Timeless

“So what do you think of our new neighbor?” My mom asked before I even rounded the corner into the kitchen. I sighed. I loved her dearly, but I knew this was going to end up with her trying to set us up. That never worked out. They all seemed nice enough, they just didn’t seem right.

“You want me to judge him based on the time I spent with him, that being what? Less than five minutes.” Ok, so yes he was incredibly gorgeous. That was obvious. And something about his voice seemed familiar. He was also staring at me, and smiling a lot. It wasn’t in a predatory way. It was more like he was genuinely happy to see me. “I don’t know. Seemed nice enough.” She smiled wide and clapped her hands. Dear. God. No. I knew where this was leading.

“Good, because he’s coming over for dinner tonight.” So she wanted get me together with some guy, who is incredibly good looking, and older. He clearly wouldn’t be interested in me. This was going to end so, so badly.

“Great mom, that’s great. I’m going to go now.” I grabbed my keys off of the kitchen counter. I really could have stayed for another 20 minutes, but I didn’t want to talk about this anymore. It wasn’t like I had any friends I was rushing to see.

Ok, so I had no friends.
Well, maybe one.
This guy in my creative writing class, Seth, he and I had worked together on a few things. He was always nice and talked to me.
I’m not a leper or anything. I got hit on all the time. It was gross really. I just didn’t think I needed to form attachments since there was always this nagging feeling I wouldn’t be here long. Not that I was going to die. Just that I was going to leave.

Half way down the street I noticed a shirtless jogger. I could only see his back, but somehow I just knew it was him.

“Hey.” I called out of my window slowing down to so I could coast beside him. He looked down and smiled at me keeping his pace. “Don’t look now, but you’ve got quite the fan club.” I pointed to where some moronic sisters who went to my school, and their mother, stood drooling.

He looked over and laughed. “Unfortunately for them, I am already taken.” I don’t know why but his revelation saddened me. “Well, sort of.”

“Well, this ‘sort of girl‘, may not be too happy once she finds out your jogging shirtless causing the neighborhood women to drool after you.” He laughed at that and stopped jogging. I hit the brakes and stopped a few feet in front of him. He walked over and placed his hands on the roof of my car leaning down to his face was near mine.

“So tell me Alana, if you were that girl, what would you think?” And for a second, a brief fleeting second, I thought he was talking about me. Like I was that girl. I shook it from my head. I was going nuts.

“I’m not sure. On one hand I wouldn’t want to have that,” I gestured back towards the house, “happening. But at the same time I guess I wouldn’t mind either.” He looked thoughtful a moment, like he was trying to commit every word to memory.

“How so?”

“Well, I think it would be kind of funny to watch them wanting something they could never have.” He laughed at this his golden eyes never leaving mine. I had the strongest urge to lean over and kiss him. What the hell? I held back of course, a small blush forming on my cheeks. “Well, I guess I should get going.”

“Right, school.” He nodded. “How is that going by the way?”

“Two weeks left. It couldn’t come fast enough.” I leaned my head back against the head rest with a sigh.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

“Oh but it is. Teachers have been just giving us busy work to boost grades and exam reviews, it’s good for the people that need it I guess.”

“I take it you don’t?” It was nice that he was taking an interest in my very mundane life. Ok, maybe a little odd. But talking with him felt so natural.

“Nope. Which is why most days are spent watch movies on my laptop.” I patted the bag beside me. “Being valedictorian at a very uppity private school has its perks.”

“Congratulations. I suppose I should let you go. See you tonight?” His voice was hopeful. I nodded with a smile and he straightened up patting the top of my car as I hit the gas.



“Like ohmigod!” I called out with most obnoxious valley girl voice I could muster after closing the door to my house taking in the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen. “Natalie totally broke two, and I mean two, nails today and had to have her mom come rush her to a manicurist.” We were playing volley ball in gym and they broke. She had a meltdown. It was hilarious.

I slipped my socked feet out of the ridiculous shoes they made us wear and ran to the kitchen sliding in on my socks. “And dearest mother.” I pulled the pink slip out of my pocket. “Your daughter is now a delinquent. I managed to get detention. Which is why I am late.” She turned from the pot she was currently stirring.

“And what is it you did?” I was lucky my parents and I had such a great relationship. I never got into trouble, always had straight A’s, and I didn’t have an attitude. Most days.

“I laughed,” I said handing the slip to her “apparently I was the only one who fond it funny.”

“A severe lack of sportsmanship.” She said reading the paper. “Can you believe it? My daughter a trouble maker.” She said to someone behind me. Not realizing we weren’t alone I turned and saw Darien sitting at the kitchen table. He laughed lightly.

“It wasn’t even that bad.” I turned back to my mom. “She just started having a complete breakdown of her nails breaking, I couldn’t help it and just started laughing. To the point of tears. No one would have even cared except the volleyball coach is Natalie’s aunt.” I sighed and drummed my fingers against the counter. “People are so vain.” I realized I was still wearing my uniform. “God,” I huffed, “I so need to get out of this uniform.” My mom laughed and I heard Dairen chuckle softly behind me.

I made my way upstairs and changed quickly into a pair of shorts and a graphic tee throwing my hair into a bun.

It took another for dinner to finish and by then my dad had come home. Darien talked to me occasionally, my parents however did most of the talking, clearly trying to convince me how great Darien was. They had known him for a day, what was up with them?

“You know,” Darien, who was sitting next to me, leaned in towards me. “I was thinking about going to the movies tonight, but it’s no fun going alone.” I had noticed now my parents were watching us smiles on their faces. “Any chance you would want to join me?”

“Yeah, that sound like fun.” I said feeling a smile spread across my face as I watched him smile.

“Well then,” He looked at the clock, “we better get going.”