Five O' Clock Shadow

Smoke filled my lungs as I inhaled my cigarette, waiting for Lucy to call and tell me she was ready for school. It was our ritual, I picked her up everyday because she was young for our grade. I'm her personal chauffeur. My cellphone beeped.

'Ready! xoxo' it told me.

I threw down my cigarette, pulverizing it in between my shoe and the cement and popped in a couple mints.

When we got to school I started to pull into my parking spot, only to discover it was taken. The car in my designated area was a red station wagon, Rust coating it's edges. It was an old car, an ugly one at that. Leaning against it was a tall guy, in a white and grey wrinkled plaid shirt. His jeans had dirt on them, whether intentional or not. He was wearing black chucks, and had a cigarette tucked behind his ear. His face was framed by long wavy dark hair, frizzing already although it was still wet from what I suspected was shower water.

"Hey!" I called to him. He looked up. "That's my spot."

He made a show of looking under his car, and around it. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah."

"I don't see a name on it," a smirk.

I sighed. I was not ready for a wise ass this early in the morning. "It is in the school. We all have assigned parking spots. Please let me have mine," I said, gritting my teeth.

"Calm it, cuz, I was just kidding," he answered, grinning. "I'll be out of your spot as soon as possible."

As he got into his car chuckling, I realized he was the guy who bumped into me at the grocery store. Of course it was him, who else says "cuz?"

"There you go, man. All yours. I was just keeping it warm for you," he called out his window, winking at Lucy. I turned to see her blushing.

"What an asshole," I muttered, pulling into the spot.

"Who is he? I've never seen him around here."

"Nor have I. Maybe he's new."

"Aw, we should make friends with him!" Lucy was always trying to save people. When they didn't need to be saved.

"Why?"

"'Cause he's vulnerable. And alone. And you love me," She said, kissing my cheek.

"So that means I have to take a stranger under my wing... and an asshole stranger at that?"

"Exactly. I'll invite him to the show on Friday. Is that okay with you?"

"That's fine. Just don't let him get all touchy feely with you. I'd have to kick his ass."

I kissed Lucy goodbye, although I was dreading Friday. I hardly have a good time with the friends I have, let alone this guy. Don't get me wrong, some of my friends I love so I tolerate, Lucy being one of the few, but others I hardly put up with. For some reason though, I kind of wanted him to come. Maybe he would make it more interesting.

School dragged along until lunch, I silently thanked God in my head. It was April of junior year and I just wanted out. I had a bad case of spring fever and my grades were slowly dwindling down the drain. I regretted it later, but I just couldn't find the motivation to do my work. Lunch time was a blessing.

I walked over to my table to see the familiar back of a person. Had I really not been expecting this? First, he was in my path in the grocery store. Then he's in my parking spot. Now he's in my lunch seat, right next to my girlfriend. He was taking a total alien invasion over my life. I took a deep breathe, realizing Lucy had probably invited him there, and took the seat across from him.

"Hi," I said, trying to smile. I imagine it looked more like a growl.

"Hey, Mr. Magoo!" he answered enthusiastically. He is trying to tick me off. I know it.

"Ha. Ha. Yeah."

Lucy smiled over at me, in a 'please stop being such an unfriendly brat' way, so I took another deep breathe.

"My name's actually Luke," I said, extending my hand.

"Like Skywalker?"

I gritted my teeth. "Mhm," I answered.

He chuckled, "Sorry, cuz. I'm kind of immature. My name's Mylo." He took my hand and shook it. It was warm against my freezing cold ones, and rough. A shock went through my hand and up my spine. He took his away fast, looking startled. His smile faltered a little, but was back in a second.

"My bad," I said, reaching up that same hand to run through my hair.

"So, Mylo," Lucy said, shaking off the awkwardness in the air. "You know your way around town?"

"Almost. I've been wandering," the smile never left this guys face.

"Would you like to come with us to a show on Friday?"

"Eh, I'd love to, hun, but I can't. But definitely some other time. I've got some plans I can't cancel."

My ears turned red with anger as he gave my girlfriend a pet name. I was almost happy he wasn't coming. Almost.