Out Of Time

I look up at the sun shine bright high in the sky with birds flying across and the clouds were pure white like big cotton.
My watch beep and I knew without even looking at it that it read 12:30 p.m. I breathe out. He was late again for some reason. I looked around the park and my eyes spotted a couple by the fountain looking lovingly at each other’s eyes as the male held the female tightly on his arms but she didn’t seem to mind at all. The smile on her face said it all. She is in love.

I smile at that. Then I flip open my cell phone that I’ve been holding in case he called. I smile at the picture I set as my background recently. My arms were around his neck as I smile happily to the camera and his left arm was around my waist holding me close to his side as he hold the other to take the picture with my phone. I couldn’t help but blush as I look at his face. God he was so sexy and so dreamy. I felt plain and simple standing next to him. I was short about five foot one and half, with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. My skin was coffee cream and I love it because it always soft. Chris was nothing out of ordinary, he look like guy that should be in the cover in the magazines all over the world. He was tall but not quite reaching 6 feet tall, his body was medium build and his long blonde hair that reaches his eyes always smell like my favorite fruit. Strawberries! I still couldn’t believe that six months have passed and I was still dating Chris Knight, the most popular and hottest guy at Lincoln High School.

I close my phone and lay my face on my hands as I looked down at my white sneakers. I was currently wearing dark blue jeans with my blue sweater and my black coat. I breathe out feeling cold. I started humming some song when all of the sudden I felt a pair of warm hands cover my eyes.

“Guess who?” His voice so sweet that felt like music to my ears and I couldn’t help but smile. I hesitate to answer for a minute thinking on what I should do then I decided to tease him.

“I don’t know. I am just here waiting for my boyfriend until a pervert decided that it was funny to cover my eyes.”

He chuckle at that.

“Hmm, well this pervert thinks that your boyfriend sounds like he is a lucky guy to have an extremely yet patience girlfriend such as yourself waiting for him.”

I could tell that he too decided to play along too. Well too can play that game.

“Maybe I should date you instead. You came right on time, I was just about to leave.”

He was in silence for about a minute and I could picture his face with a frown as he think about my response.

“Really!” He said kind of sad and I gave up. He win. He always does anyways.

“I am kidding. I think he is a lucky guy too, you know.”

“Good because so do I.” he said and with that I felt his lips touch my left cheek so gently. I feel my face heat up at the gesture.

With that out of the way I stand up and turn around as I watch him jump over the bench that I’ve been sitting on and hug me tightly on his arms.

“I am so sorry that I am late.” He said as he lay his head on top of mine.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind.” I said laying my head against chest breathing in the irresistible smell of his cologne. I truly didn’t mind waiting for him.

Suddenly he took a hold of my face and bring it up to look at him into his incredible yet illuminating blue eyes. He frown by the look of my face which was with a smile of been happy that he was finally here.

“You really are different from most girls.” He said honestly with a smile.

“What makes you think that?” I wonder why he did. Was I a bad girlfriend? I couldn’t help but think.

“Well because most girlfriends will usually beat up their boyfriends first then ask questions as to why they were late. You don’t do either of them.” He said stroking my cheeks with his soft and gentle fingertips.

“Then I guess you are really are lucky.”

“I guess I am.” He said then lay his head against my forehead and close his eyes breathing out.

I look at him and reach up with my arms slowly and put them against the back of his neck.
Then I gave myself a boost since I was shorter than him and kiss him on the cheek. I pulled away but I felt his arms going around my waist to bring me closer to him. I look at his face and saw that his eyes were now open looking at me and he smile at me. He reach down a little and peck my lips then hug me by bringing me to his chest taking in the warm of his jacket that he was wearing along with dark jeans with a grey shirt and white with black stripes sneakers design by Addidas.

“You must be freezing.” He said feeling guilty all of the sudden.

“I am okay now.” I said honestly feeling his warm coming right through me.

After a few minutes of been warm up by him, I pulled away looking down at the ground.

“So you want to know why I was late or not?” he ask looking at me. I look up at him all of the sudden. He really wanted to tell me. He usually just brushes it off and apologizes multiple times.

“Only if you want to tell me.”

He reach on the pocket of his coat and pull out a letter.

“Check that out.” He said pulling it toward me with a happy grin on his face.

I was confuse all of the sudden. I took the letter and open it. I gasp when I came to find out it was an acceptance letter, an acceptance letter to the Columbia University in New York. Sometimes I forget that he is graduating earlier than me by him been a senior and me a junior.

“Wow. This is incredible. I am so happy for you.”

“Really, is it incredible? All expenses paid and everything. Aren’t I lucky or what?”

I laugh at his expression. He looked like a little kid opening his Christmas present.

“Congratulations, Mr. Knight.” I said smiling still feeling happy for him.

“Thank you, Ms. Santos.” He said and kiss me on the cheek once more.

Minutes later I found myself walking with him toward the mall that was close the park to meet our friends. I was holding his hand as I walked.

At the mall they were so many people coming in or leaving that Chris hold on to my hand tighter not wanting to lose me on the crowd. Finally we spotted our friends waving their hands up in the air trying to get our attention.

“There they are.” Said Chris walking toward them as I follow right behind him.

As we came into view, I saw our friends Mike Harris, Taylor Wentz, Nick Snyder, Alexi Torres, Nicole Travis and Jaime Anderson.

“Why am I not surprise that you guys are always late?” cried out Alexi my best friend for four years as we stop right in front of them. She was five foot and five inches with tan soft skin, dark brown hair and blue eyes. Currently she was wearing tight jeans with white shirt and white boots. Her hair was down her back. I couldn’t understand why wasn’t she freezing?

“Maybe because they were making out trying to warm each other up in this crazy cold weather.” Said Mike who happens to be one of Chris’s best friends.

“We weren’t making out. I was just running a little late.” Chris said.

“Like always.” Taylor said rolling his big green eyes.

“Leave them alone. They can’t help themselves.” Nick said.

I couldn’t help but smile. It always like this every time we all decided to meet up.

“Why do you put up with this guy, Lena?” Mike said coming closer pointing at Chris. “Go out with me instead and I promise I’ll never make you wait.”

I could tell he was still teasing Chris as he pull his arm around my shoulder and bring me closer to him causing to make distance between me and Chris.

“Haha, very funny, Mike.” Chris said looking at him.

Mike’s gaze went up to him and all of the sudden so serious he said “Who said I was kidding? Maybe I will do all that you haven’t done in a while.”

Suddenly I didn’t like the joke anymore and pull away from Mike. Chris took a hold of my hand pulling me away from Mike and looking away from Mike’s eyes. Was I missing something here? I look at Chris and he didn’t look back to me at all.

“Well if you guys are done with your stupid fight? Can’t we please go and watch the movie? It’s about to start in 15 minutes.” Nicole said breaking the silence after a few seconds of it.

Nicole became one of mine closest friend two years ago when we met as freshmen’s. She was short like me not barely passing five foot two, her hair was straight and brown and her eyes were hazel. Her skin was pale white most of the time especially during Christmas time.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Said Chris and we all walked toward the mall theater. In silence but just silence it was more like a dead silence.

As I watch the movie Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollow Part 1, I leaned my head on Chris arm who was sitting on the right side of me. I felt him stiffen under my head. What did it mean what Mike said that made Chris so mad all of the sudden? I move away and sit up straight on my chair not looking at him as I feel his gaze on me. Alexi pull out her medium size bucket of popcorn to me and I shook my head. She pull it back to her side and pat me on the hand knowing there was something wrong.

When the movie finish, we took a walked around the crowded mall. I walk next to Alexi and Nicole this time as the boys trail behind. Jaime was always the quiet one hiding his grey eyes behind his glasses and walking with his head down.

I couldn’t hear what Chris and Mike were talking about but it sounded like they were arguing for some reason.

“Let’s just drop it, okay man. We can talk about this later.” Chris said louder this time.

“Fine but we are going to have to talk about it whether you like it or not.” Mike said like he was warning him.

“Fine.” Scoffs Chris.

“Will you guys just shut up already?” Nick said tiredly of them talking.

I shrugged not knowing what they were talking about but I knew something was up and I was too afraid to ask what it was.

“Oh, look. How cute is that?” Nicole cried out happily as we pass the Pet shop and spotted puppies by the window.

I bent down a little to look at the puppies more closely and I laugh when one brown puppy look at me thinking that he was going to lick me but end up licking the glass. I smile at him making sure that it was a him first.

“Aww.” Alexi said as she took the picture with her phone.

Suddenly I felt someone standing next to me and when I look up I already knew it was Chris.

He was smiling down at me and holding out a hand. I took it and he help me up. I expect him to let go of my hand but he didn’t. He brought me closer and kiss me on the cheek soundly. I smile happily.

“Now that is cute too.” Said Nicole and Alexi took a picture. I pulled away from Chris blushing as he laugh like moments ago he wasn’t mad at all.

“Ooo. Let’s go to book store. I am dying to check out a new book that came out.” Jaime said speaking for the first time excitedly.

Taylor cough and said “Bookworm.” And they all laugh as I look at Taylor starting to blush feeling self conscious. I went to his side.

“Well, I want to check out a book too.” I said honestly looking at him. “Mind if I come too?”

“I want to come too.” Said Alexi excited walking toward us and grabbing Jaime’s arm.

Taylor and Mike stood there open mouth. I wasn’t surprise at that. They both love to flirt with Alexi but something tells me that Alexi has a thing for Jaime. But Jaime was so oblivious that he didn’t know.

Jaime look down at the arm she was holding blushing and smiling.

“You can come if you want.” He said then look away to look at me. “You can come too besides you always do anyway. You are my bookworm buddy.”

“Aww. Isn’t he the sweetest?” Alexi asked looking at me blushing and hiding her face away from him so he couldn’t see that her face was red like a tomato.

“Then we all go.” Nicole cried out pulling her attention away from the puppies.

Mike and Taylor groan at the idea of going to the book store and we all laugh even Nick.

“Payback for making fun of the nerd and we all have to suffer.” He cried out.

They started to walk toward Barnes and Noble with Jaime and Alexi leading the way. I stood back waiting for Chris who was looking at them then he look at me.

“You coming?” I asked wanting to know.

He nodded and took a hold my arm. As we started to walk, I felt him relax more.

“What’s wrong?” I asked wanting to know.

He looked down at me confuse. “What do you mean?”

“Earlier you were mad because Mike said something to you that you didn’t like at all.”

He breathes out swinging our hands that were join together.

“Nothing is wrong really. Mike is just being a big pain on the butt.” He said shrugging his shoulders.

I look up at him searching his face. I stop walking and reach up and hug him trying to offer him comfort. He laugh at the gesture but I could tell he was pleased because of what he did next. He reach down a little and kiss me on my forehead. It was very common gesture for him.

I look at our friends not noticing we stop following them as they continue walking. But a few girls did to gaze at Chris as they walked by. He look down at me and hug me tightly.

“I have an idea.” He said pulling me toward a photo booth a few feet away from us at few
seconds later.

“Chris.” I said looking at our friends still walking away not noticing us.

“We’ll catch them. Don’t worry.” He said pulling the red curtain aside and gesture for me to go in first and he follow behind closing the curtain. I sit on the chair as he look for a dollar on his pocket and slide it inside into to the machine. Then look at the design choices that could appear on top of the picture or around the picture. We look through all of them. There was one that said “Little devils but angels” and another that said “I love you” then the last one said “Little Angels.”

“Hmm. Those are the only our three choices left.” He wonder out loud then click the screen and selected the one that said “I love you” with all the red hearts.

He sat back on the chair as I look at him smiling happily. He caught me looking at him and look at me then smile like the Chris I knew.

“Wow.” Chris said as the flash went off signaling that a picture was taken. I couldn’t help but laugh as I blink my eyes. “Come here.” He said pulling my head toward his and kiss me right there as the picture was taken. In the next picture I was kissing him on the cheek as he laugh and then in the next I sat on his lap as I smile at the camera as he hold me tighter to him.

We got out of the photo booth then wait for like two minutes for the pictures to come out.

When they did I was surprise in how cute we look in it. I look at Chris who was frowning at the pictures with a strange look on his face.

“Here.” He said giving me my half of the four pictures we just taken. I look at them and smile.

“Thank you.” I said looking up at him feeling sudden a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“You welcome.” He said moving my hair back out of my face with his left hand then put his half of pictures on his jacket pocket.

Without another world we walked toward the book store and inside the store we look for our friends. Chris and I weren’t surprise to find Taylor and Mike flirting with the cashier and the cashier clearly was not interested by looking away from them once I while. Nick in other hand was in a great distance watching the show with a smirk on his face.

“I’ll get them.” He said then walked toward his friends. Nick look at him approaching and straightened his posture.

“What are you doing?” Chris said to Nick rising up his hands.

“What? Is it crime to watch these two making fool out of themselves.” Nick said laughing.

I look around then walk around endless in rows fill with books. I stop when I saw the name of one of my favorites author “Judith McNaught.” I love all her books. She is a genius when it comes to romance stories. Then next to her was “Sherrilyn Kenyon.” Now this was a hard choice. But as I search again I notice there was nothing new list in the book Judith section while in Sherrilyn there was one new and I took it to read the back of it.

I felt a pair of hands around my waist but something didn’t feel right immediately as I feel lips on my neck. Normally Chris would have said something and he most definitely wouldn’t do this type display of affection toward me. I look down and saw the pair of hands that didn’t belong to Chris at all.

“You know you sure are tiny little thing, aren’t you.” Mike voice said taunting me.

I pulled away from his hold but he didn’t let go. I step on his foot hard. He cried out in pain as I step away from him dropping the book that I’ve been holding on the process.

“What is your problem? What are you doing this?” I said feeling tears all of the sudden. How could he do that? He was one of Chris best friend for crying out loud.

“What’s going on?” asked Jaime’s voice then I saw him standing there with Alexi looking at us.

“What happened?” Alexi asked walking toward me ignoring Mike completely. She put an arm around my shoulder offering comfort.

“What did you do, Mike?” Jaime asked in shock all of the sudden after looking at the sight of my face.

“Mind your own business.” Mike said angrily back at him.

“What’s going on?” Chris voice said closer as I hear his footsteps. He stop right next to
Jaime. Then his eyes instantly went to mine then to Mike. “What did you do, Mike?”

When Mike ignore him and shrugged his shoulders like nothing happened, he push Mike hard against the book shelves that were behind him. Chris look beyond angry at his friend.

“WHAT DID YOU DO?” He yelled out more angrily.

“Something you will never do because you are to scare to make a move.” Mike said looking at him and then at me.

His clear brown eyes were reflecting anger towards me. Then suddenly he look back again at Chris.

“Let me go, man.” He cried out angrily.

Chris didn’t let him go still glaring at him with fire in his eyes.

“What is it about her, man? What is it that keeps you from doing what you should be doing?” Mike said then punch Chris right on the face.

Chris let go off of him moving backwards almost losing his balance. Blood appear on his bottom lip and he spit out on the white cement floor.
I couldn’t believe it. Mike just punch him. Mike just punch his best friend on the face.

“What’s the matter, Chris? Is she making you soft already?” Mike said raising his fist again ready to punch him again.

“Chris.” I yelled and ran toward him. I step in between them catching Mike’s fist on both hands of my hands.

His eyes locked into mine and he grab me by the shirt. I struggle trying to break free but I couldn’t.

“Let go off her.” Alexi cried out in panic trying to move his hands away from me.

“It’s your entire fault. What makes you so special, huh? What makes you so different from the others?” he yelled at me all at once. I couldn’t even understand what he meant.

“Let go off her, Mike.” Chris said on the right side of me trying to break Mike’s hold of me.

By this time I could see the cashier calling for security and Nick ran toward us along with Taylor right behind them was Nicole.

“Mike, I said let go of her.” Chris said and punch him on the face right on the nose. While
Mike wince in pain his hold on me loosen and I was able to break free. Jaime catch me before I hit the floor.

I look up at Chris gazing down at his friend who was holding his nose full of blood. The knuckles from his right hand were with a little of blood spilling out. But he didn’t seem to mind.

“What happened?” Nick asked looking at all of us. His gaze was longer on Mike and Chris.

“Dude, you broke my nose.” Mike said looking up at him not believing his eyes.

“Don’t worry about it, it will heal eventually.” Chris said looking down at him with hatred. He turn around and look at me directly on the eyes. His eyes soften.

“Don’t worry, man. Maybe you can get a new one.” Taylor said leaning close get a better look at his nose as Nicole walk by him. “What happened? What did Mike do?” she asked and nobody answer. I couldn’t find the words to speak.

“Are you okay?” Chris asked me still looking at me.

I nodded standing on my feet. He reach out with his hand to touch me but he drop it halfway.
Chris and Mike were keeping a hidden secret and it was about me? What did I do? Did I do something wrong? I couldn’t help but wonder but I was so confuse. Why was this happening all of the sudden?