me to eat my lunch. Sighing, I'm shaking my head, seeing George and Nicole like that. Because, they have always been like this since we were a kid.

With George saying something stupid. As a result, Nicole get mad at him. Frightening Making him, rinse and repeat. Smiling, I turn my attention to Nicole friends, beckoning them, "hello there. Why don't you all come join us for lunch." Nicole friend agreeing right away to my invitation. Nodding, Jenny taking the seat beside Nicole. Making her sitting across the shy George. At the same time, Roxanne takes an empty seat beside Jenny. Shy, Maria speak to Allan in a tiny voice, "e-excuse me." As she's sitting beside him because there's no more seat beside Roxanne.

Our table becoming crowded, after the girls taking their seat. As my friend know, Maria and Roxanne from middle school. They start holding a small conversation between each other. Making Jenny left out as she's a newcomer to the group. While George, blushing, as he's taking an occasional glance at the silent Jenny. So, I'm greeting Jenny with a warm smile, "hello there your name is Jenny right? My name is Ray, and nice to meet you." Surprised, she's nodding with a smile, "yeah. Nice tuh meet yawl too Ray, but how dja know mah name?"

Embarrassed, I'm scratching the back of my head, "Well, I overheard your name yesterday. That is before I got knocked out by certain someone." I take a side long glance at the blushing Nicole. While Jenny giggling seeing her friend getting embarrassed. Remembering what happen yesterday. I'm nodding with gratitude at Jenny, "anyway. I wanna says thanks for helping my friend yesterday." Smiling, she's waving her hand, "aw, it's naw big deal." With a smile, I'm saying, "by the way. Why don't I introduce you to my friend, considering you are new to the group?"

Smiling, she's nodding, "shore, go ahead. Thet would bay great." Excited, I'm pointing my hand at Allan first, "great! First, I would like to introduce you to the silent guy that sitting beside Maria. His name is Allan, the artist in our group, he's great at painting and playing music." Exchanging a glance, they're politely nodding at each other. With a sparkling eye filled with excitement, George interrupting us. Standing up, he walks to Jenny and falling on his knee. And kiss her hand with enthusiasm, "hello there, beautiful lady. Let me, introduce myself, my name is George. George Hoffman, nice to meet you."

Weirded out, By George enthusiasm. Jenny taking her hand away, and nod, "ah, nice tuh meet yawl." Then she continues, to ignoring him. Dejected, by her polite rejection, George get back on his seat. Helpless, I'm shaking my head at his antic as the other laughing at him. Ignoring him, I start introducing Bruce, "let's get back to business, ahem. This bulky gentleman name is Bruce, he is great at repairing electronic. Considering his family run an electronic repair shop." Hearing his name getting called, Bruce greets Jenny with a smile, "sup, nice too meet you!"

Smiling, she's nodding at him, "nice tuh meet yawl too, Bruce." Afterward, Jenny warming up to the other guys except George. And with it, we start talking to each other while eating our lunch. Finishing our lunch, the guys and I go to our clubroom after getting separated from the girls. Inside, we start discussing my proposal. Some time later, everyone agreed to do it. The bell ringing, as we're finishing our meeting. After somewhat of an uneventful lesson. It's time for teacher Ellen turns to teach. For some reason, it feels like somebody is staring at me in secret during teacher Ellen's class.

But, I have no idea, why someone stares at me only in Mrs. Ellen class, though. After a while, the bell ringing again, the sign of school is over at last. Great, it's time for me to get Nicole for our date. Happy, I clean up my stuff and leave the class, while whistling. Making me not paying attention to Mrs. Ellen. Who calling out my name while blushing. On the way to Nicole class, I'm stopped by a group of jocks. Led by a boy as tall as Bruce, around five point nine feet tall. With a dirty blond hair in pompadour. And wearing our school sport team jacket, glaring at me with spite.

Frowning, I decide to glare back at him. Seeing my reaction, the jock leader asking me with a disdainful snort, "humph. Are you Ray McAllister?" Without batting an eye, I answer, "yeah that's me, and who the heck are you?" Outraged, one of his lackeys grabbing my collar. And threatening me by raising his fist, "show some respect, punk!" The leader raises his hand, "stop! Let that kid go, allow me to take care of this mess." With a snort full of dissatisfaction, the lackey releasing my collar. Grinning, the leader speaks to me, "hello. My name is Butch Armstrong, and I heard that you knock out one of my men yesterday."

Nodding, I ask, "yes it happens, does it matter to you?" With a fierce expression, Butch says, "does it matter to me? Yes, of course it does matter to me, as I'm the football team captain. I'm responsible for my team well-being, and it's your fault for injuring one of the key player for our game." I'm looking at him like an idiot. After hearing his ridiculous and baseless accusation, "what the heck. Are you talking about? Your men are the one that harassing my friend first." Furious, he's grabbing my collar, glaring at me, "don't give me that. Lame ass excuse punk, I want you to apologize to my men or else."

Fearless, I'm glaring back at him, "or else what?!" With anger her raise his fist intending to teach me a lesson. Helpless, I'm closing my eye and gnashing my teeth, waiting for his punch. But, it's never come as a familiar voice interrupting him with a tone filled with anger, "stop! What the heck are you going to do to my boyfriend?" Opening my eye, I find Butch turning his attention to the girl shouting at him. While his lackey move away from his sight, revealing the angry Nicole. Surprised, he's looking at me and started to laugh, "this weak as nerd is your boyfriend, Nicole?"

Hearing Butch laugh, the other jocks follow suit as he releases my collar. Scowling, Nicole stands between me and him. While glaring at him in anger. Ignoring her glare, he's looking at me with disdain, "you fricking coward. For hiding behind a girl back." Angry, I'm rushing toward him, only to be stopped by Nicole, "stop it Ray, it's not worth it." Turning his back on us, with a humph, he says, "take this as a warning. Don't you dare to mess with my men again, you hear." He gives a signal to the other by raising his hand while walking away. Making the other jocks following him. Leaving the furious me alone with Nicole.