In a Scary Mask (A Brian Holden Love Story)

I catch Brian's eye. He sits exactly 3 seats behind, 4 across. I blushed and put my head back in my book.

I have had a major crush on Brian since 7th Grade. We used to be friends, up until last year, when he started dating Jess. I felt like a third wheel and stopped hanging out with him. I don't even think he noticed. I sort of knew he wouldn't notice because he was madly in love, but it still hurts.

Zzzzzzzzzzz

My phone was vibrating. I got one new message.

From:
Brian

To:
Erin
(Friday, October 25, 2012, 1:09 P.M.)
I saw you looking back here do i have something in my teeth?

When I turn around, I see him with a mirror in his hand, and his teeth sticking out of his mouth toward the mirror. He is checking if something is in his teeth.

He looked toward me, and I give him a thumbs up symbol with my hand reassuring him that there is nothing in his teeth. I flash him a smile then turn back around.

"I want you all to make a short movie. It must be about Halloween, no shorter than half an hour. 4 people in a group. You may pick your partners after class, which is about...now!"

Everyone scurries around the room trying to find the best actors and actresses. I was never a very good actress, but i am a decent singer and dancer. I don't know how that would tie in with a Halloween project, though.

I got all my books in my little messenger bag and started to leave. Then I feel a hand on my shoulder, making me stop. I quickly turn around. It's Brian.

"Hey?" I said shyly. Why was he stopping me? His old best friend?

"Hey, I was just wondering," He started to blush, "Do you want to be in a group with me?" He sounded nervous, like it was a bigger question than a simple class assignment.

"Um, Yeah. That sounds great. But we need two more people." I replied, trying to not let my excitement shine through.

"Okay, simple, you pick one person and I pick one person." He said, and without another word he strolled off in another direction to find another partner.

I start to look around. Who should I pick? Then I see Johnny Satfle. He is great with technology. If we get him, we will be sure to get an A on that part of the assignment.

He is just sitting there, looking sad and lonely. Okay, here goes nothing. I walk over to him.

"Um, hey, Johnny?" I say quietly, trying not to startle him because he didn't see me approach.

"Uh y-yeah?" He stuttered, evidently nervous to be talking to a girl. Was he that nerdy and out of it?

"Do you want to be in my group?" I offered, trying not to sound desperate.

"Oh, really? Sure." He says, looking excited. I feel a little sorry for him, but now he's grinning and looks pleased to be asked to partner. He smiles widely and walks off with books in his hands.

I saw Brian talking to another girl. Ann Claymore. I don't think I want her in my group, but I guess if Brian wants her to be in the group I have no choice.

They shake hands and Ann walks away. Then Brian comes up to me with a little smile. He looked sly and mischievous, but the only thing that I really thought was how attractive he looked when he smirked.

"Did you ask anyone?" Brian asks me, sounding politely interested. A little curious. But he wasn't excited, like we used to be in the old days, where we talked like we were going to do something really fun in the next few minutes.

"Yeah, Johny Satfle. If we have him, we will be sure to get an A, since he's good with technology, you know?"

"Yeah, okay. See ya." And he walks off, just like that. Not even bothering to let me say bye. We really weren't like that before. He walked away like it was nothing.

Does he like Ann? It's possible. Maybe she is just a good actress and he wants an A. Maybe that's why he picked me, too.

My phone started ringing. It was a reminder. 6 more days until Halloween!
I love Halloween because I can eat more candy than I should, see my friend's costumes, and pull some pranks.

As I walk to my next class, I notice something strange. My best friend is dressed up in a scary clown mask and outfit, jumping out and scaring people as they come out of their class, but stopping when she saw professors coming. She had a great eye for teachers
.
"Maddie!" I call over to her, "What are you doing?" I knew I probably shouldn't be that surprised. She's always doing something that either makes me want to scream, cry, or question.

Maddie started strutting over casually, but as soon as she got in earshot, she whispered in a yelling voice, "Shut up! Don't blow my cover!"

"Look, if you're going to scare people, don't do it in school where you could get expelled!" I scold her, rolling my eyes as she rolls hers.

"Whatever." She takes off the mask, but she is still in that ridiculous outfit. It is a clown outfit, blue, yellow, white, and green, with a fake axe in her back, and some red paint dripping down from it. Her brunette hair is messy and sweaty, pulled back in a bun, her brown eyes flash darkly at me.

"I am embarrassed to be in public with you." I say with my hands over my face, hiding it.

"Yeah well I am too. You and that stupid smile of yours." She smirks, knowing I will smile because of that. I put a big grin on my face and she frowns. I stop and look at my watch.

"I have to go to class. Talk to you later." I say and run off before she can protest.

My next class is Biology, and then it's free period for 45 minutes. I need to catch up with Brian and set a date for when we start writing the script and casting. Maybe we'll become friends again. Not as close as we used to be, but still texting-hanging out buddies.

That 45 minutes went by fast. Probably because I wasn't listening to a word that the teacher was saying. I was listening to the popular kids in the back of the room gossip. One girl said they heard Brian and Jess broke up last week. The other boy said he heard that too.

I was so happy that rumour has it, they broke up. I guess I like him. But it's a stupid crush. He wouldn't like me. We were best friends. That is the end of it.

I need to find Maddie, first. Maybe she could help me shake this off by telling me how he doesn't like me or by telling me his flaws.

She doesn't have the same free period as me, though. We only have about 5 minutes to talk before her next class. Her next class is English. She majors in English. She wants to be an author.

I find her at her locker with a pink slip -which is a warning to tell us to not get in trouble 2 more times or we're expelled-, but she doesn't look very upset. She's just putting away her clown outfit, unzipping it in the front and then revealing a long sleeved purple shirt and jeans underneath.

"What is that?" I ask, sounding like a disappointed mother, my voice tired.

"A pink slip. I got it for jumping out and scaring Ms. O. I thought she was a student. She's so small and tiny." She said, shrugging once and not looking at me.

"Nice, I told you to stop. But I need your help. I like this guy and I need you to convince me to NOT like him anymore." I tell her, urgency in my voice.

"Who?" She asked with a mildly surprised tone. She never likes showing interest in what I have to say.

"Brian Holden." I say, sounding a little weary. What if they hadn't broken up?

"No." Maddie replies simply, shutting her locker and turning away. She walks casually, as if she thought I would leave her alone.

"What?" I ask, even though I should be used to her denying something when she doesn't like it. She just says 'No.' whether it's a valid response or not.

She sighs and stops walking, turning to face me, "You two look good together, I could so see you two going out." She continues walking, and I have to jog a bit to keep up with her long strides.

"What?" I say unconvinced, "How long have you thought that?"

"About...5 minutes now." Maddie says, "Look, I have to go to class, you know I don't care. Go talk to him."

We were at the door for English class. As she walks in, I feel the breeze of the door that was just shut in my face.


The lounge is right across the hall from the English class. I walk in, self conscious of my face. I can tell it's red and that I am shaking because I'm nervous. I feel like all eyes are on me, but no one is looking at me.

I see Brian, sitting at a table with Ann. They are talking a lot. I wonder what they're talking about, and I feel my heart deflate.

As I walk by, I can hear Brian calling my name. Should I turn? Sit with them and smile like I'm not hurt to see them flirting?

I turn and act like I hadn't seen him, like I'm surprised to see him. But of course I'm not.

"Oh, hey." I act, and I sit down across from them. Ann has small blue eyes and arched eyebrows, her hair a dirty blond to her shoulders. It comforted me to see the length of her nose, to know she had a flaw.

"When should we meet up to film?" Ann asked me, her voice annoying and whine-y.

"Uh, we can film whenever. Who's dorm?" I ask, and Brian speaks up, "Mine!"

I nod, smiling a bit, "I'll tell Johnny tomorrow. Over the weekend?" I ask, and Ann shrugs, sipping her water, like she didn't care.

"Yeah. My place. Bring your own food, because we're out of Ramen Noodles and Nutella." Brian told us. I smiled.