New To The Feeling

Calm down... just simmer down. Count backwards from ten... anything to keep them from knowing you're angry. Wait, why am I angry? I should be angry with Jake for hanging out with this girl. I mean look at her, blonde hair, heavy make-up.. spiked heals?! Its four in the afternoon! Nobody wears heals that high! Ok, relax. You don't know the girl, don't judge her... this is going to be impossible.

"Uh.." I stammered, "I need to go home. I have to watch my sister while my parents go on their weekly... monthly date."

"Ok." Jake stated, never looking at me, but continued talking to Jana. I rolled my eyes, gathered myself and walked out of the Starbucks.

My legs carried me quickly to my car. I walked heavily on my feet, but looked like I was on a mission to get where ever I was going. I refused to look back. It didn't take long before I heard footsteps approaching from behind me. I quickened my pace and reached my car, fumbling with my keys to unlock the door and jumped in. I went to slam the door quickly, but someone caught it; none other than Wylie Kurns.

"Why in such a rush?" He said coolly.

"I told you, I'm late." I said, dodging the true reason.

"You are not. You're sister is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Trust me, I know." I know you know, but let me leave anyway!/

"It's just that I said I'd be home. I have to go." I pulled on the car door and he released it. I started the engine and pulled away as fast as I could.

My mind was racing with thoughts. What did it matter? I don't know the girl. I left Jake in there with her! ALONE! I sighed a deep sigh as I reached a red light. I took the momentary pause to collect myself and continue on my way.

This is not my day.

***

I sat in my empty house, all only, but me and my pint of chocolate peanut-butter swirl ice cream and a soup spoon. I had decided that the rest of my day was to be dedicated to absolutely nothing. Just me, my ice cream, and the television. Nothing would disrupt me. So far I had made it about two hours without a disruption...

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Ahhh!!!!!" I hollared and stood to make my way towards the door. I held my ice cream in one hand and placed the spoon in my mouth, which was bulging out my cheeks, and opened the door.

"Whaaah." It was supposed to be 'what', but the spoon disabled my ability to speak articulately, or naturally, for that matter.

"Hi." Wylie flashed a quick wave.

I slammed the door and turned to saunter back to my couch. I flopped down, ignoring the constant knocking and pleaded from the other side of the door. I had a feeling it wouldn't take long before he walked in on his own. 3...2...1... cue mohawk-boy.

"Someone must have told you that it isn't polite to slam the door in friends faces." He walked up behind the couch and hung is head over the top of it so he was facing me, but upside-down.

I pulled the spoon from my mouth, "We're not friends and you're blocking my tv."

"Oh, c'mon now. You know you love me and.." He looked to check the television, "...Spongebob Squarepants can wait."

At this, I stood and stormed passed him towards my kitchen to return the half-empty ice cream carton the to the freezer. Without fail, Wylie followed me.

"What is wrong?... and where's your sister?" He glanced around.

"Oh, shut up! You damn well know my sister isn't around!" I stormed past him again and flopped full-length and face down on the couch.

"It doesn't have to come to cursing." I looked up for a moment just to give him the like-you-should-be-talking face, then it was back down into the pillow, "Ok, Skylar this is ridiculous."

"Gah awah." My voice was muffled.

"What?" He asked.

I looked up at him, standing next to me, and with extremely over exaggerated lip movements I commanded, "Go away!" and it was back to the pillow.

Wylie didn't move for a short time before finally walking over and sitting, just barely, on the edge of the couch next to my waist. He placed a hand on the small of my back and then walked his fingers up towards my neck, giving me shivers. I tensed my shoulders as he reached my neck and began running his fingers threw my short and currently unkempt hair. He reached over with the other hand and began massaging my shoulders forcing me to relax. I rolled my head to one side, looking away from him, as he moved his fingers expertly down massaging my back.

I sighed heavily before a silent tear fell, rolling across the bridge of my nose and onto the pillow beneath me. Before I knew it, my shoulders were trembling with brisk sobs. Wylie pulled on my side, instructing me with gestures to sit up. I sat, leaning against the arm of the chair with my knees pulled to my chest. Wylie, again pulled on me, getting me to turn so I was seated next to him and he wrapped his long arms around my shoulders with my weight leaning against him.

We sat there for a while, not moving. I could feel him breathing. I was thinking of when I met him and all the times he's tortured me. This Wylie was so different. I don't know what it was that made him suddenly nice to me. He was comforting and a familiar face. Although, it scared me to think that he may be replacing Jake's place as primary comforter.

Wylie pressed his cheek against my forehead and ran one hand through my hair. I had stopped crying, but was now overwhelmed with questions. Why is he nice to me? What has he done to me? Is this all a joke? Am I dreaming? Then, one question crossed my mind that couldn't go unanswered.

I pulled a way slightly to look him in the eyes, his arms still around me, "What is it about you that makes me so vulnerable?" His eyes were piercing mine; deep in thought.

"I should be asking you the same thing." He responded, "My life, my story, my mother. I've never told anyone anything and here I am holding you, comforting you when in reality, the boyfriend should be doing this. You have enough dish on me for a major blackmailing scandal."

I threw my head back and laughed; Wylie held me just a tad tighter, enough to notice, but not enough to make a difference.

"C'mon, think about it, you've done something to me. That doesn't mean I'll be nice all the time though," he said suddenly, "some things don't change."

I looked at his face again, contemplating what to say. Apparently everything I felt that he did to me, I was doing to him unknowingly. I was trying to fix, however, while he was trying to corrupt me... or so I thought.

"I guess I just don't cry in front of people, but no matter how strong I am, you always break it." I pierced my lips together and looked away. I lied my head back with his arm behind my neck and my head lightly touching the back of the couch. I shut my eyes briefly, before he pulled his hands from around me and pulled away. I snapped my eyes open and looked at him.

"You know that boyfriend of yours is off with Jana." Suddenly I remember the rage I had felt, but not for Jake, it had been for Wylie.

"What were you doing with her anyway?" I scoffed, trying to mask my anger.

"Did you hear what I said? Y o u r b o y f r i e n d i s w i t h J a n a." Wylie annunciated every syllable.

"Yeah," I said slowly, "She's his lab partner." I shook my head as to say 'who cares?'.

"You're just gonna ignore what's going on." He said in disbelief.

"What is there to ignore?" The thought had crossed my mind, but I still wanted to know, "What were you doing with her?"

"I took her on a date." He shrugged. Now I felt my face get hot.

"A date?! Are you serious?! Jana... a girl like that. You know what people say about her?!" I said forcefully.

"Yeah, I do know and she's out with YOUR boyfriend." He had a point.

"Ugh, I trust Jake." I rolled my eyes.

"I don't."

"He doesn't trust you, either, who cares?" I could feel the room getting tense.

"I'm just gonna go." Wylie stood to walk out but I grabbed his hand; cautiously this time.

"Don't walk out." I pleaded.

"Why? If we're friends, you'd believe me." He said.

I sighed and released his hand. I had nothing to say. I had no reason not to believe him. He's never lied to me, that I know of, neither has Jake. Who was I to believe?

Wylie headed towards the door and I threw my head back against the couch again, shutting my eyes. The television was still on as I thought to myself. I heard the front door open, then shut again. I lied there, eyes shut, refusing to believe my boyfriend would cheat.

Then, from behind me, a pair of lips pressed against mine. Struck by the sudden rush of desire... I kissed back. A hand was placed on the side of my face ever so lightly.

I opened my eyes as Wylie pulled away. Shock and pure, raw passion filled my chest. I quickly sat up and faced the backwards on the couch to look at Wylie, who was now standing a few feet from the couch leaning on a wall.

"I couldn't put it off any longer." It was all he said.
"I, uh..." But before I could finish a thought---had I had one to finish--Wylie rushed in for another kiss.

This time he pulled close to me before releasing suddenly and turning to walk out the door.

I sat, astonished, for probably a half hour. I finally reached for the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" Beth had answered her cell for once.

"Just listen... he's out of his mind, but a fantastic kisser."