There's Glitter on the Floor;; Brandon

[JAMIE ELIZABETH MANLOW]

Jamie sighed as she sat herself down onto the steps of the school, almost tossing her backpack straight down the steps. Today hadn't been the most wonderful day in the world so she just wanted to sit on her butt for awhile. Of course, she should be walking off to practice since she was attempting to juggle a full fledged gymnastics career and normal schooling. Her parents weren't really there on the whole gymnastics career but they attempted to support her in the only way they knew how; cheering her on at competitions and reserving a room in their home just for her awards, trophies, medals and ribbons. The downfall to that was Jamie wasn't so sure she wanted to do this anymore, it was way too much work.

Just the other day she had messed up a dismount that could have broken her neck, caused her to become paralyzed and quickly end any form of career she had. When her mind wasn't set into what she was doing she really would mess up big time, whether it was in practice or at school. While she was at school she tended to zone out the most, not pay attention to anything the teacher was saying because she just didn't really care half the time. Classes took up her entire day and she definitely considered them a huge waste of her time. Whenever she had the chance she would skip class but skipping every day would lead to her getting massive amounts of detention. She had skipped an entire week once, then got two weeks worth of detentions so it was useless to even skip for that long.

As she sat upon the middle set of steps she pulled out her chemistry book, deciding that she should at least attempt to learn something. She would go to practice later on so her coach couldn't say she didn't practice at all but she most likely would get in trouble. Today, Jamie just didn't give a damned. Of course she didn't concentrate on her chemistry and wound up staring out into the campus. She was looking towards the dorm houses where students were lounging around outside in the last warm days of the year. Soon there would be students rushing around to get back inside huddled in their heavy jackets or multiple sweatshirts. Snow would cover the ground and Jamie would find someone to have a snowball fight with. Jamie wasn't a huge snow fan but she definitely did love snowball fights because they were so much fun. Her least favorite part about snow was simply the cold, she wasn't someone who loved the cold.

Shaking her head gently, Jamie closed her chem book and tossed it aside. Digging her phone from her bag she scrolled through her contacts to see who was around. She sent out a mass message saying she was on the front steps if anyone wanted to come out from their cubby hole to join her for a little bit. Jamie was all about her friends, she loved them to death and they were basically her family since her own family wasn't around. If she could hang out with someone on a daily basis, she would be a happy camper. Looking at her phone, she played a game while waiting for someone, anyone to return one of her messages.

[BRANDON ANDREW PEPPERS]

SINGING DON'T W O R R Y ABOUT A THING
CAUSE EVERY LITTLE THING IS GONNA BE A L R I G H T

Brandon had just finished giving a presentation on Hispanic Literature when he got the text from Jamie. Though Jamie was a Junior, Brandon didn't mind keeping her around as a friend. He sat in his desk after his presentation, tapping his foot to the tune of the Super Mario Brothers theme song. Brandon stared to the front of the class in a way that might suggest he was a lunatic. At times Brandon didn't pay attention. He did a little thing where he zoned out and simply appeared to be listening. Brandon could imagine someone who wasn't stuck in a class was out there talking to her. Of course, it wouldn't be difficult for him to find a time to hang with her... just Brandon was convinced he wouldn't. He was missing an opportunity. Brandon frowned. He just knew that it was over. She'd hate him, obviously, for not coming.

Pessimism usually got the best of Brandon. He suddenly raised his hand, Hey, teach, I gotta piss. He said finally. Instead of waiting for the startled teacher to respond Brandon grabbed his bag and slipped out the door. As he walked down the hallway Brandon thought about the game he had played last night. Recently he had purchased Call of Duty: Black Ops and he felt like he was constantly in war mode. He could imagine having to duck and dodge down the hallway to avoid getting blown to smithereens. Of course, as Brandon thought of this he began ducking down. He pressed up against the lockers, his back straight as he side-stepped a bit. Brandon gasped suddenly, ducking down low as if he were being shot at.

Sure, Brandon Peppers was a major dork. Peppers didn't mind being a dork. He was alright. Peppers finally burst through the doors of the main building. Peppers looked around, finally spotting Jamie sitting there on the steps. A smirk played on his lips as he made his way over to her. Peppers found his mind wondering. It was pretty chilly outside, which set his mind on a jumbled path to the song Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice... to the fact that Mayfield should have never made Snow Cream, to the fact that he wished it were May, to the fact that he needed to focus. He stepped down to sit next to her on the steps.

Long time no see, Bud. Peppers said with a big smile. What ya sittin out here for? It was a simple question, but Brandon's inner monologue kept on about how he was messing up the whole conversation. I don't know about you, but I was thinking earlier today that it would be super cool to get a text message that would bail me out of Lit class. He laughed, leaning back on the stairs and resting his elbows on the step behind him. Peppers stretched his legs out, crossing his ankles and staring down at his completely worn out converse all-stars.

[JAMIE ELIZABETH MANLOW]

When Brandon walked out of the school she looked up at him with a light smile, shrugging. "I felt like sitting on the front steps that's what I'm doing," she nodded, wrapping her arms around her knees. She had been friends with Brandon for awhile now and knew how silly he could be, just as silly as she could. The antics the pair got into sometimes weren't always appreciated by others but hell it was fun for them. "Well I'm glad I'm the one who bailed you out of senior lit. I'm skipping AP Calculus right now, I'm tired of it." Jamie tilted her head a bit as she looked at Brandon, knowing that she wasn't going to be able to pay attention in senior lit next year. She had the hardest time paying attention in lit class as it was during the day let alone another year of it when the material became more boring.

"Are you ever going to get new shoes? I'm just curious because how many times have you super glued the soles back on?" Jamie picked on him all the tie for his shoes, knowing just what it was like not wanting to get new shoes..or just being too lazy to do so. She had a pair of skate shoes in her room that she had had for years and they even had a nice hole in the side of each. Jamie wouldn't throw them out because she used them when she would go out to goof off in the pouring rain or in the mud. They were beginning to smell, though, so they would find their way into a trash can soon. Taking a deep breath she stretched her short legs out a bit, watching a couple out on the little field goof around. "Sometimes I wonder if people ever get tired of nearly fucking each other out on that field," she pondered, shaking her head.

Of course, Jamie had the biggest crush on Brandon adn wouldn't mind spending some time out there but she would never admit that. Brandon was one of her best friends and she wouldn't want to ruin that, plus he wouldn't believe her if she told him anyway. Jamie was a goof off and most of the things that came out of her mouth were silly or not true anyway. "Ohhh you should go swing with me at the playground!" she said suddenly, looking at him with her infectious little smile. Jamie tended to do things randomly, like going to the playground to swing on the swings. Hell she had even had a fight with a five year old once over who got the swing first, and an eight year old over going down the slide. No one had ever said like had to be serious and Jamie took that meaning to the utmost extreme.

She wouldn't get up until Brandon gave her a definite yes, her sharp blue eyes watching him for a minute. She was waiting for her phone to go off and her coach to start yelling at her for not being at practice. Today she just didn't give a damn and wanted to be a normal teenager for a little bit. Of course, being normal here on campus at a boarding school was tough but she wanted to try to be. Looking back to Brandon she waited for his answer, hoping it was a big yes.