Is That You, Brian? (Brian Holden Love Story)

"Come on, Brian!" I laughed in my most carefree way, trying to take the dance off of my mind. There had just been an announcement about the first 8th grade dance. Some people were already picking out their dates. Girls giggled to one another as they thought about who would ask them.

Brian was talking to his other friends, laughing a bit as he did so. After the announcement, it was off to lunch.

"Brian?" I repeated, walking over to him and waving my lunchbox in my right hand. He looked up quickly, his face clearing, "Ali. Hey! Let's go."

My heart fluttered, "Go? Where?"

He turned back around from getting his lunch box as well, "To lunch. Come on." My heart seemed to sink a little as he spoke. I let out a little faltering noise that I intended to be "okay."

We walked out of the classroom and trampled down the stairs with the rest of our class, the volume of everyone's talking making it sound as if the whole school were screaming. We had a class of 30, so we were naturally very loud.

"DIBS ON CAPTAIN!" Brian suddenly shouted as we passed the napping kindergarteners. I burst out laughing, and the boys cursed themselves for not calling out sooner.

The boys were very competitive during recess, of who's captain and stuff, no matter what they played.

Yeah, 8th graders get recess sounds weird, but that's why our school is so cool! Every grade gets recess! I always watch Brian as he plays whatever the main event is at recess, or maybe I'd actually play with them.

"Call the other captain. Today's Newcom, since we have the gym." Brian whispered quickly to me, and I looked at him strangely, "But we'd be on opposing teams."

"Time for a change. Friendly competition." He said, and with a wink, he set off to talk to the guys.

My eyes followed him. He winked at me. He winked. At me. I smiled a bit to myself.

But then I thought about the dance, and my stomach turned into large knots, just trying to make me feel sick.


The last few days, Brian has been acting weird. The dance was on Sunday. I had no idea what was going on in his mind. Was he thinking about me? Was he thinking about the dance? Or was he thinking about someone else with him at the dance?

One day, on our way to lunch, he pulled me aside. "Ali," he sighed, and I prepared for the worst. "Ali, I'm asking someone to the dance...and I don't know how," his face was perfectly clear, emotionless, a mask.

"And?" I said, voice strained.

"I need your help. Can I practice with you?"

That's a weird request.. I thought to myself, but I shrugged.

"Will you go to the Dance with me?"

"Yes?" I replied uncertainly, then added hastily, "Was it that hard? Go ask her."

"I just did."

Ever since then? We've been a couple. All through Grade school, all through highschool.



"It'll be totally awesome, Brian, don't worry." I told him softly, smiling at him. The tornado was about to hit our city, and we were both worried. Brian's eyes wouldn't close from their wide appereance.

"Totally awesome?" He shook his head softly.

We were both 19 now, about to start at University of Michigan, in fact, we were supposed to be leaving today. But then the warnings came tumbling in.

Tornado in Ann Arbor.

Brian and I were planning to go to the school together, but we were stopped by the hurricane. We were huddled in my basement, shaking together.

We'd hugged. We'd kissed. We've...whistles. But now we were huddled, in an awkward positioned hug, but only out of terror.

If I let go, it felt as though I'd lose him forever. But then I heard my dog, Myers, yelping loudly from upstairs.

I thought he was down here!

"Myers!" I shouted, jumping up.

"Ali!" Brian shouted, his voice stern. I set my face and turned to him, "Don't get up! I'll be right back!" I leaned down to kiss him, "Stay here, you goddamn little poofer," and then I ran up the stairs yelling, "Myers!"

Narrator POV

Brian waited in terror, and then there was a loud, shrill scream, barking, and Myers scrambled down the stairs.

"Ali?" Brian screamed through the rumbles of the tornado. Her scream faded, and then the only thing Brian heard was the knocking of furniture and such as it fell from upstairs.

And that was the last time Brian Holden ever saw Ali Greenes.

When Writing AVPM

"Goddamn little poofer? Totally awesome? You sure you want to add that to the script?" Nick Lang asked Brian Holden in an unsure way. Brian took a deep breath, nodding, "Absolutely."

Myers suddenly bounded into the room and looked around expectantly, whimpering. Brian knew what the dog expected. He expected Ali to be back, considering that was her original words.

"Well, I guess we could Totally Awesome in there..."