September knew how to walk.  In fact, she’d become quite adept at that sort of thing for the better part of her 16 years.  It was only until she passed Billy Walsh in the hallways of Summerville High that her legs were as stable as two spindly, licorice sticks that had been left out on the streets of her native New Orleans during Mardi Gras.  They were a hopeless jumble of nerves that seemed to short circuit whenever the tall, handsome and extremely popular member of the band’s drum line got within a country mile of her.  Of course, it didn’t help when her best friend snickered and almost broke her rib when she caught a glance of him.

“Hey, Sept…..here he coooommmmeeesssss!”, Terry squealed.

“Are you sure the rest of the world didn’t hear you?” she shot back, almost wanting to sink into the earth to save her the shame of having to watch the disapproving eyes of her classmates.

Terry was one of the few people that September could actually call a close friend.  Being that she was a rather awkward/taller than any other girl in this millenium nerd, friendships weren’t plentiful for girls like September.  Besides, Terry was just as unpopular and her polar opposite.  She was short, chubby, prone to brutal bouts of acne and tended to ramble that it was difficult to decipher what she was saying at times.  Her lone attempt of trying to be cool failed when she decided to go by the nickname of “Sept” until she decided that it sounded too much like an underground receptacle of unmentionable contents.  Of course, Terry never got that memo.  Why, oh why did her mother have to get all new-agey on her and condemn her to THAT albatross of a name?

Once again, she felt an involuntary spasm in the pit of her stomach as he glanced her way and smiled.  His smile always seemed to jolt her; how could he be so perfect?  Shaken and definitely stirred, she could not accept that he was actually smiling at….her.  She likened it to a baby smiling….it had to be gas….why would he be interested in a girl like her when he had a whole entourage following him on a daily basis?  Maybe that toothy grin was meant for some gorgeous creature behind her that she couldn’t see. 

Or maybe…..no….she wouldn’t allow herself to go there…..because then the thoughts that haunted her at night would become a reality that she couldn’t cope with.  There she became the irresistable chanteuse that men fought over and the victor was always Billy.  He of the righteous ‘fro, with a carmel covered face so gorgeous he could be considered beautiful.  His muscular athletic frame and bowed legs that sat back proudly whenever he stood still sent shivers up and down her spine.  So…. no….it was safer to live in the shadow of dreams where there are no expectations, no chances taken and no possibility of getting hurt either.

Later on that night as she settled into the familiar fantasy of being Mrs. Billy Walsh, she realized that sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone if you want the things that you don’t like about your life to change.  At last, she decided that if the mountain wouldn’t come to Mohammed, she would go to it.  She had to act fast, so Friday would be D-day.  If the plan failed, then she had two days to get over the embarrassment and pretend that it didn’t happen at all.

Bethany Moore was a pretty brunette who traveled in the same privileged circle as Billy and happened to be one of his best friends.  She was nice enough and even went so far as to speak to September once or twice in passing.  She would be the perfect instrument to launch her plan to win Billy Walsh’s heart.  She approached Bethany in gym class and asked if she knew Billy Walsh (knowing full well she did)? 

“Sure, I do.”  “Why?”

“Well, I just thought that he was a really nice person, that’s all” she responded, not quite expecting the third degree.

Suddenly, a smile flashed across her face.  “September Johnson, are you crushing on Billy?”  she asked in her inimitable Cajun drawl.  “You know that he just broke up with his girlfriend….”

“Oh really?” she responded in her most deadpan voice.  She was well aware of that fact.  News like that spread quickly….even to the dorky set but September had to play this right.  “I’m sorry to hear that.  That’s unfortunate because he’s a really cool guy.”  Great!  How lame did that sound?

“Well, he has mentioned you”, she said as she surveyed September’s reaction to this most important of news.  Bethany pulled her t-shirt back over the cascading locks that September wished were hers.  “He knows that we have gym together.”

It was all she could do to keep from spinning!  “He asked about me?  Why?  What did he say?” she asked very deliberately and as calmly as she could.

“I think he likes you.” Now, there was a very good chance that she was getting punked.  But she couldn’t help asking “Why do you think that?”

“Because I think for a guy who was otherwise involved, he seemed to talk about another girl way too much.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” she asked, sure that she had an ulterior motive.

“Because if he’s not willing to get real….maybe you are.”  “I mean it’s not like everyone doesn’t know that you have it bad for him.  It’s way obvious.  Maybe I can put both of you out of your misery.”

“How would you propose to do that?”  she asked earnestly, praying and hoping that she wouldn’t end up being a source of ridicule for the next few decades.

“The two of you are going to have it out for once and for all because there is nothing standing between the two of you but air and opportunity and you can’t see air.  Meet me by the band room at 3 o’clock, ok?”

It took all of three seconds before September hunted down Terry quicker than a C-list actress jumping in front of a throng of paparazzi.

“Ummmm……I don’t know….  Are you sure she’s on the up and up?" Terry asked tenatatively trying her level best to protect her best friend’s heart. 

“I mean, are you sure that this isn’t a joke that they may have cooked up against you?  It’s not like we run in the same circles as those two.”

“I don’t think so.  Well, I thought so at first, but she seemed really sincere.  I’m going to go with my gut and trust her.”

The rest of the day was an entire blur of one teacher morphing into another.  At one point, she couldn’t interpret what language the teachers were speaking and why were they speaking so darn slowly?  She was vaguely aware that she was transported from one class to the next, but she couldn’t swear that it was by her own power.  Her only focus, indeed, her only reason for existing at that moment was to see the clock on the wall of her Chemistry class strike three. 

She hopped out of her seat at precisely 2:59 and speed walked toward the new wing of the building where the band room was now housed.  She reasoned that if she speed walked, she could easily slow her pace in case anyone saw how anxious she was; plus she was less apt to leave skid marks as she zipped past the cafeteria to see Bethany and Billy standing right next to the girl’s bathroom.  She should have felt at ease because Billy leaned forward, looked straight into her eyes, smiled again and said hello.

“Oh, hi” September mumbled as she zoomed into the bathroom.  “I’ll be right back!”  As soon as the door closed, she wanted to curl up and die.  There is no way, no how she expected the man of her dreams and every waking thought to be there with Bethany….waiting….for her!  Why wasn’t she given any warning?  Her hair was a mess, she sorely needed a few coats of gloss spread across her lips.  How can she show her face to this boy again?  She humiliated herself and there was no way she could face him now.  What he must think of her? GOD!! 

Well, so much for that mountain…..she decided that since it was scientifically impossible to teleport herself to another planet, it was best to stay put until they gave up and left.  She busied herself with thinking about the report that she would have to give to the Spanish club and the volunteer sheet that she still had to type up for the 4H club and……..just then Bethany walked in.

“What in the hell are you doing?”  “We’ve been waiting for ten minutes….he’s going to leave!” 

“I can’t do it.  I had no idea that he would be with you.  I wouldn’t know what to say to him….maybe this was a bad idea.  Just tell him I’m sick and I’m sorry.  Please.”

“Hmmm…..well, ok.  Are you sure you don’t want to rethink this?”

“Yes, I’m sure.  I’m sorry for putting you through the trouble.  I really am.”

“No trouble for me.  I can’t speak for him though” she said as each word got softer and softer as she exited the room.

After another five minutes, September reasoned that the coast was clear.  She had resolved to step back into the safe confines of obscurity and to never allow herself to be put in such a predicament again.

She pulled back the latch on the bathroom door and saw that it was very quiet in the hallway.  She could hear the muffled sound of the band rehearsing in the next suite, so she stepped out ready to sprint to the exit when she saw that they were still there.

“Oh, I’m sorry to keep you waiting.  Was there something you wanted to say?”  She couldn’t begin to tell where those stupid, ridiculous words came from.  She was shell shocked so her best defense was to pretend that nothing had happened…it was the only way that she could cope with such an embarrassing situation.

Billy was leaning against the wall, but stepped away as soon as he saw her.  “No, there is nothing that I want to say….nothing.” he said, his voice slightly trembling.  She felt that word ….that abominable word cut through her like a hot poker going through butter.  Though he tried to hide it, he wasn’t the confident Billy that she’d known these past two years.  His voice cracked…..he was hurt.  She had hurt him….

Bethany told her later that he wanted to ask her to the prom.  He really liked September because she was reserved, brilliant and she made his heart leap whenever he saw her.  She was the real reason why he ended it with his last girlfriend, but he hadn’t yet gotten up the courage to talk to her about it.  No one made him feel the way she did even though there were barely a dozen words spoken between the two of them. 

But that fateful day, he thought she was playing games…..that she was a tease.  If she wasn’t so heartbroken, that would be almost funny.  That wasn’t her intent, she assured Bethany.  She was just a coward.  It was then that she decided that in High School there really are two worlds and she didn’t belong in his so she would go back to dreaming about what could have been.