WRITER IN THE DARK , neil perry

11

when amélie got back to their room, marianne turned on the light. she looked like she had been waiting for a long time.

"where were you? mrs. germaine noticed you were gone. i told her you were visiting your dad, and you had permission to stay overnight. she believed me. where the fuck have you been?"

shit. amélie realized she hadn't told marianne anything. "i met with neil."

in an instance, she saw marianne's face completely turn. she had a giant grin on her face. "and? tell me more!"

"we talked. i told him why i didn't return the kiss. we argued a bit at the beginning, but it ended on a good note." amé blushed, collapsing onto the bed and staring at the ceiling.

"what?" marianne asked, wide eyed. amélie thought for a moment. "amélie come on!"

"i kissed him." amé quietly said. she couldn't take the smile off her lips.

"you what?"

"it was impulsive!"

"i knew you liked him! i knew it." marianne squealed, shaking her bed.

"i do. i have... ever since the night in the forest." amélie embarrassingly said, sitting on her bed across from mari.

"what night in the forest?"

marianne didn't know about this either. jeez. "so you know when cindy hung out with us?"

"yeah."

"well, i didn't feel very good after drinking that vodka, and neil walked me home. i threw up, and couldn't find him in the dark but then he placed a hand on my shoulder. i just hugged onto his arm." amélie covered her red face.

"oh my gosh! you guys!" marianne gleefully said.

"and i found out why neil was so uncomfortable that night." amé gushed. it felt so good to let this all out to her friend.

"why?"

"him and cindy dated." amélie said, emphasizing cindy.

"for how long?" marianne asked quickly. she looked shocked.

"2 years." amé over-exaggerated it. she was also in shock, at how neil would date such a mindless bully like cindy.

"oh, we have an assembly last period. at events comittee we decided on the county fair at tonight's meeting." marianne said, bored. she lied her head down on her pillow and stared at the ceiling.

"oh really?"

"yeah! it should be fun. ms. germaine is excited to see what we come up with. and, i think the boys from welton are going to be invited." marianne sang, turning her head to face amélie.

"i can't wait!" amé squealed. she hadn't been to one of these things before.

"yeah, me neither!"

mari loudly yawned. "i was about to go to bed before you came. i might have to go to bed now, sorry."

"it is pretty late." amé looked at the clock and agreed.

"yeah, i would like to hear more about your rendezvous with neil!" marianne teased jokingly.

"goodnight." amé rolled her eyes, turning off marianne's light and drifting into sleep.

—————

their day passed quickly. she did have a few quizzes, but she was somewhat prepared. everyday seemed to pass quicker and quicker, after she had met neil. everyday, she felt rushed with excitement, even if she wasn't going to see him. even the thought of him made her blush to herself.

"so, ladies, i'm sure everyone has heard about my decision to invite the boys from a school in our neighborhood, to our fair to raise money for the girls soccer team." ms. germaine spoke, breaking amélie's train of thought about neil. she stood at a podium in front of all the girls, who were sitting side by side on benches.

whispers and giggles filled amé's ears once their headmistress brought this up.

ms. germaine held a hand up. "quiet please. i hope you all know that that isn't an excuse to act like fools. i'll have you all know that welton isn't the only private school we're inviting to join us. there will be several others as well." she quickly switched her cue card to the next one.

"i hope all of you girls don't use this as an opportunity to slander our schools name, and destroy our reputation among the other private schools. i expect you all to act very ladylike."

"yes ms. germaine." amélie could hear everyone around her saying this, almost mindlessly.

"now, the fair will be next friday. all of the girls in events comittee and who volunteer get a free pass, but if you don't you'll be expected to pay a $25 admission fee." a lot of the girls groaned at this, but amé smugly smiled. even though she hated it, being on the events board did have some perks.

"that's all we need to speak about regarding the carnival. we have been finding sanitary belts and feminine napkins on the floors of our bathrooms. please stop throwing them on the ground. it's very unladylike and frankly very rude to our staff who clean after you girls. thank you." all of the students were trying so hard not to laugh at this. once they were dismissed, amélie quickly found marianne and caught up with her and cindy.