Chapter One

She’s the One

On the first day of junior year, Genevieve stood in the deli-order line, praying that no one would notice her. She was hunched over her book, enraptured in the world of Elisa and Jeanne, the two girls who set out to flip their high school upside down. Genevieve curled a strand of her dark, wavy hair, the color of cherry-oak wood, around her finger. She adjusted her glasses, her dark eyes avoiding making contact. If you asked Genevieve, she fervently denied any sort of beauty in her features. She was convinced that no one knew herself as well as she did, and she was adamant about the fact that she had no beauty. Books-those were beauty, to Genevieve.

Genevieve jumped as the woman behind the counter repeated herself, “whatcha havin’ dearlin’?”

Genevieve laughed quietly, having no desire to draw any attention to herself. But truly, people talked like that? Genevieve gave her order to the lady, along with the money for the sandwich. She took her sandwich and headed across the loud, crowded cafeteria, which smelled like school food and was too bright for her taste, to her favorite spot in the school to eat lunch.

*     *     *

Nicholas stood in line next to his best friend and co-captain of the swim team, Kyle. Kyle was the most athletic, most pursued male in South Bay High. Nick, his best friend, was not as coveted but just as, if not more, athletic than Kyle had any claim to be. They looked very similar; athletically built with fair skin and dark hair. Kyle was going on about the last meet against North End High-where the South Bay Bears had annihilated the competition by minutes. Nick was hardly listening. He was staring at the deli-order line, across the noisy, well-lit cafeteria. He hated the schools ugly green walls, the cafeteria smell, but today, none of that mattered. He was enchanted by the little dark-haired girl with glasses standing in line across the cafeteria-she kept adjusting the glasses and seemed to be trying her hardest to shut out the entire world. This confused Nicholas greatly. With contacts and a bit of confidence-she could, he was sure, outshine any one of the cheerleaders in a beauty pageant. It seemed a mystery to Nick, why a girl so beautiful would want to hide her face.

Kyle nudged Nick playfully. “Which one is she?” he asked.

Nick shook his head.

“The prettiest one in our grade,” Nicholas answered dreamily, not bothering to point. To him, she was obvious.

Kyle scanned the line Nick had been watching. He saw a couple of jock friends of his, his little geeky neighbor, and a couple of artsy types he, out of habit, did not associate with, but didn’t see any reason Nick would be watching that line.

Kyle never heard Nick sigh as he watched the girl walk away.

 Genevieve sat in the back hallway, reading and enjoying her sandwich.  She loved the darkness of the hallway. Only one door led from the noisy lunchroom to her little spot of sanity, in a school that was, in her humble opinion, insane-too loud, too vivid, too annoying, with far too many people inhabiting its small building. The whole school was painted an ugly lime green, in support of sports teams that were hardly mediocre, at least as far as Genevieve could tell. Posters with outgoing color schemes advertised everything from the school store to the dance coming up in two months. A little early, don’t you think? Genevieve thought every time she passed one.

She barely looked up as Emilette-her best friend and the school’s best newspaper reporter-lowered herself down beside Genevieve. Genevieve barely understood their friendship. It always seemed to her a complicated concept, one that her brain could not, or would no, wrap itself around. Emilette was the cool, confident, exotic dark-haired beauty from Spain. She had fair skin like Genevieve, but she wasn’t as tall as her gangly best friend. However, what she lacked in height she made up for in personality, which, Genevieve was quite sure, Genevieve herself did not have. She knew if Emilette ever got some sense and ditched her, the potential was there for her to be incredibly popular.

Emilette, like Genevieve, harbored no desire to be popular. Emilette considered her friend critically. Emilette saw much of herself in Genevieve-including so much untapped potential. If only she’d be more confident in herself, Emilette knew, Genevieve could have her pick of any boy in the school. Emilette regretted she’d never live her life to the fullest-but she wanted the best for Genevieve. Emilette knew she herself was beautiful, but, as far as she was concerned, that would never matter. But some positive attention wouldn’t hurt Genevieve at all, in Emilette’s opinion. And that’s exactly what Gen was going to get, if Emilette had anything to do with it.

Emilette jumped as two of the jock crew passed them by. Was it just her or was the shorter one…whatever his name was, watching Genevieve a bit too intently? Nick. That was his name. He’d known Emilette when she was young. They’d been best friends until freshman year, when Nick had drifted to the side as Emilette became closer to Genevieve.

“Dude,” Kyle said after they passed the two girls in that back hall. “That chick we just passed, girl’s my neighbor. What a geek huh?”

Nick turned and punched Kyle in the shoulder, not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to make a point. “That’s the girl I was watching in the cafeteria, you nimrod.”

Kyle lapsed into silence.

“Do you know who that girl was with her? Isn’t she that reporter?”

Nick nodded absently.

“She wasn’t so bad looking.”

This snapped Nick back to reality. He bit back the words on the tip of his tongue, admitting she was an old friend might be a mistake. He’d seen the look on Emilette’s face, and recognized it from when the two of them had been friends. Her face had shown anything but interest. When Nick didn’t answer, Kyle shrugged and switched to talking about the upcoming meet, so Nick just left the question alone.

“What’s her name?” Nick wondered out loud.

“Who? My neighbor?” Kyle asked, surprised by the suddenness of the question-this had nothing to do with swimming, and, as far as Kyle was concerned, if it had nothing to do with swimming, it wasn’t worth even thinking about.

Nick nodded.

“Genevieve or something weird like that.”

Nick nodded, feigning a lack of interest. But the name was already rattling inside his brain. And he didn’t have any intention of letting it go.

“What about that chick with her in the hall?”

Nick shrugged like he didn’t know her. No need to hurt Kyle, he thought. But he saw in Kyle’s face that though he’d just seen her, something about Emilette had caught, and would hold, Kyle’s interest. Just like the mystery deli girl, Genevieve-what a name! He thought. 

“Girl! Gen!” Emilette squealed excitedly. She looked at her best friend and sighed.  It was impossible to shake Genevieve out of a book- induced trance. Genevieve looked up absently, as if not sure where she was.

“Genevieve, that boy that walked by…”

Genevieve gave her friend a dark look, and Emilette realized the Gen thought Emilette had interrupted her reading just to talk about a boy, which, in Genevieve’s opinion, was a complete waste of time.

Emilette hurried on: “Gen, he was watching you.”

Genevieve rolled her eyes, sighing heavily. “Emilette, for the hundredth time, he was most likely watching you. You’re the school’s exotic Spanish princess.  Me? I'm not pretty-and don’t even say it, Em. No boys are watching us. Or, at least, me.”

Emilette sighed in response. Why did Genevieve deny what was so clearly there? If only she would acknowledge it! Her life could be so amazingly perfect. Emilette saw it all so clearly in her mind’s eye. Gen’s voice startled her.

“You should go after him.” Genevieve said distractedly, already lost in the words, as she drifted back into the world only her books could take her.

“Nah,” Emilette said, laughing, but her whole self wasn’t in it. She’d never gone after any guy, and she never would. Emilette stood suddenly.

“I have to go, um, uh, finish a report.”

Genevieve waved her off absently, and Emilette hurried from the spot as quickly as she could, so Genevieve would not see the tears threatening to come streaming down Emilette’s face.

*     *     *

After swim practice, Kyle and Nick sat on the edge of the pool, dangling their feet in the deep end, listening to the sound of boys snapping wet towels and girls giggling from their respective locker rooms. Kyle and Nick were the only two out on the deck.

“I think you should go for her, man.” Kyle said sincerely.

“I thought she was a geek,” responded Nick bitterly.

“Yeah, I'm sorry for that. She’s my neighbor, but I shouldn’t trash her if you like her, and you do. I can tell.”

Nick nodded.

“You were distracted in practice.” Kyle said. It wasn’t a question, but Nick answered anyway.

“Yeah, I was. Can’t get that girl out of my head. Genevieve. Her name’s like a magic spell. And I don’t have a chance.” Nick shook his head slowly, then stopped, looking at Kyle hopefully. “Or do I? Man, think I have a chance?”

Kyle looked at his friend, openly and honestly. “She’d be lucky to date you, man. Any girl would. You’re the ladies first pick…well after me.” Kyle chuckled. Nick shoved him playfully.

“What about you and Emilette?”

Kyle looked confused.

“The reporter.”

Kyle looked at Nick reproachfully.

“Thought you didn’t know her?”

Nick didn’t answer, looking down guilitily at the waves under his feet. “Gonna go for it?” Nick mumbled.

“Should I? You would know. I bet you know more about her then your letting on.”

Nick did, indeed, know far more than Kyle could have guessed. He’d practically grown up with this girl.

He knew Emilette was hurting; wounded. But maybe, Kyle could only help the situation. It was risky but…“Go for it, man.” Nick responded.

*     *     *

Genevieve got home to find her books waiting for her. On her bed, her dresser, anywhere she wanted them, she found them. Books made her happy. Genevieve didn’t like books because she was a nerd, or wanted to be the smartest kid in her class. That wasn’t it at all. She loved books for one reason; they didn’t reject her. They accepted her with open arms, every time she asked to be taken into their world. They were a constant, they’d always be there. They were familiar in an unfamiliar place.

Her room was a peaceful blue. Dolphins, painted on the walls when she was young, embodied peace on the walls. Genevieve loved looking at those walls. They reminded her of a simpler time, when all she wanted was to be a mermaid; when everything was possible.

A plain blue comforter made the bed warm in winter. Plain, like Genevieve. She didn’t want much. She wanted to exist. She didn’t want to be special. She didn’t want to make things complicated. That was why she was so hesitant about a relationship. It was too complicated.

Her writing desk was covered with papers- Genevieve’s pathetic attempts at doing what her favorite authors could. She pushed all the papers aside, trying to clean. It seemed to clear her mind, when she cleared the clutter in her room. She was trying to process all the thoughts that seemed to be running through her mind at once. Everything Emilette said seemed to make sense. Emilette had never been so insistent.

Maybe, Genevieve thought, as she tucked the sheets in on her bed, it’d be fun-having a boyfriend.

But, she decided, if I go after a boy, Emilette will too.

*     *     *

Emilette found Nick in the lunchroom the next day, instead of waiting for Genevieve after ceramics, although this was a habit they’d always had, meeting up before lunch. “Nick.” Emilette said uncomfortably.

“Em…” Nick said awkwardly, as though he didn’t want to be seen with her.

“Were you watching her?” Emilette demanded, only briefly insecure. Nick nodded sheepishly. Emilette nodded, arms crossed as if this was the answer she expected, her look manipulative and calculating. Nick started walking from the lunch line. Emilette followed, cornering him in the North Hall. The next time Nick looked, her features had softened. When she looked like that, he could understand why Kyle fell for her. But Nick still preferred Genevieve. 

“You better mean it,” Emilette said warningly. “I'm going to tell her to go for it.”

Emilette noticed that, as she walked away, his smile could have stretched to the ceiling.

Genevieve didn’t know, and didn’t care, why Emilette was late to their lunch spot. She barely looked up until Emilette started that excited babbling thing. Very few things could make serious Genevieve laugh, but this babbling certainly did.  “Whoa, Em! Slow down. Where are you going with this?”

“Crazy, apparently,” Emilette smiled. “You need to go after him. ‘Member he’s in my English class? Well I heard him say he’s into you!”

Genevieve laughed, but didn’t deny it, Emilette was pleased to notice.

“He likes you, he does!” Emilette insisted.

Genevieve shook her head.

“Girl, life’s nothing without a risk!”

“I just want to know before I do anything rash.” Genevieve replied.

“Gen, this isn’t the middle ages. No one says ‘rash’ anymore. Just go.”

Genevieve nodded slowly, hesitant to agree.

“What if he doesn’t? What if…?” she trailed off.

“How many Genevieves are there in this school?” Emilette asked.

“Not many.” Emilette answered herself, and was pleased to see Genevieve nod, and, wait, “was that a smile?” Emilette couldn’t resist teasing.

“You think I have a chance?” Genevieve stuttered.

Emilette smiled hugely, nodding.

Genevieve leaned back against the wall.

“OK. Then, I'm going for it.”

Emilette smiled at the new touch of confidence in her friend’s voice.

“But you have to go after his friend. I’ve seen him watching you. That’s right,” Genevieve said, seeing her friend’s look of surprise, “I’ve seen you watching him, and him you.”

Emilette shook her head fiercely. She couldn’t. But then she stopped. What was a little white lie?

“Sure. Absolutely.”

Genevieve smiled, satisfied, and, Emilette noticed with a bit of a skeptical smile, went back to her book.

Nick sat down next to Kyle after his bizarre discussion with a girl he hadn’t spoken to in years. “Kyle, ya gotta hear this man. Apparently, you’re not the only person noticing me crushing on that Genevieve girl.” He said it carefully. Jen-eh-vee-ev. Kyle laughed. Nick said it with so much more grace and made it sound more musical than jen-uh-veev, as it was meant to be said. But Kyle said nothing. Nick recounted what had happened. Kyle shook his head.

“That chick is your friend? And I like her and now you’re telling me she’s crazy?”

Nick shook his head. “I'm telling you that she’s got a good heart, that she’s pretty loyal to her friends. I think you need to go after her.”

“You don’t think she’s interested, do you?”

Nick shrugged. The truth was he didn’t. But he knew Emilette needed to open up. And Kyle really could help her. Nick truly believed that.

“Man, I think if she does decide to open up to anyone,” Nick said, “it’s gonna be you, Ky.”

That, Nick could say honestly. But there was a bit of guilt there too, because he knew that it would take a lot of work for Kyle. Nick had to remind himself that Kyle had the confidence to put in the work, and that’s why… “This is all gonna work out great,” Nick assured Kyle, as much as himself.

 The next class for Genevieve was Algebra II, and she ate lunch right down the hall from there. She spent the whole lunch period going back and forth. She didn’t know how she felt about anything, not right now. She constantly questioned herself, but never this much. She didn’t know whether everything going on made her feel better or worse. She saw Nick on the way to class, and was even close enough to say hello. She started to head over, until Nick looked up. She decided she couldn’t bear to go over to him; it was far too presumptuous. Ducking her head, she hurried to her math class as quickly as she could possibly manage in the congested hallway traffic.

Nick walked into class and found Kyle in the back row. “Man, I think she wanted to talk,” Nick said without preamble.

“Did you talk to her?” Kyle asked.

“No, I couldn’t. She ducked out before she’d said a word.”

Kyle sighed.“Nick, listen. You have to say something to her.  So you saw her in the hall? You have to wait and meet her after class!”

Nick nodded. He wondered if he would build up the courage.

Kyle knew Nick was going to, even if it meant he would crash and burn. But in theory, the idea sounded almost foolproof.

Nick let himself feel hopeful for a minute.

“BOYS!” called the teacher from the front of the room.  Nick and Kyle leaned over their notebooks, but didn’t pay much attention. Kyle was thinking about Emilette, and Nick was trying to figure out what exactly to say to Genevieve by way of explanation for showing up outside her classroom. Because, although he didn’t want to admit it, he was already excited to see her again.