The Flirt

The Flirt

A flirt, that's what all the girls called me. They said I just had to walk into a room, look round it with that helpless expression, smile that smile, and all the boys would come flocking. That's why they were always mad at me, because it was always their boys that came running. The thing was, it was not all the boys that came flocking, there was one boy who seemed immune to my so called charms, the annoying thing was, he was the one boy in the room that I wanted to get to know. He would hang back at the side of the room, and by the time I'd got through the crowd, he was gone. It happened every time.

I noticed him first when I started Primary school, he was the only one who didn't laugh at me when I picked up the wrong tin of wax crayons. I didn't know you got the messed up bits of crayons when you started and worked up to a new set. I'd taken one look at them and picked out a tin with some decent crayons in, but then, it was my first day at school and no one had told me any different. I wanted to say thank-you for not laughing, but by the time I got anywhere near him, play time was over and we couldn't talk in class.

Then there was secondary school, I went to an all girls school and he went to an all boys school, I'd see him round the town, sometimes, but he was in a crowd of boys and I was in a group of girls, and when the two groups met, well, it wasn't as if you could say much. If I said anything about him the rest of girls would giggle or tell me to just flutter my eyelashes at him and he'd come running. Mostly they just laughed.

Then, going to the dance was the big thing to do. The group of girls I was in started going to the dances, once a week, at a local hall. They still thought I was a flirt, but they took me along because if I was there they could guarantee that they'd get a crowd of boys around so they could take their pick once the boys realised I wasn't interested in them. I was waiting for him to turn up, I felt sure he would one day, no one else would do, so I waited for him, Stephen. Being there to attract the boys made me feel a bit like bait and I was getting rather bored of the whole thing, till I saw him there, in a crowd of boys. I smiled in their direction and they came over, all of them, except him. It was the one time I did use my smile to try and attract his attention, and it failed, he left early, before I could talk to him. Still, they said they'd be there next week, so I left, hoping that next week I would get to speak to him.

Next week came, but he didn't.

“Where's your friend, Stephen?” I asked one of the boys, I'd seen him with Stephen the previous week.

“He couldn't come this week,” he said. “Where's your friend, Amy?”

“She was here a minute ago,” I said looking round.

“Becky,” I called. “Where's Amy?”

“She left a couple of minutes ago. Said she had a headache and the music was making it worse.”

“That isn't like her,” I said to him. “She usually says loud music helps to drive a headache out.”

We spent the rest of the evening talking about Amy and Stephen. Not that that was difficult, Amy and I go back a long way, she started the Primary School the day after me. I told her about the crayons so she didn't make the same mistake as me, and we'd been friends ever since. Ian, that was his name, met Stephen when they started secondary school, Stephen got into an argument with one of the boys about a girl they thought he was soft on. Ian joined in to help him out when they started hitting him.

“Four onto one wasn't fair,” he said.

“Who was the girl?” I asked. I was quite dumbfounded when he said it was me.

“You had no idea?” he asked.

“I didn't think he'd even noticed me,” I said.

“Everyone notices you,” he said with a smile.

“Everyone except him,” I laughed.

“I wouldn't say that,” said Ian. “He's always talking about you.”

“Could you talk him into coming next week, please?” I asked, giving him my best winning smile.

“Will you bring Amy?” he asked.

“Wouldn't come here without her,” I said. “I was going to introduce you to her today because she is always talking about you, but she's gone home, I think Becky's been stirring,” I said. “Still, if you bring Stephen and I bring Amy, we can stop whatever Becky's planning.”

“See you next week,” he said.

Amy was furious with me.

“Everyone says you're a flirt, you just flutter your eyelashes, look helpless and they all come running, but I didn't think you'd flirt with him,” she said next day at school.

“I wasn't flirting with him, I just asked him where Stephen was and he asked me where you were,” I said in my defence.

“He asked you about me!” said Amy.

“Yes. He wanted to dance with you,” I said.

“Becky said you were talking to him all evening. Don't tell me you spent all that time talking about me,” she snapped.

“No, I'd say it was an even split between you and Stephen, who hadn't even turned up,” I said.

“What did you talk to him about me for?” she asked.

“Well, he wanted to talk about you, and you are my equal favourite topic of conversation,” I said.

“What's the other one?” she asked.

“I would have thought you'd know that, its Stephen,” I said smiling.

“Becky said you were flirting with him,” she said.

“I wouldn't do that to you, you're my best friend and I know what you think about him,” I said, rather hurt that she might think that of me.

“I'm sorry. If I'd thought for half a second I'd have known you wouldn't do that. You've been besotted with Stephen for as long as I've known you. No one else stands a chance.”

“Anyway, it, seems like you have a secret admirer,” I said with a smile.

“Well, I'm not interested in anyone but Ian,” she said.

“Good, because, that's who I'm talking about, fell for you the first time he saw you, the day you moved in across the road from him.”

“You're not pulling my leg are you?” she asked.

“As if I'd do something like that to you,” I said. “To Becky maybe, but not you, not my best friend,” I added with my best smile. “Anyway, Ian said he'll be there next week and so will Stephen, even if he has to drag him along, and could I bring you, because he's dying to talk to you. So, don't make me drag you, it'll mess up your dress, I was thinking that blue one you got for your birthday, plus the necklace I got you, the two go together so well, with the shoulder bag and your new shoes.”

“He wants to see me?” said Amy looking stunned.

“Yes, of course he does, how many times do I have to say, he's totally potty about you.”

“Do I look OK?” Amy asked for the millionth time since we met at the bus stop just down the road from the dance hall.

“You look perfect,” I said with a smile. “I told you that blue dress would be perfect. How do I look?”

“Beautiful, as always,” said Amy with a nervous smile. “Are you sure he'll be here? Does he really want to see me!”

“Yes, he wants to see you, talked about you all evening, didn't want to talk about anyone else. Turned Becky down when she asked for a dance. Anyway, he said they'd meet us inside,” I told her. “So, do I look OK?” I asked before we went into the hall.

“You look perfect, you always do,” she smiled.

“Let's go,” I said catching her arm and sailing into the dance hall. I tend to make a big entrance, sort of hides the nerves. There was Stephen looking perfect, with his friend.

“You wont forget to introduce me?” asked Amy as I walked across the floor to meet them.

“Of course not,” I said, my eyes fixed on Stephen, I was afraid that if I took my eyes off him for one second he'd disappear into the crowd.

“Hello Stephen,” I said gazing into his eyes. “I've been longing to meet you.”

“I told you so,” Ian said to him.

“And this is my friend Amy, who's been longing to meet you, Ian,” I added, still keeping my eyes fixed on Stephen.

“Kate's told me so much about you,” said Ian, smiling at Amy.

“That must have been boring for you,” said Amy.

“No, I could've listened to her talking about you all evening, but she wanted to hear about this idiot,” he said elbowing Stephen in the ribs.

“Did you really want to know about me?” he asked.

“Still do,” I smiled. “I've been trying to get to know you since we were at Primary School, but I just couldn't get through the crowd to you.”

“Your smile lit up the room, I wanted to talk to you, but there were so many people round you,” said Stephen finally looking into my eyes and we've been looking into each others eyes ever since. We had a double wedding, Ian and Amy, me and Stephen, but then, Amy and I have been friends for ever and so have Ian and Stephen.

By Janice Nye © 2014