Chapter 5
After school, Laurel talks me into sitting in a chair in the middle of a parking space in the school's back lot until she gets back from driving Sam Hassan's Dad's Ferrari he snuck to school today while his Dad is out of town on business. When any other car starts to pull in, I just keep waving them off, "move along, this spot's taken" without looking up from my book. They beep or flip me off (I'm guessing about the latter, because I cannot bother to look up. This new Rick Yancey dystopian has me completely absorbed.)
"Hey! Crazy reading person! This is a parking space, not a sitting space!"
However, Josh's amusement does pull my attention from the page.
"Hey, yourself. What are you doing out here?"
"Heading out to the track. There's a meet next week against Whitman and I need some extra practice to pull up my sprint ranking," he said cocking an eyebrow at me, "what on earth has Laurel talked you into this time?"
"Saving a parking space to help her cross an item off her bucket list.”
Laurel shared her items with the guys at lunch last week. Player, being the only senior in our group, very generously offered to help her knock off two items at the same time if she wanted to make out with him, then fall in love with him. He promised he would let her down easy for the sake of their friendship. His offer brought a long round of laughs from all of us. Player? In love? HA!
When they asked about my list, I shared the first four, but Laurel and I could not stop laughing about how I 'conveniently' forgot what my fifth one was. Mercifully, the bell rang ending lunch, because I could not take much more nagging from the guys. They almost made me crack and tell them about the ground shaking First Kiss I’m required to have this year.
Standing there right in front of me in the middle of the parking space, Josh suddenly starts stretching out his calf muscles. The action makes his neon blue running shorts move in a such a distracting manner that I'm about to sarcastically comment that this isn't a yoga spot either, when he said, "sounds like one of her more crazier friend requests."
"Normally, I would say no, but her smile was so bright it was blinding my eyes, and she was so psyched my denial came out, 'of course I will'. It's not the first time her infectious enthusiasm has gotten me to go along."
"I thought her persuasive superpower only worked on guys?"
"Yeah, well, she has a way with girls too. I swear, since she moved here in 6th grade she's talked me into doing so many crazy things sometimes I don't know how I have survived not having a juvenile record this long," I laugh and watch him lift his ankle to grab it behind his back and something occurs to me.
"I have never seen you run," I tell him, "did you say this is your third year with a team?"
He thinks for a minute, "that's right, you haven't. Yeah, I’ve been running track and field since my freshman year. Why don't you come over to the track after you're done here? I'm going to be there for the next hour.”
"It's a date," I say without thinking, then start to blush when he smiles, and I'm just sitting there with the words echoing in my head. It's a date.
"Ok then. See you in a few," he said giving me a quick wink and jogging off.
Moron. You probably haven't put your foot in your mouth this much since you were a baby Katie. How do your socks taste today btw?
I try to lose myself back in Yancey's apocalyptic future until Laurel's beep beep a couple minutes later told me my afternoon BFF favor has finally ended. Now I can head over to watch Josh run.
I walk through the gate entrance to the track and football field to find a seat in the bleachers right behind the fence and look for Josh on the field. I am more than a little self-conscious that searching for a pair of neon blue shorts in a crowd of runners means I'm basically publicly staring at everyone's butt or crotch until I find Josh's.
His running shorts that is.
My stomach gives a little butterfly flutter when he catches my eye when I see him sitting with another group of runners in the grass stretching out, and he waves up to me in the stands. I smile and wave back as his group starts practice. He has an iPod strapped to his arm and he puts in his ear buds before they jog to the track starting their run at a steady group pace. After half a lap, Josh and two other guys pull out ahead and increase their stride.
He really is incredible to watch. I know next to nothing about running, but he looks almost...graceful as he runs. The pace he is doing is so consistent and fluid, it almost looks like some kind of choreographed dance that only moves forward in a straight line.
After I watch him run for a while (I totally forgot my book sitting next me unread), on the last lap he crosses the track lanes to jog over to me at the fence. His shirt is soaked with sweat and he's breathing heavy.
"Hey....you stayed the whole time?"
"Of course, you're amazing to watch. The whole team I mean, it's really something how you guys all keep up."
His smile fills his whole face, "I have to take a couple of cool down laps so my muscles don't tighten up. Want to walk with me?" he asks.
Like I'm going to say no. "Sure, but only if you keep your distance. Guy BO is not exactly my favorite scent."
"Deal."
I leave my backpack on the bench and we start walking the track side-by-side quietly until I ask him if he always listens to his iPod when he runs.
"Yeah, the rhythm of the music helps me set and keep my pace. I put together a playlist that starts off slow and the beat works up to something faster that matches whatever workout I need that day."
"What are you listening to today?" I ask him.
He rattles off the name of a few bands that sound familiar. I just nod like a moron. I really don't know music at all.
"Want to listen?" he said offering me one of the earpieces hanging around his neck.
"Sure," I slide one into my right ear closest to him and he puts the other one in his left. We have to walk kind of close together so we can listen. He hits a button on his iPod and a deep smooth male voice and the straining notes of a guitar start flowing into my ear. The rhythm is low and steady, calming. It must be the end of his workout playlist. I'm starting to feel more relaxed after just a few minutes.
We walk a few laps around the track sharing his ear buds. We stop only once for him to change the music on his iPod to something with a little bit faster rock beat. When we come around again to where my backpack is I stop and return earpiece telling him I should probably get home. I have a mountain of homework in Chemistry, "but you go ahead and keep walking until you've cooled down."
Oh, that mischievous little half grin of his, "it only takes one lap to cool down, I just wanted to keep walking with you."
I can't help smiling when I give him a you are so incorrigible headshake.
"If you give me a minute to grab my stuff from my locker, I'll meet you out front and I'll walk you home."
"Ok," I say.
He keeps me waiting by the front of the school for another fifteen minutes. Did he forget where his locker was? Have they never heard of the term 'mountain of homework' at his old school? It is a clearly defined unit of measurement for inflicting pain on high school students.
Just when I'm about to start walking home alone, I see him come out the front doors. I almost don't recognize him. His hair is all wet which makes it look much darker than the dirty blonde I have grown used to seeing the last few weeks.
"I was about to leave your late butt. What took you so long?" I ask leaning down to pick up my backpack.
He grabs it before I can and throws it over his other shoulder along with his as if they're filled with nothing but feathers instead of half a dozen textbooks.
"Sorry I made you wait, but I couldn't risk offending your delicate sensibilities again with my manly BO, so I grabbed a quick shower in the gym lockers."
I blush a little bit, but this time my blush is from shame, mostly, and possibly from an involuntary mental image of Josh showering.
He was being considerate of me
, and I reprimanded him for it. Way to be a thoughtless dumbass Katie.
"We'll, I'll forgive it this time, but you should know all of us well-mannered Virginia girls think punctuality is a highly sought-after character trait in guys."
"Duly noted," he grins back.
"Do not."
"Do too."
"Oh shut up, you have no idea what you're talking about."
"Whoa, what's going on?" I ask sitting down next to Jaxon at lunch.
"Whoa yourself," Jaxon told me, "that shirt looks great on you. Red is really your color Katie."
"Thanks," I blush a little remembering when Josh told me the same thing in my room that afternoon when he held up one of my thongs, "it's one of Laurel's Dolce & Gabbana silk shirts. Actually, I may skip lunch today. I'm kind of afraid to eat around it."
"Feel free to take it off then Hot Stuff, we won't object, will we guys?" Player said sitting down.
"Yes you do," Laurel said glancing up at Jaxon.
"Oh for crying out loud girl will you let it go already?" Jaxon snaps at her.
"What is with you two today?" I ask them. They can both be pretty dug in with their opinions but it's never had this edge to it before.
"Jaxon has a secret girlfriend that he's not telling us about," she told us.
Whoa. That is big. We have never kept boyfriend/girlfriend secrets from each other. Ever. I can see why Laurel is a little upset.
"For the thousandth time, I DO NOT have a secret girlfriend!" Jaxon insists.
"Then who were you texting with last night when I tried to text you, hmmm?" she asks.
"I told you I was talking with a friend, how does that automatically translate into your crazy brain as 'secret girlfriend' Miss Crazy Brain?" Jaxon asks her.
"Josh you have two other classes with him, have you seen him talking to any girls a lot lately?" she asks him.
"Hey, I'm just the new guy, don't drag me into this," Josh said sitting next to me.
"Hm. Typical, boys sticking together. I'm telling you, I know you're keeping someone a secret and I'm going to find out who it is so you might as well just tell me now and save yourself the trouble Jaxon."
"You're crazy, she's certifiable. What's wrong, haven't gotten your daily dose of tonsil hockey this week yet?" he asks her.
Player raises his hand, "I have. But I'm always up for more Hot Stuff if you get bored with your books. That red silk is killing me over here."
Laurel crosses her arms giving Jaxon a withering look, "if you weren't texting a new girlfriend, then who was the message you accidentally sent to me meant for?"
Jaxon is suddenly very still next to me, "what do you mean?"
"You texted me, I miss you too, who was that message meant for?" She will not let up with this.
"I do miss you. You're bat shit crazy, but I miss you all the time," he told her.
She narrows her eyes and fixes him with a deadly stare, "I didn't text I missed you, I texted you asking if I could borrow your history notes for Unit 2. YOU wrote back, I miss you too," she just leaves it hanging and we're all holding our breath at this point waiting to see when Jaxon is going to crack.
"Bat shit crazy alright," and he gets up and leaves the cafeteria.
"That is one tough nut to crack," Player said, "now about that tonsil hockey…"
I spy Hot Football Senior Guy talking with Cheerleader Barbie in the hallway. I don’t know her name but she’s always sporting a blond ponytail and looks just like the doll, hence the nickname. I turn on my heel to head in the other direction before he can see me.
"Hey, red! Wait up!" I'm wearing a red shirt today but that doesn't necessarily mean me right? I look over my shoulder and he is heading straight for me. Crap. Too late.
I turn back around and wait for him to reach me. Cheerleader Barbie gives me a look like I am damn lucky she doesn’t have a flamethrower handy.
He asks me if I saw him play on Friday. I take me a minute to figure out that he's talking about the school football game last Friday. Contrary to his first impression of me, I am not a huge sports fan, but I have thought about going to a home game sometime this year. Last Friday was an away game I think. Hope I guess right.
"Sorry, no. Didn't have a ride so I had to miss it," I say. Laurel would be so proud, my first on-the-spot-lie to a guy.
He looks disappointed for a second and I think he's caught me, but then he smiles, starts talking about how, “yeah, the away games never have as big an attendance as the home games,” but they're home this week so maybe I can make it.
I make a non-committal grunt with a slight head nod that he apparently finds acceptable because he launches into a telling me about how he tried that swivel dance move I was talking about I saw on ESPN last week and it worked (ok, my second lie). The offensive something or other was totally faked out and he threw in a big shove at the last second when the guy was off balance that sent him nose first into the ground.
“I had to do something so my dance swivel didn't look too gay,” he said.
Hot Football Senior Guy gets 10 points taken off his hotness level for using the word ‘gay’ as a negative. I hate that so much.
I adjust the book bag now digging into my shoulder and turn to start walking away when he reaches out to take it, "here let me get that, geez what did you bring home half the library?"
I bite back a nasty comment because his smile doesn't seem like he's teasing me. Then he offers to give me a ride so I don’t have to carry the packed tote bag all the way home. I thank him explaining how I only live a half mile away so it shouldn't be a problem if he has any driving restrictions from his parents.
“That's ok, I can drive anywhere I want. I don't have any limits. How lame would that be?” he said.
We walk through the school parking lot and stop in front of a Toyota Prius.
“Is this your car or your Mom or Dad's?” I ask.
“My Dad is a di-- a deadbeat. Took off when I was three,” he told me a little too clipped, “the Prius was my Mom’s. She remarried when I was five. She and my Stepdad are total eco freaks. Our last spring break was spent touring a recycling facility down south,” his accompanying laugh sounds a little hollow.
He doesn't seem as happy-go-lucky now. I feel guilty I brought up his Dad even though I couldn't possibly have known and now he's bummed out so I decide to change the subject fast when we he puts the car in drive. I see a picture of a young girl in pig tails taped to his dashboard.
"New girlfriend? She's a little young for a Prom date isn't she?"
Lucky for me he kind of laughs at my lame attempt at humor, "she's my little sister. She's seven and wicked smart. Like you,” he explains.
Excuse me? He thinks I'm wicked smart?
"You wouldn't think that if you saw my latest chemistry exam. Four points lower and I'm grounded for a month,” I tell him.
"Her room is packed with books. She likes to read, like you."
"What makes you think I like to read?" I do, but that is totally beside the point.
"I always see you reading a book at lunch or outside in the courtyard, and that tote bag in the back seat isn't full of rocks is it?" he jokes.
I can't talk. I might be in shock trying to process the fact that he noticed me at least two different times.
"I….didn't know you saw me," I stammer. Get. A. Grip. Katie.
"You're kind of hard to miss these days.”
These days? Before I have time to ask him to elaborate, I'm home. Seriously, WHY do we have to live so close to school?
"That’s my house up there on the right; the one with the big tree in the front yard and the red shutters."
I wait half a second, but he doesn't get out to open my door, or walk me to the porch. (Seriously what was I thinking? That every guy would be like Liam?) I’m a little disappointed as I reach for the door handle with my right hand. Suddenly he grabs my left arm.
"Wait a second Katie," he said.
I think my heart just stopped
. I know it did. I can't breathe. Is the Hot Football Senior Guy actually going to kiss me? Crap. I didn't put on any cherry Chapstick after lunch and I sure can't ask him to wait a second while I fish it out from the bottom of my backpack. Are my lips soft, or dry and cracked? I take a quick half second to check with my tongue. Yep. They're good so I turn back to him, lean in, and close my eyes.
"Here, you almost forgot this."
My eyes fly open and he's lifting my book bag from the back seat to hand it to me.
Oh. My. God!
"Thanks. For everything," I say grabbing my bag.
Tear out of the car.
Race to the house.
Get inside before he sees your flame red cheeks of humiliation you moron!
Seven o’clock on the Saturday night before Halloween weekend finds me supremely ticked off.
Laurel just called telling me she has to bail on our horror movie night for some guy she just met at the mall that afternoon. Her BFF ranking just dropped a few levels.
Mom and Dad left an hour ago to meet some friends for dinner. Now I’m staring at a huge bowl of popcorn on a table full of pizza and junk food and no one to share it with when the phone rings. Better be her calling back to apologize and beg my forgiveness.
“You better be calling to apologize to me you raging ho,” I say picking up.
“Why? What did I do? And I'm not sure I'd agree about the ho part, but I do think 'raging' is a bit harsh,” the deep voice on the other end asks laughing. It takes me a second to match the voice to a name.
“Josh? Oh God, I'm sorry, no I thought you were Laurel,” I say more than a bit surprised.
“Yeah, people confuse us all the time, it's getting really old,” he said. I can hear the smile in his voice.
“How’d you get my number?” I ask him.
“My Mom’s got it on speed dial. You’re house is # 3 right after 911 and my Dad’s office," he explains.
“Wow, we should feel special.”
“Totally. Whatcha doin’?” he asks.
“Oh you know me. HUGE Saturday plans," I say then sigh, "to be honest, absolutely nothing. Laurel just bailed on our monthly movie marathon we had planned and my parents are out until later.”
“Yeah I know. They’re having dinner with my parents.”
“Oh, you want to come over? Mom bought loads of pizza and junk food for us and it’s just sitting here,” I ask him.
“Sounds like a plan. Give me ten minutes. I’ll be right over,” he said hanging up.
I put the phone back and don’t give Laurel another thought and instead head to the kitchen to grab some plates and napkins.
When the doorbell rings, I open the door to a big bag of Oreo cookies waving in my face.
“I brought dessert!”
We both start laughing and I think I’m looking more forward to movie night more than I have in a long time.
A little while later, we’re hanging out on the living room couch both too stuffed to move. We’re only into the second movie of our marathon when I let out a little scream grabbing Josh's arm to bury my face between him and the couch.
“OUCH! Sharp nails! That’s the 3rd time Kat!”
“Sorry,” I loosen my grip but don’t let go, “I just can’t stand that part.”
“I thought you said you and Laurel watch horror movies all the time?”
“We do, but this is one of the more gory ones, and I always forget when that scene with the axe comes up.”
“You want me to change the movie?” he asks.
“No. I really do like them.”
“Then how about you sit on my other side to give the skin on this arm a chance to heal?”
I switch sides giving him a solemn promise not to maul his other arm. Much. The next thing I know I’m jarred awake by the front door slamming shut.
“Seriously what is with this kid? Why can’t he sleep at his own house?” I hear Dad say from the hallway. He doesn’t sound mad really, but he doesn’t exactly sound happy either.
“Settle down Jim and lower your voice,” Mom said.
“It’s my house. I’ll talk loud if I want to,” he said as the phone rings.
“Shush. Katie? Josh? Hey sleepyheads, it’s late. Time to go,” Mom said coming into the living room.
I blink a few times and lift my head off Josh’s shoulder elbowing him in the ribs. He yawns, stretches, and just looks at me all dazed and disoriented with this sleepy little half smile.
“Doesn’t he have his own couch at home?” Dad hollers stomping off to the kitchen to answer the phone.
“My Dad’s back,” I tell him, my voice still heavy with sleep.
“Aw crap,” Josh said as the reality of how it must look to my parents now has him wide-awake. They were expecting Laurel to be here alone with me all night. Not find Josh and me alone on the couch in the dark.
“Come on Josh. Jim can take you home,” Mom offers.
“Thanks, but that’s ok Mrs. O’Connell I can walk.”
“His Mom’s on the phone. She wants to know if we’ve seen him,” Dad yells to us.
“Tell her he’s on his way,” she hollers over her shoulder to him looking back at both of us with a raised eyebrow and a hint of a smile.
Josh stands up and starts to leave, “guess I’ll see you later Kat.”
“Not so fast Mister Sleeps Anywhere He Wants. It's after midnight, we wouldn’t want you to trip in the dark and break a leg or anything now would we? I’ll drive you home and we can have a nice little chat along the way,” Dad told him, “after you,” he said jingling his car keys at Josh.
“Yes sir,” Josh said giving me a parting look over his shoulder that said how about a little help here Kat?
All I can do is shrug my shoulders in response and try not to smile. He is so busted.
As Dad closes the door behind him I start to get up and head to bed when Mom stops me.
“Stay right there young lady. You and I need to have a little chat of our own.”
Crap. Looks like Josh isn’t the only one who’s busted.
“I’m digging the sweater. Nice knockers,” Player told me as he sits down to lunch the next day, “what’s with the long face hot stuff?”
I jump when Josh drops his lunch tray on the table next to me a second later with a loud bang.
“Jesus Josh. You too? Who pissed in your Wheaties today?” Players asks him.
Josh and I give each other a look and shake our heads at the same time.
“Seriously. You both look miserable. What’s wrong?” Laurel asks taking the seat across from me right next to Player.
“I’m grounded all week no thanks to you AND my parents shut my phone off,” I snap at her.
“I was wondering why you weren’t answering my texts yesterday. I fail to see how this is my fault. What did you do?” she asks.
“If you hadn’t bailed on me for some guy, you would have been at my house Saturday night watching movies and I wouldn’t have invited Josh over instead,” I tell her.
“This story just got waaaay more interesting,” Player said propping his elbows on the table and leaning in.
“Sounds to me like whatever happened was worth the punishment,” Laurel teases.
“It wasn’t like that!” Josh finally said.
“We just fell asleep on the couch watching movies all night while our parents were out having dinner together,” I tell them.
“What a wasted opportunity,” she mumbles taking a bite of her sandwich, “so what sentence did your non-lecherous activity get you Josh?”
“Extra chores all week and no phone. Oh, and can’t forget the lovely little talk your Dad gave me in the car when he drove me home,” he told me with a dirty look.
“Hey! Don’t get mad at me. It’s not my fault. You didn’t get the 3rd degree from my Mom like I did after you left,” I tell him. The conversation EVERY 17 year old girl wants to have with her Mom about personal responsibility and condoms vs. the pill. I’m burning all
the way up to my ears remembering what the good doctor said.
“No, I just got a 15 minute lecture from your Dad about how a young man needs to make responsible choices AND how he found his softball bag!”
“It doesn’t take 15 minutes to drive from my house to yours.”
“He drove past my house three times circling the block Kat!”
Crap. I’m so embarrassed and I’m sure my face is on fire but I’m so mad I can’t sit still. I get up from the table with a huff. Leaving Josh fuming, and Laurel and Player with their mouths hanging open looking stunned.
I can’t even see straight I’m so pissed that I nearly run straight into Hot Football Senior Guy coming in for lunch while I’m trying to make my escape.
Double crap.
"Whoa, hey Katie, everything ok?" he asks me holding my arms.
"Not exactly. I just want to get out of here and back to class," I tell him a little out of breath.
"Ok, I'll walk you there, you look like you could use a friend."
He couldn't be more right.