Survival Of The Fittest

Procrastination.

It was weeks, and also months ago. He wanted to ask. Always, Alessio said that he would do it later.

But he couldn't procrastinate anymore. He could not delay what he always had wanted to do. Not now.

It was in two days. The Sadie Hawkins Dance.

It was his final chance. Next year? Next year, he couldn't do it anymore. Next year, she's gone from school and he will never ever see her again.

Now, he could see her. He approached her, as she was about to leave school. He knew he shouldn't go to ask her to dance. That was not traditional. She had to ask him out for Sadie Hawkins. But that wouldn't happen. So he had to ask her. Ask her whether she already has a dance partner or not. Ask her, in case she had no partner, whether she'd mind to go there with him or not.

He had attempted to approach her during recess, too, but...but he couldn't. But now was the time. School was over, she planned to go home. Now or Tomorrow. Alessio tapped on her right shoulder for her to turn around.

Vanessa Stone was sticking her books into her locker for the night, where they could sit safely unstudied whilst she played Metal Gear. Slice up some cyborgs, listen to some kickass guitar riffs, it was all good.

The tap on her shoulder broke her out of her calm mindset in a flash, sending her wheeling around and pressing her back into her locker with an audible thump. She dug her fingers into the metal as she caught her breath, chest tensed like a cornered cat. Christ she hated being touched.

"Don't do that." She hissed, slowly easing when she saw it was just…whoever this guy was.

"Sorry, but just don't touch me please." She sighed, trying to pull back on the daggers she was staring. It's not like everyone knew about her rule about personal contact, anyway; no sense getting pissed at every person who wasn't in the loop.

Still eyeing her mystery poker, she was trying to pull up a name to the face. Unfortunately, she was drawing a serious blank, which might've been a touch awkward if she was actually sitting behind him in class or something. Meh, whatever.

"So, what'sup?" she asked, just the faintest linger of her edginess still coming across in her tone.

Alessio scared Vanessa.

"Sorry! I'm sorry for surprising you."

Vanessa scared Alessio.

Her grey eyes were so beautiful, but also made Al's fingers feel numb.

It was difficult. So hard to resist to look at the floor or at the locker. But he still managed to look into her eyes.

God, her eyes. He had to say something!

What had Darkwing Duck always said? Let's go dangerous.

"Hey!...Vanessa."

He had to say, to ask. Something. Don't be too direct.

"How are you doing?", Alessio asked with a smile. Maybe the smile was a bit too faked, because honestly, he did not feel happy at all. It was uncomfortable. But he was happy to see Vanessa.

First small talk. Then get to the point. That is a way to start a conversation.

"You didn't surprise me."

Vanessa had folded her arms, that edginess starting to creep into the territory of impatience. Not that she had a problem with people coming up to her out of nowhere, she was cool to meet new people with whatever they might've wanted. When they started the conversation by entering her personal space, though? That didn't do much to endear her.

"…I'm fine though, thanks."

She rather hoped that this guy would get to his point already, though. Daylight was burning, and so was her precious free time.

Alessio was shaking. A bit.

"Uh..."

Partner, Sadie Hawkins, Asking Out. Which words should he use for the next sentence?

"I."

Love? Wanted to?

"Uhm. Sooo...do you."

Damn.

"How's the band? Are you guys planning to play sometime again? Soon."

Nailed it.

"Like. Like I really do like your songs. And love the lyrics. And you're a super go-good singer! And great guitarist as well."

Alessio played air guitar and put his left hand to his mouth as if it was a mic, while stating that. He hoped he did not look too silly, but that did not matter, as he knew that he was not born to become a mime. Al smiled, hoping for her to reply it.

Maybe that was the transition to get it across to the point. He was so close to asking her. Scary.

All of a sudden, Vanessa was watching a stranger randomly rock out in front of her. Here she'd been expecting him to canvas her for some petition or something, not flail around without warning.

She had to stare at him for a moment, just to register what happened. Then she broke out into a laugh.

Alessio did in fact, look very very silly. After the shaky introduction, though, it was doing a great job of putting Vanessa in a more receptive mood.

It didn't hurt his chances that he tossed some compliments her way, either. After all the crap she'd been going through over her singing lately, it was good to know that she still had plenty of fans out there.  Her guitar playing was never in doubt, of course, but she still liked to hear it.

"Thanks man, it's really nice of you to say so." She smiled, her arms loosening and her shoulders relaxing. "You been coming to our shows? Don't' think I've seen you at them before." Of course it was hard to remember every face at every show (even if most of them were just the same people from high school, but details), but she was starting to feel just a little bit guilty that she couldn't put a name on this guy. If nothing else, he certainly knew how to get on her good side.

He made her laugh. Alessio had to laugh in response, too. The feeling he had that made him laugh he could not repress, was a mix of pride of making Vanessa laugh and the fact that Vanessa was laughing with her beautiful voice.

She also thanked him! Alessio was able to drown his pride and be able to talk to her again, this time with a smile. A real one.

"Uh, yeah! I was in many of your shows. Peyote Coyote's my jam."

It was. Rock music was Alessio's thing. Stoner rock might have not been his favourite rock sub-genre, but it was in his top 5. Just simply because of her.

It made Alessio sad that Vanessa asked him whether he went to one of their shows, though, because Alessio thought Vanessa saw him there. He also could remember maybe exchanging some words there, but she might have forgotten.

"Uhm. So yeah."

Now was the time, finally. Time to direct the topic to Al's direction. Sadie Hawkins.

Hm, now he just should find the words. But it was like he had a sudden blackout. English is no more. Silence was now the language Al mastered with a PHD degree.

Alessio was usually a silent person, too. But this silence was the worst. God. Get a grip. "Would." His voice was not audible anymore, he just moved his lips. Luckily, a sound came out: "uhm."

Hm. What now? Ask.

"Have a nice day, Vanessa!"

He widened his smile. He then turned his back from Vanessa. He was done. He couldn't anymore.

Do you have a partner for Sadie Hawkins? Do you have a partner for Sadie Hawkins? Do you have a partner for Sadie Hawkins?

It was easy. In his head. It was a simple sentence.

He could return, ask that. Could. Should. And then he turned back to her.

"Uh, I'll go to your next concert! You guys are seriously great."

Alessio waved with his left hand before spinning once again, facing the direction of the exit of the school.

Almost. He couldn't turn to her a third time. Now it was done.

Nevermind. It was an untraditional idea and it would have seemed weird if he asked her out. Wow, rationalising was not one of Alessio's strength. That was not a good argument at all for not having done it. Alessio was nearing the door. The door he could pass through, but not return.

Hey, at least he talked to her once more. He did not talk to her about what he wanted, but he did talk. That's better rationalising. Also, she already had a partner. He could tell. It was 2 days from now. Like, she'd already have one. Chances are that this is the case.

Al wished that he would be that partner. That he could dance with her, talk with her more. Everything would be easier if she actually liked him. If he wasn't such a boring person. If he was sympathetic, instead of being Alessio. But Alessio did not want to mind that. He wouldn't cry at school. At home, when alone, at night? Maybe. But not now. It was fine.

The path of least resistance was still a valid option.

Alessio exited the school building and walked home. Confused, whether what had happened and what had not happened was a good thing or not.

God, what was he thinking.

((Alessio Rigano continued in Bohemian Purgatory))

Vanessa found herself waving at Alessio as he ran off, a fairly dumbfounded expression on her face as he turned heel more than a professional wrestler. The whole conversation had been a pretty random way to end the schoolday.

Never mind, she shrugged, as she went back to heading home for some PS3 binge.

Alessio's intentions had managed to fly clearly over Vanessa's head, which was his loss at the end of the day. Whilst she wasn't planning to head to the Sadie Hawkins dance at that moment, she wasn't going to turn down every invitation on principle. Who knows? Maybe if Alessio had plucked up a ltitle more courage, he'd have gotten lucky.

As it stood though, an unexpected, if friendly, encounter with a nervous fan wasn't going to leave the biggest mark on her mind.

((Vanessa Stone dun with dis))