Confused Butterfly

You know how there’s always that one person that’s all kindness and happiness and everybody wants to be them and everybody wants to be their friend? Well, one of those people sits right next to me in my science class. Her name is Julie Yarusinsky.

She chatters easily and comfortably with almost everybody, voice sweet and lilting up and down and around and around and around like some sort of confused butterfly. Some days, it’s annoying as I’m the class outcast and am used to the serene silence of my thoughts. Most days, however, I welcome her chatter and talk easily with her as if we’re friends.

Today, she walks into the room, books cradled in her curved arms, eyes and smile bright. She drops her books on our lab table, sits down, and grabs my arm to grab my attention. “Guess what?”

“Hm?”

Her smile widens a touch. “I’m kinda sorta seeing Nick.” Her smile becomes a full-blown giddy grin.

She doesn’t need to clarify who Nick is. She’s been updating me on her progress with this Nick guy over the past few weeks. From what I’ve heard he’s a good-looking guy, really sweet.

She gives an almost dreamy sigh and then pulls out her cell phone to text somebody or other.

I don’t hear about Nick for about two weeks. It’s a Wednesday. She comes into the room with less than her usual cheer. Her smile isn’t as large as usual. When she sits she doesn’t greet me in her usual buoyant and bouncy manner. She doesn’t greet me at all. With a sigh I set down my book and look at her.

“What’s wrong Julie?”

Her gaze jumps over to me and she blinks a few times. She gives a faint smile and goes, “Remember Nick?”

I nod.

“I saw him at Dairy Belle last night with another girl.” She frowns a little, eyebrows pulling down. “After he told me he wasn’t going to be there.” Her air is less sad now and more angry.

I try to be logical. “Did you ask him why he was there?”

Her frown darkens a bit. “No. I walked around the park a few times. He said hi and that was it.”

“She may have just been a friend.” It’s a weak excuse, but it may cheer her up.

She looks at me, eyebrows raised. “Yeah right.”

“You never know. Ask him.”

She gives a small, thoughtful “Hm” and then looks through me into her own thoughts.

I see her again on Friday night at a party I’ve been unwillingly dragged to. As I’m not a fan of parties, I just sit in the corner and quietly slink away whenever people get close.

As it gets later, more people show up. This finally forces me to hide in the corner of an almost empty hallway. About fifteen minutes into my hiding, I see Julie and Nick step into the hallway. Either they’re totally wrapped up in each other or this corner is darker than I thought because they don’t seem to notice me.

They’re impossibly close. He touches her elbow, tilts his head, and kisses her sweetly. When he leans back, her eyes are bright and her smile is gentle. She starts to talk to him and muted words try to reach my ears. I, however, know that this is none of my business and slip into the room that’s next to me.

As I lean against the wall, I decide that I’ll look back in ten, fifteen minutes. They’ll be gone by then I hope. If they’re not I’ll just hide in the room a bit longer.

When I see her Monday, she still has that same bright glow to her eyes and her smile is impossibly wide. When I sit next to her, she beams and says, “Guess what happened Friday?”

I shrug and try to keep my smile in check. The expression I have is suitably curious I hope.

Her smile becomes sweet and gentle and dreamy all at once. Then she starts to talk.