Starry Night

The next Monday in homeroom, Stephanie came up to me, her orange-red hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. “Hi,” she said, dropping her books on the desk. “How was your weekend? The weather was pretty nice, but I had to make up the homework I didn’t do…”

I looked absently past her and said, “Oh that sucks. Mine was…” I hesitated slightly, wondering if I should tell her about Shamrock’s, “Boring. Not much to do when you don’t know where to go.”

“Definitely. We should hang out this weekend, I could show you...,” Stephanie trailed off and her cheeks turned the slightest of pink against her tan skin. I followed her blank stare behind me, and he poked me.

“Would you quit doing that?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just surprised you aren’t in the ER.”

“Well that’s caring of you. Did you work on your pitching? Coach would be awfully pissed if you couldn’t throw the ball over home plate again.”

Connor’s mouth formed that perfectly crooked smirk that made my heart stop. The bell rang, and before I could even pick up my books, Connor had disappeared. Stephanie gave me a dumb-founded look and I just shook my head, “Later.”

With my arms holding the heavy textbooks tightly, goose bumps ran up and down them, even though I wasn’t cold. My mind replayed that smile a hundred times over, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. He just seemed so perfect.

"Stacy! You can't tell me you hung out with Connor Wheeler already!"

"What?" Stephanie pulled me back into reality, freeing me from my thoughts. "Oh...I'll explain later."

She stood in front of me, her brown eyes anxious and fierce, intent on hearing what I had to say. "No, this is a lot bigger than you think. Connor has gone out with one, one girl here—."

"I'm not going out with him! I still have a boyfriend in Florida," I stated coldly, lowering my voice. Stephanie just shook her fiery, red hair and I walked around her towards Physics.

"You're being incredibly stupid, Stacy."

"You haven't met Brandon," I said harshly, remembering his turquoise eyes and strong, comforting arms. "You haven't met him..."

Stephanie sighed and said, "Connor's right here, Stacy...where's Brandon?" I knew these would be her last fighting words on the subject and she had made a point. But he's not Brandon, I forced myself to think. I don't like him. I thought of the necklace I left on my nightstand.

"Who said he even liked me anyway," I whispered.

Mrs. Johnson slammed the door shut, and everyone instantly stopped talking, leaving me without a response. "Good morning, class," she said cheerily. "Open your textbooks to page twenty-four and we'll get started..."

For the rest of the morning, I had managed to keep Connor out of my head. I was focusing on the English essay due tomorrow, which I already finished; and the "Birth of America" study guide for history. My mind had no trace of him, and I was happy.

When the lunch bell rang, I was startled from my work. Stephanie was automatically at my side, curiosity strong in her eyes. "It's later," she said.

I stole a side glance at the clock and sighed. "Wait until lunch. I'm sure Taylor and Kim are—"

"Stacy!" I looked past Stephanie, and Taylor was walking toward us, wearing a large smile.

"I knew something was between you two, knew it, knew it, knew it!"

"There's not—"

"Don't try to fool us, Stacy," muttered Kim. "We all know you like him."

I picked up my bag and walked towards the cafeteria, hoping they would leave the matter alone. "I'll take that as a yes," said Kim, in a cold tone behind me.

I turned around and faced the three of them. "Look, it's not like that. I have someone else back in Florida and it's nothing but just fooling around and what could be a small friendship. That's it."

With blank stares, I continued walking towards lunch. My heart would throb with Brandon on my mind, but it seemed I was only trying to convince myself that what I said was true.

An arm wrapped around my shoulders, and I thought it was Connor. "Well hello there."

I looked up, and threw my arms around him. "Danny! What are you doing here?"

"Don't I have a right to go to school," his smirk was taunting, "senior year, my friend." He put his arm around me again and those brown eyes seemed to hold even more secrets. We took a nearby table, the normal for me, and waited for my other friends. Kim rolled her eyes, "So I assume you already know a senior too, I suppose? You've been here less than a week, God word gets around."

"Word gets around about what?" Before she could answer me, Connor and his friends were suddenly walking past us.

"Well isn't it newbie." I glared at him and stuck my foot out, as if to trip him. He practically danced over it; with such...grace, although even that was an understatement. Connor continued laughing like music.

"God, he is such an ass," I muttered.

"I never liked him," Danny said, "It was nice when you showed him up with the drums though..."

Stephanie, Kim, and Taylor stared at me, their eyes practically bulging. "Nobody shows Connor Wheeler up at drums. It's like...like a rule," Taylor sputtered.

"Obviously not. He shoved me up on stage at the Shamrock and well..."

"She was awesome," Danny finished.

Stephanie threw her hands up in the air, "My God, Stacy! It's like you saying you talked to Big Foot!"

"I don't understand why this is such a big deal, and frankly, I don't care. He is such an ass. Now what word is spreading about?"

The three girls looked at each other. "Well, there is a rumor going around that...you and Connor already have a thing," I glared across the lunchroom at him, "And your name comes up everyday just because you’re the new kid on the block."

I kept looking at him, as if my eyes were glued in that direction. Only now, my heart ached. But I wasn't sure if it was for him, or because I left part of it at home with Brandon. My hand subconsciously felt the empty part of my neck, where the blue heart used to be, glimmering and perfect. It was in my night dresser drawer, hidden from sight.

"Stacy?" I turned back.

"What?" My tone was sharper than I intended.

Danny gave me a sorry look, "You getting lunch?"

"No. I'm not hungry."