One Wish Chapter 8

Well, Jennifer accidentally posted chapter 7 as well, so here comes chapter 8. Be sure to read the chapters in order please.

Chapter Eight: Penelope

"Penelope, all you do lately is hang out with Mark! You don't even sit on the bus with us anymore! What's gotten into you?" Megan exclaimed.

"Pen, I know you like him, but you're spending all your time with him. And all you talk about is, guess what, him. You should think about getting a life." Kate said matter of factly.

"Gosh, Sparrow, you don't have to go on and on about your stupid boyfriend, we all know. You don't have to tell us again."

This was what I heard almost all the time now. My life was stuck between a living hell and a living heaven. Mark hadn't kissed me yet, but I kept thinking it would be soon. My life was perfect with him, but when I was on my own, I couldn't stop talking about him. And then that was what I heard. One day Mark was sick, so he wasn't at school. That was the first time in a very long time I sat with Megan, Kate and Rachel. Rachel seemed calm, and Kate had a cold, so she wasn't talking much. But Megan had been very clear about what she had thought. It disturbed me a bit. But when I was with Mark, I didn't care.

"I know, but, well, you'd understand if you had a boyfriend," was my lame excuse almost every time. Kate rarely talked to me on AIM anymore, and I suspected Megan had blocked me. But Rachel just seemed, well, watchful, it looked like. It looked like she was just waiting for me to slip up, so she could help pick up the pieces. It bothered me, because I didn't think I would fall apart. And besides, how could I slip up? Mark liked me just as much as I liked him.

So I didn't realize when someone began to spread rumors about me. I wasn't listening, that was it. But slowly, people began to avoid me, as if I had a contagious disease. Megan seemed smugger than usual, but I never thought something was up. One day, though, it seemed like Megan had had enough.

"Hey, Pen." She said to me. We were getting on the bus. Mark was playing with my hair, and I was giggling.

"Hi, Meg." I said back. Mark said a quick hi to Megan.

"I was wondering, can you sit with me on the bus today? I need to talk to you for a bit." She said, biting her lower lip. I wondered what was up. Mark looked down at me questioningly.

"Okay." I said slowly. Mark frowned, then nodded, walking over to Gregory. I twirled a piece of my hair nervously. I hadn't worn any jewelry today to fuss with, what I normally did when I was nervous. I sat down with Megan in the way back, where we had sat when we all sat together. Kate and Rachel sat in the opposite seats. Rachel looked out the window, while Kate leaned in.

"I have some gossip to dish, and you need to hear it." Megan said firmly. I nodded. The sooner I got this over with, the sooner I could get back to Mark.

"Okay. Tell." I said.

"Well, it's about..." She said, stalling. I frowned at her.

"You never stall. Tell." I said. "I don't care who it's about."

"Oh yes you do. It's about you." She said quickly. My frown deepened. There was always gossip about me. "No, not the normal gossip." She said, as if she read my mind. "It's different." She paused again.

"Dish." I said.

"Well, I don't know who said it," she began. Her face turned into a grimace when she said that, so I knew something was up. She always knew. "But I've heard that people heard that you--, that Mark is going out with someone else, and you didn't care." she sort of finished.

"What?" I said, and then realized what she had just said. I had been thinking about other things. "OH. No way! Where did you hear that? That is so wrong!" I growled. "Who said it, Megan. I don't care who, I want to make sure they never say it again."

"I don't know!" She said, annoyed. I thought there was something behind that, but I ignored it. "I'll try to find out, promise." She said without an ounce of fervor in her voice that there usually was surrounding gossip. I frowned, then turned to look out the window. It was my stop.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then." I said, as I picked up my bag and got off the bus, blowing Mark a kiss as I ran off. The whole bus filled with kissy noises, but I ignored them.

*****

The next day, I ran over to Megan at lunch.

"Did you find out who said it?" I said quickly.

"No, sorry. But I heard something else..." She said. She seemed very excited to tell this piece of gossip, like her normal self. But she had never seemed so excited about it when it was about me. It made me wonder who exactly was making this gossip.

"Spill." I said, plopping down on the bench besides her.

"Well, they're saying that first thing. But they're also saying that you're going out with someone else behind Mark's back, that you're a double cheater." She said. She looked mischievous. I growled, she grinned. That made no sense. Why would she grin at some bad gossip about me? Unless she knew who was making it. Then something clicked in my brain.

"Megan! Why you dirty little b****! Double cheater, am I? What can you say to that?!" I shouted. The whole area turned to look. Mark, his mouth half full, looked over with concern in his eyes.

"Why would you spread that about me!? Your best friend!" I screamed.

"Best friend? I've been better friends with a turtle!" She screamed back at me. "You spend all your time with your stupid boyfriend, and we're supposed to understand? 'If you had a boyfriend, you'd understand,' you say. Well, I don't think so! Especially since you're not the only person with a boyfriend around here and they don't spend every waking moment with them!" Megan shouted. She was on her feet now, and so was I. We were both red in the face, and furious. Rachel was half out of her seat, looking like she was trying to keep peace, but not sure where to begin.

"Oh, so I spend every waking moment with Mark, do I?" I screamed, past caring that half the cafeteria was listening in. "What about you, spreading rumors about me behind my back? Rumors that are not even close to true! I think that is worse!"

"Yea, right." Megan snorted. "You don't care, as long as you're with Mark. You don't give a damn."

"You think that, don't you. Well, it's not true! It's not--" I began, but then I broke off. I realized that I was wrong. I had spent all my time with Mark, not even caring about my friends.

"See?" Megan saw my moment of hesitation. "You don't care. Why should you? You have Mark." She turned and walked away. Slowly, everyone turned their attention back to each other, talking in whispers. I ran out after Megan.

"Meg! Megan!" I shouted. I looked for her, but didn't find her. I slumped on the side of the hallway.

"Penny?" It was Mark, walking down the hall.

"Hi, Mark." I said, but not with my normal enthusiasm. He noticed, and sat down next to me, putting his arm around my shoulders.

"Penny, you don't care about those rumors, do you? I mean, we both know they're not true." He said softly. I turned away.

"I care. I care that they aren't true, and they were spread by my best friend. That's not right." I said. He pulled my face up, so he could see it. I blinked back tears.

"You don't need to. Ignore her. You deserve better friends than her." He said firmly.

"But that's not the same." I turned my head back away. "I love you, but some times I just wish you didn't love me." I said softly, holding his hands. Then the strangest thing happened. My heart seemed to split in two. Mark frowned, and stood up. Gently, he took my head, and he kissed my forehead. Then he walked away. Half of my heart went with him.

"Mark!" I said, starting to stand up. But he didn't even hear me. He just walked away. It was as if my only wish was coming undone at the seams, just when it had been sewed together. I stopped walking and looked down sadly.

"I should have known that was coming." A perk voice said. I turned. It was Megan. She grinned maliciously. "I guess now you'll be wanting to hang out with us again, right? Well, you're wrong. Because we wont hang out with you." She walked away from me. I took one step towards her, and then I ran. I ran into the bathroom. I didn't make it any further. I fell, slumped on the floor, and started to cry.

One Wish Chapter 6

Here is chapter six. Sorry for the long wait for it. Please read chapter five first, at Jennifer's blog. Then you can read this.

Chapter Six: Penelope

I ran to the bus the next morning, wanting to hear what Rachel had found out. I was so antsy and excited, I was barely myself. I generally hid this kind of behavior, but today I didn't care. I ran onto the bus when it pulled up and ran to the back, not sparing anyone a glance on either side. Everyone turned their attention to me. I ignored it.

"Hey Meg. Have you heard from Rachel?" I asked in a breath.

"No..." Megan said slowly. "Are you alright, Pen?" She looked concerned.

"I'm fine, why?" I asked, confused.

"Because you aren't dressed at all like normal, for one. You are wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. So uncool, as you would say. Secondly, you ran down the bus aisle, like nobody was looking at you, which was an understatement, everyone was staring at you. Thirdly, you're all flushed and antsy, not at all yourself. What's the matter with you?" Megan demanded. I looked at myself. All of that she had said was true. But I was spared answering because Rachel came walking towards us.

"Hi Rach!" I said quickly. "Did you manage to get anything out of Gregory yesterday?" I asked. Megan looked amazed, then annoyed, then curious, and then annoyed again.

"Yes, I did." Rachel said decidedly.

"Then tell!" I said impatiently.

"Not until Kate gets here." She replied firmly. And nothing I said or did would persuade her otherwise.

It seemed like forever until Kate finally got on the bus. When she did, she seemed down, not her usual self either.

"What's wrong, Kate?" Rachel asked her kindly. I cared for Kate, and took care of her along with the rest, but I didn't feel like putting up with it today, not when I was desperate to hear Rachel's news.

"Nothing." She said morosely. Then, with some obvious effort, she smiled. "So, do I get to hear about Mark?" She said perkily.

"Rachel was going to tell us when you got here." I said. And then I turned to Rachel. "Tell, please." I was almost out of patience.

"Well..." She began, a grin lighting up her face. We all waited with baited breath. "I'm not telling you right now. You'll find out at lunch." She grinned at us and opened her bag to look for a book. It took all my efforts to keep me from shaking her and making her tell. I scowled at her and turned away to look out the window. I wondered why she felt like keeping me in so much suspense. It was irritating.

*****

At lunch, I sat at my table with my friends. I was to antsy to eat. I grabbed Rachel's arm when she sat down.

"Come on, Rach, tell us!" I begged. She looked slightly surprised, but that
expression was soon covered by one of sympathy and regret. I wondered at that, but ignored it.

"Okay. You have to wait a bit though, I want to finish my lunch." She said firmly, and I let it at that. I didn't want to loose my friends. That was something I wouldn't do. I ate my lunch in silence. We all did. Rachel had a knowing smile on her face while the rest of us were antsy and agitated. Megan was annoyed because I wasn't being proper and cool. Kate was antsy and angry, though none of us knew why. I was antsy, agitated, and waiting for Rachel to finish her lunch already.

Megan picked up her burrito wrap, and took a bite. I was fidgeting so much, I almost dropped my Jello. She smirked at me. I didn't understand it. Why would she be smirking at me, and being so smug? Had Rachel told her already? Or was she just jealous, that I might have a boyfriend, when she didn't even like anyone. Although half the boys in our grade had a crush on her. Maybe it was just that. Or maybe not.

I was done with my lunch and waiting for Rachel to stop eating so slowly when I heard someone walking towards us. I felt a soft tap on my shoulder. I looked up.

It was Mark, looking down at me with a smile on his face.

I almost fainted.

"Hey, Penelope." He said softly. My friends had all looked up at me now. At us.

"Hi." I said quickly. I was wondering at this. What had happened? What was happening? What would happen now?

"I was wondering, would you like to sit with me, on the bus home?" He said fast, as if slightly scared, a bit excited, and a bit of something I couldn't recognize. He looked at me with hope in his eyes, hoping that I would say--

"Umm, sure." I said, my voice higher than usual. He smiled at me again, and I smiled back. He patted my shoulder and turned to go back to his table. I watched him go. Rachel tapped me on the shoulder.

"I did say I'd tell you at lunch." She said. It took me a second for that to sink in. Then I hugged Rachel.

"Thank you so much, Rach. I owe you millions." I said. And I meant it. "If you ever need me to do something for you, just ask."

"Sure, sure. I get it. Now let me finish my lunch." She grinned and punched me lightly on the shoulder.

Those two minutes at the lunch table made my day. I went through the rest of the day with a smile on my face. It felt like a glow of happiness floated around me, as if everyone could see how happy I was. I knew that wasn't true, but I was so happy, I didn't care.

*****

My last class of the day was music. This was my one class with Megan, who played the clarinet. She happened to be the best clarinet player in the whole class, something that I was envious of. But today I didn't care that she sat at the front of her section, and that I sat in the back of mine. I was happy.

I grabbed my flute out of the case, and the top piece fell out. Megan snorted as she walked by with her own clarinet. She didn't even bother to help out. I felt a small bit of irritation at that. Normally, she would have helped me. I wondered what was up with her. She wasn't acting as friendly as normal. In fact, she was almost ignoring me. It made me wonder.

Today we were combining the whole band. Every section. So I would see Mark. I took a deep breath and grasped my flute. I was nervous about seeing him, especially with what he had said at lunch. But I figured if I just smiled at him, everything would be fine.

When the trumpet players stepped onto the stage, I saw Mark near the front. He looked like he was looking for someone. Oh, right. Me. I smiled at him. He saw me and smiled back. I turned back to my music and lifted my flute to practice. A horrible squeak came out of my flute. I flinched, and put it down quickly, hoping Mark hadn't realized it was me who had squeaked so badly. I peeked out of the corner of my eye, hiding behind my music stand. I saw him grinning, laughing with Gregory. He probably had heard it.

*****

I got out of music quickly and ran to my locker. I dropped off my music and grabbed my math homework. Stuffing it in my bag, I shut the locker and ran to where the bus stopped. I sat down on the sidewalk, my bag in my lap. I waited.

A few minutes later, I heard the big rush of kids coming out of Emerald High School. I got up to avoid being trampled, but I still got smashed into. I fell over with the rush of oncoming kids. I rolled onto my back, struggling to get up.

"Need a hand?" I heard a voice say. It was Mark. He held out a hand and I took it, using it to pull myself up.

"Thanks." I said. He grinned. We began walking to avoid getting trampled again. We were at the bus stop before I realized we were still holding hands. I quickly let go. He noticed. I grinned sheepishly, and he understood. I held back a sigh of relief.

The bus pulled up to the stop, and I raced on, trying to keep up with Mark. We raced to the back of the bus and into a seat. He grabbed the window seat, so I perched on the edge. I grinned up at him, and he smiled back.

"I heard you playing your flute today." He said, grinning. "You sounded good."

"Yea, right. I sounded like there was an elephant in my flute." I said, grimacing. He had heard.

"That's okay, practice makes perfect. You didn't hear me squeak." He replied.

"You? Squeak?" I asked, not believing it.

"Yep. Louder than you, too, but at least it was during the piece. No wonder you didn't hear it." He said laughingly. "You were so absorbed in that piece, it looked like you were in love with it." He laughed. I laughed too, ignoring his jibe at my musicality. Our talk about music lead to other discussions, and I was sad when my stop arrived. I sighed and got up.

"Hey, don't look sad. I'll save you a seat on the bus tomorrow. And, do you want to sit with me at lunch?" He asked quickly.

"Sure!" I said cheerily. I got off the bus and walked to my house. I had a boyfriend! And it was none other than Mark Briant, the boy who I had a crush on. My wish was coming true!