Chapter Four

Yep. Comments are STILL off - bloggy break, remember??

If you want you can scroll down and start with Chapter one, you can skip this blog and move onto the next, or you can go to "labels" on my right sidebar and click on Night Sky to bring them all on the same page :D

FOUR

            There have been a lot of mornings, especially Mondays, that I haven’t wanted to go to school. They don’t compare to this Monday. Not even a little bit. I think about being sick today. Neither Mom or Dad care if I take a day once in a while. I keep my grades up. It’s all part of Honor Society and student government and all that. But if I don’t go today, I’ll have to go tomorrow, or the next day. One extra day won’t change anything. Which sucks.

            I put on my Green Valley High School t-shirt, Diesel jeans, and old school Asics. Normal. Something I’d wear any day. I run my hands over my head, thankful I don’t have any hair to deal with. Sarah hasn’t called for a ride so I’m assuming she’s getting one from someone else. I take a deep breath before my lungs cave in.

            There’s a student government meeting this morning. I have time for a Cliff bar and nothing else. I take my first bite as I step out the front door.

            “Shit, shit shit!” I hear a girl’s voice.

            I stop next to my car and see Sky, a few houses down, kicking the tires on a worn, red Honda Civic. Where has she been this past week when I’ve looked toward her house more times than I’ll ever admit?

            “Problem?” I yell.

            “No!” She laughs. “Everything’s freaking perfect!”

            I climb into my car and pull out of the driveway. I watch her face fall and then brighten as I stop next to her. Most people look better in the dark, their faces lit up by the street lamps, or backyard pool lights. But not Sky, her deep skin is even more incredible in the sun.

            “So. This is actually your car.” Her hands go on her hips, but all I can see from down here is legs.

            “This is my car.” I smile at her through the window.

            “It’s a Golf. An old one.”

            “A quasi - sometimes - lifeguard job at the local pool doesn’t pay for a Porsche.” I open my door and stand up, resting my hand on the doorframe.

            “Guess not.” She shifts her backpack higher on her shoulder. “So, what does?”

            “My parents work in a casino.” It’s funny that no one really questions after that. They know there’s good money to be made there if you’re in one of the right jobs.

            “Oh.”

            “Can I give you a ride?”

            “Don’t you need to get to school?” Her eyes narrow. She’s pointing out my age again, I’m sure of it.

            “Don’t you?”

            Her smile widens. “Yeah. Sure you don’t mind?”

            “Not at all.” A corner of my mouth pulls up. Something that seemed like an impossibility only a few moments ago.

            “Thanks.”

            Sky’s in tiny shorts, a hoodie, and old chucks. Her long hair flows behind her as she walks around the front of my car.

            I climb in at the same time she does.

            “Don’t look at me like that, Jay.” She purses her lips together, but I can see her hold in a smile.

            “Like what.” I let myself smile back as I pull out of the driveway and head toward campus. This is probably going to be the best part of my day.

            “Like you’re trying to earn your real kiss.” She crosses her legs.

            I glance down.

            “Eyes on the road.” She laughs and pulls her pack onto her lap. “Thanks for this. I’m not good with math and it doesn’t help that it’s a 7:30 class.”

            “What kind of math are you doing?” The drive to campus is short. I only have about three more minutes in the car with her and I want to make the most of it.

            “Just college algebra.” Her shoulders slump.

            “I could help you, if you want.” College algebra, I know I can help.

            “Well wouldn’t that be crazy?”

            As I study her face, I now don’t think she’s much older than me, a year, two tops. Much better. I might be a little bit closer to my league than I thought.

            “Come on over later. I’ll make sure there’s Pepsi. We’ll work on math, and if you want, we could go for another swim.”

            “I don’t know what to make of you.” Her face looks more serious than I’ve ever seen it.

            Milk chocolate eyes, high cheekbones, thin lips. I want to run my finger down the line of her jaw, across her chin. I’m probably just putting whatever I felt, or feel for Sarah onto Sky. Really not fair. But then I remember our kiss, and I think about how much I’d like to do it again.

            “Whatever you’re thinking, stop.” She points at me.

            I resist the temptation to kiss the tip of her finger. “Stopping.” I put my car in park for her to climb out.

            “Thanks for the ride.” She steps out.

            “See you later. You know, for Pepsi.” I lean over into the passenger’s seat so I can see her face.

            “And math.” She stops before closing the door. “If I need help.”

            The door closes. I sit and watch her long legs walk away. What am I doing?

- - -

            I jog into the student government meeting about 5 minutes before it’s supposed to end.

            “Oh, there’s our student body VP. Nice of you to show.” Matt and I are friends, but he gets a power trip over being student body Pres.

            “Bite me, Matt.” I laugh and plant my butt on a desk and my feet in the chair in front of it.

            “We were just talking about the next assembly.”

            All eyes are on me. I’m never late. I’m early. Always. I ignore the looks and pull out my notebook. “Safety assembly, right?”

            “Uh, right.” Matt’s mouth pulls down. He’s probably annoyed I remember because I walked in late.

            “I talked with our two speakers yesterday. They’re good.” I glance down my notes. “Mr. Forrester did a dry run with the projection screen in the gym so the slide show that the police want to do should go off without a hitch.”

            The door opens again. Sarah. My mouth is dry. I’m pretty sure my tongue swells up to something that looks like a baseball and my heart threatens to break free from its cage inside my ribs. Even the shape of her body shows her bubbly personality. She’s short with great curves and a big smile. This sucks.

            “What were you two up to?” Kaylee smirks at me as she taps my foot with hers.

            Right. Kaylee’s not allowed to go to the dances. She’s probably the only one in the school who doesn’t know our quarterback now has a girlfriend.

            And then it happens. What I knew I’d face today. Eric appears behind her, leans down, and gives her a kiss before stepping away. Sarah’s lips. The ones I’ve stared at for . . . Okay. I gotta get a grip or I’ll never make it through the day.

            She beams. It’s a Sarah smile. The one no one should be able to resist because it’s full of goodness and happiness. She half leans out the door as it closes and when she turns to face us, the happiness is still all over her face. It dances around in her eyes and weaves its way through her body.

            The whole room is now staring at her.

            “Sorry.” She bites her bottom lip to hold in her goofy grin.

            It stabs and pulls at my chest, but my mouth stays closed. I make no noise and am amazed that I’m still in one piece.

            “Jameson will catch me up later.” She sits on the desk behind me and does a quick, soft scratch on my back. She always does this. Today is the first day I haven’t loved it.

            “Well, we’re adjourned unless anyone has any objections.” Matt sighs as if in defeat. A whole five minutes of his meeting was disturbed. Fortunately, I’m used to him. Matt is an odd mix of overachiever and lazy jock. It only seems like a contradiction in terms if you haven’t met him.

            I stand up and Sarah throws her arms around me, hugging me tightly. “Thank you. You know, for everything.”

            “Are you moving or something?” I try to tease. I don’t want to let the warmth of her body next to mine affect me, but it’s hard. She feels so good. I lean my face down, just a little and breathe in. Then I have to keep from choking. She doesn’t smell like Sarah, she smells like guy, like Eric.

            I drop my arms.

            “I gotta run.” She steps back, goofy grin still intact.

            “See ya.” And I stand in the room like an idiot and watch her walk away.

            “You okay?” Kaylee bumps my side with her shoulder.

            “I . . . I don’t know.” The classroom is empty aside from Kaylee and Mr. Carlson, who pretty much leaves us to our meetings.

            “You like her.” Kaylee’s voice is quiet.

            “Doesn’t matter.” I shake my head.

            “If it makes you feel better, I was just waiting for the day when you two walked in here holding hands. It felt inevitable.” Now she’s wearing the same sympathetic smile Mom’s been showing.

            But all I can think is – Yeah, to two of us.

            “Jameson?” Mr. Carlson asks from his desk. He’s a good teacher and a great coach.

            “Yeah?” I whirl around.

            “First official day of swim team practice today?”

            “You know I’ll be there.”

            “Great.” He adjusts his wire glasses once before going back to his computer.

            I’ll need the distraction.