Washed out Rock Song

I sat in my beat up Honda and drummed with my thumbs against the steering wheel to the song that was currently playing. Every few seconds I would glance around the parking lot for John’s truck. The five minute bell rang and I grew anxious. He wasn’t going to show up. I shut my car off and gathered my books into my backpack. When I looked back up his truck was finally pulling into an empty spot. I threw my bag down on the passenger seat and got out of the car. The parking lot was almost empty aside from a few people who were rushing inside now.

“Hey,” I said as he was shutting the door.

He turned to me. “Since when do you come looking for me?” He smirked.

“Look,” I said, annoyed, “You don’t have to come tomorrow night.”

He smiled. “But I was invited. It would be rude to cancel now.” He laughed.

“No, it really wouldn’t,” I said. “Look, we can do anything else, okay? We can do whatever you want.” I was desperate at this point. He couldn’t know that Kira was my sister.

“Well, I want to have dinner with your family,” He said.

The warning bell rang and we both looked towards the school. “I have to go to class, but dinner is not happening.”

“You’re already late,” he said. “Let’s hang out.”

I shook my head, “I really can’t miss anymore of first period.”

“You say that now, but next week I’ll see you running to your car again.” He smirked.

I let out a laugh because what he said was true.

“Lets hang out,” he said, “and you can try to convince me to not come to dinner some more.”

The last thing I wanted was to spend anymore time with him than I had to, but if this meant he wouldn’t come over for dinner I had to oblige.

“I promise you won’t be late for second period, we don’t even have to leave campus.” He laughed and held out his hand.

I sighed, “Fine.” I took his hand and let him lead me to the soccer field. I dropped his hand as soon as we reached the grass and followed him onto a set of bleachers on the sidelines.

“Can I ask you something?” He said, sitting down.

“Depends on what you’re asking,” I stood on the highest bleacher step, walking back and forth like it was a balance beam.

“Why do you hate me so much?”

I stopped and turned towards him. “I don’t hate you,” I lied.

He laughed, “Fine. Strongly dislike me.”

I sighed and stepped down to his level, sitting down next to him. “Many reasons, actually,” I laughed.

“When did it start?” He asked.

“Honestly?” I asked, he nodded. “I don’t know.”

“We used to be friends.” He smiled.

I shook my head. “We were never friends.”

He let out a laugh, “Yes we were. You were my best friend. From kindergarten through first grade. I can’t believe you don’t remember.” He smiled to himself. “We did everything together. You’re mom would pick me up every weekend in her bright red car. That’s something I always remembered for some reason. Her car was super red.”

“My mom?” I asked, looking at my hands.

He nodded. “And then the summer before second grade, you sort of stopped talking to me. When school started again you were completely different. From then on you hated me, and I never knew why. To this day I have no idea what I did wrong.”

I didn’t say anything. I sat there looking at my hands. That summer was the summer my mom left me, my real mom. I couldn’t remember anything from before she left. I remember John being in my class, but that’s it. I didn’t know if he was lying or not, but it didn’t seem like he had a reason to lie about this.

“Are you okay?” John asked.

I looked up at him. He had a concerned expression on his face and I realized my expression was probably not something he was expecting. I smiled a little bit and stood up. “I’m fine.” I went back up to the top step again. “That was a long time ago. It doesn’t mean anything.” I didn’t know if I was trying to convince him it didn’t mean anything, or if I was trying to convince myself.

“So about dinner,” John said, stepping up the bleachers a couple of steps. “I’m definitely still going.”

I rolled my eyes. “Why do you want to go so bad?”

“I want to meet your family,” he said, “Again.” He laughed. “Is that really so terrible?”

I stepped down to the step that John was on and faced him. “Yes, it really is.”

“It will be fine, I promise.” He smiled. “Whatever you’re so scared of, you don’t have to be. I’m great with parents.”

It wasn’t my parents I was worried about. I didn’t say anything though, I just looked at him hoping he would change his mind.

“Leah,” John said. He brushed a strand of hair out of my face and rested his hand on my cheek. It was warm and comforting. He smiled his famous smile at me. “I really like you.”

I looked into his bright green eyes. He was looking at me like I was special, not like I was a trophy to put on his shelf. In that moment he didn’t seem absolutely repulsive to me. He seemed genuine and innocent. In a way he was kind of cute, if you’re into guys like that.

I quickly realized that this was how he did it. This was how he got any girl he wanted.

I felt my cheeks get red and I brushed his hand away. “I, uh, I have to go.” I was suddenly flustered and I didn’t know why. I went two steps at a time down the bleachers until I hit the grass.

“Leah, wait,” John called to me.

I stopped and turned back to him, remembering that I still had to go on with this plan. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, okay?” I turned again and ran back towards the parking lot. Now I had to figure out what to do about Kira.