Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2011 22:45:27 -0800 (PST) From: Joey Young Subject: Untitled Love Story, Chapter 3 Thursday morning I woke up feeling lethargic and cranky. It took me three times and two snooze buttons to finally get me out of bed. My mood still wasn't up for the day. I slowly got up and checked my pillow out of habit. I was relieved to see my constant string of nosebleeds had ended, but my pillow looked like it was brutally murdered. I grabbed it from my bed and casually threw it into my clothes hamper and got dressed for the day. It was cloudy this morning and it looked like a storm was headed in, so I put on long sleeve black shirt and a thick sweater, to keep me warm. I automatically reached for my bag over my desk chair, and remembered I didn't have it. Suddenly, I felt a cold chill course threw my veins, at the thought of confronting Drew. I didn't have the slightest clue, as to, what to say to him. I just wanted my bag, that's all. I quickly locked my thoughts away and headed downstairs. My mom wasn't there, so it probably meant she was at work already. Sure enough, a yellow sticky note was pasted to the fridge. Caleb went to work early. Didn't want to wake you. Be home by six, if I'm not working late . Love, mom. I sighed; I guess my life was back to normal. I made a simple breakfast of orange juice and a pop-tart, before heading to school. I really wished I had my iPod, but realized that it too, was in my bag. Curse, my complicated life, I thought as I walked through my familiar street. I walked in silence, trying to keep my thoughts pleasant. I had never noticed before, the sounds of the city. The whooshing sound cars made as they passed. The distant sounds of sirens, planes flying overhead, and alarms filled my ears. It was oddly comforting to hear all the new sounds. I also liked the gray tone of the city, despite the somber feeling. The shadows of buildings and cars blended into one another, creating a nice effect. It seemed ever step I took made me feel more at ease and comfortable with my tasks ahead. I got to school pretty early, not knowing where and when Drew would arrive, so I sat outside on one of the schools many benches. I waited patiently for him to come find me. The campus was unusually empty. Most of the students were probably in the warm cafeteria having breakfast. As I waited for the upcoming confrontation and I silently went over different scenarios in my head. Not quite sure what I would do if it got verbal. Only talk to him long enough to get your bag, I told myself, then get the hell out of there. Yes, I agreed, I will. A few minutes and several arguments in my head later, my heart suddenly fell through my chest. Out of the thicket of trees surrounding the main building- where my locker was- out walked Drew. My confidence abruptly shattered. He had my bag casually thrown over his shoulder, as if he always carried it around. He gazed around the empty campus, carefully combing every bench and sitting spot, until his eyes finally rested on me. I stared back, not sure what my expression looked like. His face however, lite up with exultation and relief. His smile twisted my stomach in knots, making it hard to concentrate. He rapidly closed the distance in less than 60 seconds, taking no time to slow down. His handsome face was elated with joy. When he finally stood in front of me, he unexpectedly pulled me into a fierce hug. He buried his nose into my neck, inhaling deeply, like he forgot the smell of my skin. I was too much in shock to really do anything, besides shut down limply. He kept his embrace for quite a while, reluctant to let me go. Eventually, he let me down and stepped back to admire me. I looked at him too, but didn't really know what I saw. He was wearing a grey sweater shirt that fit nicely around his muscular chest and a pair of black jeans. His soft golden hair was lightly blowing in the breeze. I could see the gleam of his white teeth behind his smooth, warm lips. I thought about the way they felt on my skin, sending electric pulses throughout my body. The way his hands gently squeezed my waist, pulling me closer. I remembered the low groans he would always make when we wer- Stop! the little voice boomed at me, your just here for the bag. Right, I agreed, stifling my teenage hormones. I pulled away from Drew and tore my eyes from his devastatingly handsome face. He let me go willingly, but kept his arms hovering around me in an open invitation. "Drew," I said with little volume, "I just came to get my bag." I kept my eyes from seeing his reaction and instead counted the tiny holes in the bench. He didn't say or do anything. Reluctantly, I turned and glared at him. His face was torn. It looked like he was about to say something and at the same time trying to keep my bag in his possession. "Drew?" I asked with more volume. "My bag?" All of a sudden his torn expression disappeared and was replaced with fierce determination. "Wait," he said holding out his hand, "can I say something first?" "Ugghh," I growled, so much for a quick exit. "Fine, you got 1 minute." His face was still determined. He nodded. I plopped back down on the bench, which felt cold for the first time. He joined me on the small bench, deftly moving his arm around my back. I could feel the warmth emitting from his chest, but resisted the urge to curl up into his side. I stared impatiently at him, "58 seconds." "Okay, well first just know that I am really sorry for what I said to you that day. I would love to have you as my boyfriend, but Alley posed an issue. So I said those mean things in order to make myself feel better, but hurt myself in the end, anyways. If I could go back to that day, I would do it all differently. I wouldn't blow you off like that, and I would definitely keep from hurting your feelings. You're very important to me, Caleb. More important than my silly girlfriend." "Which brings up my next point." he said, slowly pulling me closer into his side and held me there. "I broke up with Alley, yesterday. I told her she wasn't what I wanted, after she found your bag in my truck. She didn't even seem to care, when I told her, but that's beside the point. What my point is. . . Is that I'm ready. Full heartedly, no backing out, ready. I want to be more than just friends with you. I wan-" I lifted my hand, making him stop talking. I could feel the tears glistening in my eyes. This wasn't supposed to be how the day went. I was just getting my bag back and forgetting about Drew forever. He wasn't supposed to realize his true feeling for me. My life was complicated enough already. I didn't say anything as I processed what I heard. He stayed quiet his arm still wrapped warmly around me. The minutes passed and he began to start fidgeting nervously. "Caleb, sweetie," he whispered softly, "say something please." My mind was blank. I couldn't say anything. I didn't even know what to say after that. Slowly I rose to my feet, swaying a bit dizzily. "I'm going to be late for class," I said hoarsely. The bell rang loudly, signaling my point. "Okay," he said as he reached around and handed me, my bag. "We'll talk about this later." I just nodded uneasily. I slung the strap of my bag over my shoulder and walked away awkwardly. I could feel his stare bore into my back as I walked to the main building. I arrived to my class, completely forgetting where I sat. I stood at the front of the room for a moment, trying to remember the seating chart. I looked around; until I saw the familiar face of the girl I sat next to. I was about to walk to my seat when someone loudly cleared their throat. I hadn't noticed the teacher until he abruptly addressed me. "Welcome back, Mr. Pierce," he said peering over his wire framed glasses. "I have your homework assignments right here." He pulled a thin stack of stapled papers, from his desk and handed them to me. I half smiled, "Uhh, thanks, Mr. Peters." "Enjoy," was all he said before returning to the paper he was reading. I nodded solemnly and found my seat next to that girl. I put the stack of homework away and waited for class to start. The same happened, throughout the day, in every class. Teachers welcomed me back. Gave me my missing assignments and went back to their normal lectures. By the time school was over, I would probably have a stack the size of a thin magazine. The assignments ranged from English essays to math homework on quadratic equations. I knew I had my work cut out for me, but was relieved to hear, most of them weren't due until next week. This gave me the weekend to complete them. I didn't see any sign of Drew throughout my morning classes, but I knew he would pop up eventually. My mind still hadn't wrapped around the fact that Drew had broken up with Alley. I knew I shouldn't feel pity for her, but it was in my nature to feel sorry for people. And all day, I heard the news of the break up. It seemed the whole school, had an opinion on the reasons. I heard every side of the story analyzed and each had a different tale. How Drew caught her cheating. How Alley caught him cheating. I heard one of them had an eating disorder. I even caught wind of a possible miscarriage. But nobody ever mentioned Drew pining over a gay senior. Eventually I tuned them out. I didn't want to hear anymore. My decision was still unclear as to what Drew wanted from me. On one hand, Drew had taken the first steps in showing his feelings for me. On the other hand, I wasn't sure if I was ready to forgive him yet. I had gone over and over in my head, how he had hurt me over the past year, and tried to find a sensible solution. Ultimately, my decision was clear as mud. So, when I saw him again, I would have to come up with a decision on the spot. And that had me worried. When I entered the lunchroom, it was its usual chaotic scene. Lines of tables jammed into the small space. People running back and forth between them. Loud chatter echoed off the walls, making any conversation impossible to hear. I walked to the small line and grabbed a salad, not feeling very hungry. The line although small, seemed to be moving at an impossibly slow rate, but I waited patiently. My mind wondered as the line slowly progressed, never fully committing to one line of thought. Suddenly I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I froze instantly. This is it, I thought, the moment of truth. I turned around slowly, not looking up from my food. "Hey, Caleb, right?" a deep accented voice asked. My head snapped up in recognition. Dante was holding a huge sandwich and a bag of chips. His V-neck shirt was tightly formed around his broad shoulders and chest. I could make out the hard muscles of his pecs. There was a faint hint of hair peeking out from the collar of his plunging neckline, where his reflective glasses hung. He smiled widely, as he took in my surprised expression. His eyes were a warm hazel under his thick eyebrows. His pearly whites ended in slight dimples covered in dark stubble. I loudly gulped, "Hey, Dante." "Hey." he replied with a timid smile. "You remember me?" I finally regained my composure and moved up in the line, "Of course I remember you. You helped me out at the movie theatre. Thanks again, by the way." "Oh, it was nothing, really," he replied modestly. "I didn't see you afterward." "Oh, yeah, that," I said paying for my lunch, "yeah I wasn't feeling well, so I left a little early. Besides you seemed occupied." He looked at me concerned, "Are you alright?" "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, it was just a bug." I said while waiting for him to pay for his food. "A bug?" he asked with a perplexed expression. I laughed, "I mean, it was a small cold, nothing to worry about." He laughed too, but his laughter sounded throaty and masculine, not at all like mine. "So why did you leave if it was a small cold?" he asked and gestured me to walk ahead of him. "Yeah, I didn't see you after, either," I lied horribly, "so, I just left. I didn't know you were still working." "Yeah, I saw your mom, but didn't see you," he replied still pressing the issue. I stopped to look at him, unaware of everyone staring. "You're very persistent," I replied coolly, "Why?" He grinned crookedly, "And you like to avoid certain topics." I cleared my throat and looked away from his gorgeous smile. He laughed and looked away too. I turned to the rest of the cafeteria and saw groups of peopled talking. I ignored them and searched for my friends. I saw Justin and Stacey at our table waiting. They saw Dante too, but their main concentration was on me. This made me remember my promise. My promise to tell my mom about the nosebleeds. I didn't want to have to explain myself to them. So I quickly made an impulsive decision, "Hey Dante, would like to sit with me and my friends. Or if you already had a table..." I trailed off. He looked at me astonished, "No, that would be great. Nobody has invited me to their table yet." Huh, I thought, and said, "Really? Well your welcome anytime." His crooked smile abruptly spread into an all-out grin. "Thanks," he replied sincerely. "But this doesn't mean anything," I replied, hinting that it was just platonic. He smiled and stifled a laugh. "Of, course," he replied, "just friends." I nodded and lead him to our table. Justin and Stacey looked confused but were polite as I introduced them to Dante. "Hello, Dante. It's nice to meet you." Stacey said as he sat in the chair next to me. "Hey, what's up dude?" Justin said in greeting. "So what ethnicity are you?" Stacey asked calmly. Justin quickly turned and glared at her. "Stace," I hissed, giving her a don't-be-rude look. "What?" she asked, innocently glancing at Justin and me. "No it's alright," Dante said politely. "To answer your question, I'm half Italian, half white. My father grew up in Italy and met my mother her in California." "Awesome," Justin said with forced enthusiasm, probably trying to make up for Stacey's rudeness, "so do you play any sports?" I gave him an appreciative smile for changing the subject. He winked at me and continued to ask Dante more questions about his interests. Apparently Dante played soccer, baseball, and some football. I was impressed at the wide range in sports, as much as Justin was. Justin just played basketball, and he seemed fascinated with the idea of soccer. Dante fit in easily with Justin and answered all his questions willingly. Dante was fluent in Italian, and he said a few words for us, but we didn't understand. This talent; however seemed to thaw out Stacey. She was eager with the idea of learning another language, to add to her endless list of credentials. She brought up the idea of Dante as a teacher, which seemed to be alright with him. I asked a few questions also. Like what books he read, what movies he enjoyed, and what his hobbies were. He liked all classic American literature and was surprised to know that we had that in common. He had a few movies he liked, that were on my list also. And he enjoyed cooking with a passion, which brought me up short too. "Really?" I asked, for what felt like the hundredth time. "Yeah, I love making Italian dishes," he replied confidently. "My father taught me some of the best Italian pastas." "Wow," I commented, "I love Italian food. I've always tried to follow the recipes, but never got the desired result." He smiled, either at my passion for cooking, or my cooking catastrophes. "I could show you a few tricks, if you'd like?" he asked with an intent gaze. He smiled crookedly, flashing his white teeth. His hazel eyes were bright with color, and there was a hint of green near the irises. I lost my train of thought, "Err, what?" I asked confused. I heard Justin clear his throat loudly and Stacey giggle. I hadn't noticed the close proximity of Dante's face until he slowly pulled away, freeing me from his gaze. "I said I could teach you some Italian recipes, if you'd like." Dante said hoarsely and cleared his throat too. "Sure," was all I replied, before the bell rang. "Hey Dante, were still on for basketball after school, right?" Justin asked while we gathered our trash. "No, he'll be busy tutoring me in another language." Stacy stated as if it were already a done deal. He chuckled deeply, "Sure, I can do both. Maybe at the same time. It that's okay?" Justin and Stacey exchanged a look. "Yeah we can all go to Caleb's. He has a basketball net." Stacey said and addressed me, "Remember that one your dad put up a few years ago, Caleb?" I thought back to it. Oh that's right, I thought. I could see it now. The white faded basketball hoop, just above our small garage. The driveway was small and had weeds growing out of the cracks, but it would work. "Yeah, I remember," I replied. "Well it's settled then," Justin said, "You can tutor Stace, while we play ball, and then maybe help cook dinner with Caleb." Dante nodded in agreement, "Cool, what time should we go?" "I was thinking after school," Stacey said as we made our way to the door. "Alright," all three agreed, and turned to hear my agreement. "Well, since it's my house, and nobody thought to ask me," I said jokingly," I guess I have no choice." Dante smiled apologetically, "Caleb, may we come to your house?" I smiled in return, "Sure, why not." Stacey and Justin exchanged another quick glance, after I blushed noticeably. I didn't care though. They could think what they wanted. Besides my little avoidance ploy worked and both of them never addressed the question of my nosebleeds. Dante insisted on walking me to class, while Stacey and Justin left subtly. Dante walked next to me very close, but kept a small distance between us. But that didn't stop me from feeling the warmth radiate from his sculpted forearm. He kept our conversation light, by telling me what I missed in class. Apparently we had a test next week on the renaissance, but he reassured my anxiety, by offering his notes. I thanked him gratefully. He was very modest in his reply, saying I would probably do the same for him. I smiled, and agreed completely. We were halfway to the classroom in the hallway, which was pretty empty by now, when I saw Drew step around a group of kids at their locker. His eyes locked onto mine for a second, before turning to Dante, chatting next to me. I stumbled slightly, but kept walking along side Dante. Drew however, marched towards us, meeting us in the empty hallway. Dante noticed Drew marching angrily toward us, and his shoulders shifted in dissatisfaction. "Caleb, can I talk to you?" Drew whispered, giving Dante a cold glare. "Alone." I looked at Dante's angered expression. He didn't seem to like the looks, Drew was giving him, and that was apparent in his features. "It's okay, Dante," I said, gently placing my hand on his arm. "I'll see you in class." He looked at me briefly and nodded once, before walking into class. "Why are you talking to the new kid?" Drew demanded as soon as we were alone. I glared at him, and was pleased to see him draw back. "No, you can't do that," I said, trying not to raise my voice. "You can't play the jealous lover, the moment I'm hanging out with some guy. That's not fair." "That's not fair, huh?" he said stepping back and running his hand through his hair, "No, do you know what's not fair?" I didn't respond. "What's not fair is pouring my heart out to you and then hours later, seeing you flirting with some other guy." His voice was getting louder, and I started to feel conscious of people listening. The bell rang, making me remember where we should be. I sighed and glanced wearily at his livid expression. His nostrils were flared and his hand was still tangled in his hair, with frustration. "Yeah, because, you're the one who was always left heartbroken," I whispered not meeting his angered gaze. His voice was softer now, "It's not the same." "Isn't it?" I replied icily. "You flaunted your relationship in front of me. And you never seemed to mind my objections." "I had to keep up pretenses," he added boldly. "Well there's nothing going on between, Dante and I, so you can go back to being Drew, the popular jock, who cares about no one." I whispered. "Nobody will ever see you vulnerable." I looked at him angrily before walking around him. His hand immediately stopped me, keeping me in the hallway. "Have you made a decision?" he asked, his eyes closed. My mind was suddenly guarded, "We have to get to class." I pulled my hand out from under his and walked into the classroom, not saying another word. Nobody looked at me, when I entered. I felt relieved. So nobody had heard what just happened then. However, when Drew walked in, all his buddies yelled out to him. "Where've you been, dude?" each asked as he walked to his desk. His eyes traveled over the heads of the students and rested on my face as I pulled out my notebook. I gave him a quick glance, but nothing more. Dante was quiet, as Mrs. Smith talked about our latest project. I listened to the instructions, and diligently took notes. I didn't know what to say, to Dante, so I let him make his own assumptions, about what happened. Mrs. Smith continued on with her guidelines of the project and the due date. "Now, the paper is to be written between 6-8 pages, double spaced, and must have a cover page." She said as she handed the assignment sheet to pass around. "You will need a partner to work with, I don't care who it is, along as it is well written," She continued, "and it must be on the topics I have listed on the assignment sheet I just passed around." "Any questions?" she asked staring out at the students. Nobody raised their hands. "Well then, get started." The class immediately erupted in commotion. Kids moved desks to be closer, making oddly shaped circles. Others were calling out each other's names for partners. It was absolute chaos. I looked at Dante, who was studiously reading the list of topics. "Hey, do you want to be my partner?" I asked politely, not sure if he was mad at me or Drew. He glanced up from his paper in surprise; like this was the first time I fully addressed him. "Sure," he said hesitantly, "but I thought you'd be partners with Drew Caldwell." I smiled at him amused. Then turned my gaze to Drew and his friends. They were all chatting with each other, but I was sure it wasn't on the assignment. I turned back to Dante, and replied, "He's got his own partner. Besides, I'd rather work with friends." His unease instantly disappeared, and his brilliant smile lit up his handsome features. "Friends?" he asked still astonished. I laughed and punched him in the arm, "Yes, just friends." His smile turned up on one side into a crooked grin, "Just friends." "Good," I replied jokingly, "I thought I was going to have to do this project alone." He laughed a throaty laugh, which made me smile. His eyes bore into mine, with great intensity. For a moment I was drawn into his beautiful features. His stubble was a bit thicker, I noticed. And his eyes were a warm chestnut color, which reminded me of my own chocolate brown color. He seemed to make the same observation I did, and commented, "Your eyes are like the color of chocolate." I could feel my cheeks burn with heat, and I shied away from his penetrating stare. He loudly cleared his throat, and lowered his head too. It seemed he made a slip in his composure that embarrassed him too. I felt comforted, by this realization. I regained my senses, and shuffled my papers, trying to find something to do. "So what topic do you want to write about?" I asked, attempting to clear the air. It worked; he began to examine the pre-determined categories, thoughtfully. I took a second glance also. The list was the usual topics researched in History class: World War I, World War II, The Great Depression, The Cold War, The American Revolution, etc. I didn't find any topic appealing, but knew one of the noteworthy events had more articles to cite. "Why don't we do the Great Depression," I suggested, peering up from the assignment sheet. "It has enough books, and articles to cite from, which will probably carry the weight of our paper." "Why not the World Ware I or II," he asked still looking at the paper, "or maybe the revolution." I frowned, "Cuz, wars are too messy." He laughed and had everyone turning in his direction. I glanced around nervously. He seemed to be taking everyone by surprise. I guess he was never this exuberant with other people. He didn't seem to care and watched me as I looked around uneasily. "So, the Great Depression, huh?" he asked sarcastically and had me looking back at him. "Yes." I replied tersely. I turned to take my notebook out of my bag, when I stole a glance at Drew. His friends were obviously too busy talking, to notice his fixation, but this time it wasn't me he was looking at. His cold glare was locked on Dante. I knew him well enough, to know that he was angry. His eyes were squinted in concentration, and his nose flared in frustration. I could see his clenched fists were bone white with tension. I turned back to Dante, not wanting him to see Drew's expression, but was already too late. I could see Dante staring in the same direction, in a calm, collected manner. But there was something seething under his expression that had me worried. "Dante?" I said quietly, bringing his attention back to me. He turned and smiled warmly, "Let's get started, shall we." For the rest of the class period we created an outline for our paper, and listed well known facts about the Great Depression. The bell rang, while we were just finishing our list. I could hear desks, loudly shoved back into place, and the constant chatter start to die down. I gathered my things, not fully paying attention to my surroundings. I had a homework sheet due next hour, but I couldn't remember if I brought it or not. While I neatly placed my notebook into my bag, I thought of different excuses for my assignment, if I forgot it. I was refining my sickness excuse to include constant bed rest, when I heard someone clear there throat. Apparently it was the only way to get my attention. I looked up in surprise, it was Drew, "Oh, hey." I said lamely. Before he could even answer he was interrupted by Dante's deep, accented voice. "Caleb would you like me to walk you to your next class?" he asked tenderly. I turned around and saw Dante's tall frame standing near his desk. His eyes didn't meet mine, but instead were looking straight past me, to Drew. "I got this, new kid." Drew replied gruffly. "Why don't you go ahead yourself?" Before I could even get a word in, Dante spoke, "I think I was talking to Caleb." he said in a rougher tone. Drew didn't reply, but I could feel the tension in the air. It was heavy as it weighed down on me. I could feel them staring at me, waiting for me to prove one of them right. "I can find my own way," I finally said, after a full minute of silence. "I'll see you both, when you're more mature." "Caleb," they both said with concern, but I was already out the door, headed to my next class. My excuse worked, and I was given an extension, which should have made my day. But this small victory was shadowed by Drew and Dante's unnecessary hostility. Obviously Drew's priorities were understood, he was jealous. Jealous of my friendship with Dante, and upset by my avoidance. However, Dante's intentions were a bit muddy. I knew he was a friend, but would he go through all this just to protect me from Drew. It seemed odd to even need a protector, but maybe there was more. Besides, he already had a girlfriend didn't he? Just then the bell rang for the end of the day. I sighed. I was going to have to pay more attention in school. I had zoned out in computer technology class so many times in the last week that I didn't even know what chapter we were on anymore. I knew the chapter pertained to computer software and malware, but I couldn't recall anything from the lesson. I was going to have to study before my next test. After leaving my computer class, I escaped to my locker, hoping to get away before Drew found me. Apparently the odds were against me. Drew was leaning casually against my locker, as if he belonged there. It worked for him though. He looked more like a model, posing for the latest GQ magazine. His wind tousled hair was lightly brushing his smooth forehead. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his muscles bulged beneath his gray sweater, which was zipped down revealing his smooth throat. His face was a blank mask, but I knew he had something on his mind by the set of his mouth. It was in a thoughtful scowl. I inhaled deeply and marched forward, determined to get this over with. He noticed me instantly as I made my way across the hall. He didn't smile, but calmly watched my approach. "Drew," I stated coolly. "Caleb," he replied, "now can we talk?" I just nodded, quickly losing my confidence. "Look, I don't even want to discuss this Dante person," he started off. "I just want to talk about us..... Have you decided yet?" "Yes, I have," I replied steadily, trying to keep my poise. At my words, his face became instantly worried. His eyes bore into mine, hardly ever blinking. I knew what my decision was. Strangely, my nerves disappeared. I was strongly confident in my decision, and believed with all my heart, that this was best for me. "I . . . think we should just be friends." His face transitioned between different expressions, before settling on one; despair. I could see it in his eyes, the hopeless void I saw every day in my own mirror. The heart wrenching feeling of emptiness and longing, that was hard to fill. For the briefest of moments I regretted my decision. For the briefest moment, I saw our possible future together. I saw the possibility of happiness, acceptance, and maybe even love. But then I saw the opposite. I saw my hidden secrets played out. I saw the cancer returning. I saw my limp body in another hospital bed, dying of this horrible condition. I saw Drew, giving up on that future at the first sign of trouble. I saw myself alone. My heart closed in on itself and locked away its hidden desires. I felt empty, but somehow stronger at the same time. I hadn't realized he was talking until he brought me back to reality. "Caleb?" he said lightly brushing my cheek. I blinked into awareness. His face was heartbreakingly sad. There was no brilliance to his light blue eyes. His shoulders were set into dejection. I could feel the rough callousness of his hands on my cheek, but I knew my time here was done. "I'm sorry, Drew," I said quietly. "I have to go." I lightly pulled his hand from my face and closed my eyes, before turning to the nearest exit. I left without even opening my locker, to get my books. To my surprise Stacey, Justin, and Dante were waiting outside already. I had forgotten we had plans tonight, so I plastered a smile on my face before reaching them. Stacey and Justin were casually leaning against his car chatting with Dante. "Hey, guys." I exclaimed with halfhearted excitement. They all turned at my appearance, Dante a little slower than the other two. "So, are we still going to my house to hang out?" "Of course," Stacey replied and jumped up, opening the passenger door for me to get in. The car was a two door, so the seats had to be pulled up in order for us to get in. Dante's mood remained chivalrous, and he helped me into the small space between the seat and the door. His hands lingered at my hip as he guided me in, but neither Stacey nor I commented on the gesture. I settled into the back seat, which was very small, probably the size of a loveseat, before Dante squeezed his tall frame in next to me. I smiled reassuringly at him, and tried to make room in the small space. It didn't help much. We were still snugly pushed into each other, and the seats in front of us didn't provide much leg room. My whole body was aligned perfectly to Dante's, and gave an intimate feel to the situation. I tried to get comfortable as Stacey and Justin got into the front seats, but couldn't quite manage it. My legs couldn't fully extend and my right arm was pinned between Dante's body and mine. He seemed to see my discomfort and casually raised his arm, resting it behind my neck. I could feel the blood flush my cheeks, but honestly felt comforted. I boldly pulled my right arm out from its position and rested it on his left thigh. I looked up to see if I crossed any lines, but his face was pulled up, into a wide grin. He saw me and tightened his arm around me, as Justin started the car. I looked away, before he saw my cheeks bloom with embarrassment. I stared forward and saw Stacey eyeing me proudly in her vanity mirror on the visor. I scowled at her, and she subtly pulled the visor up, blocking her view. We pulled out of the school's parking lot, and turned onto my familiar street. Stacey turned the radio on to a station playing an annoying pop song. It seemed to annoy Justin also, because he quickly changed the station. "Hey!" Stacey exclaimed. "I like that song." "It's dumb," Justin retorted. "The girl sings about partying, being a slut, and glitter all the time." I laughed, but kept out of their argument as they continually switched stations. I glanced up at Dante and saw amusement light his eyes. He was enjoying their little dispute as much as I was. He saw me staring and looked at me, "What?" "I'm sorry, about earlier with Drew." I said holding his gaze. He glanced up front to Justin and Stacey, who were still arguing over the right station, before taking my right hand in his. "Listen, there's nothing to apologize for. I knew you and him were acquainted." he said, playing with my fingers, "I just thought you needed an escape route, so I tried to help you. I just didn't know he was such a dick." I laughed, "He can be very stubborn." He smiled and pulled me in closer. "So no hard feelings?" "No," I replied with a warm smile, "were still friends." I saw the tiniest flinch in his face, and his eyes hardened the smallest bit. I tried to read the change in his expression, but he looked away out the window. I hadn't noticed we arrived until I looked out the window. Sure enough we were pulling into my driveway. I felt the shudder and grinding of the car as Justin drove over the curb. "Oooh, Trudy is going to kill you," I heard Stacey say from the front seat. "Shoot, were those her flowers?" Justin asked as we pulled up to the garage. "Yupp." "Well she likes me right Cale?" he asked uneasily. I laughed, "Sure, but I'd do a lot of ass kissing when she gets back tonight." Dante chuckled next to me and I was surprised to see his sudden mood change. His arm tightened involuntarily around me, but he seemed to not notice. "Listen Dante, I wanted to ask you something, about last night-" I tried to say but he held a hand up. "I know, I know, you don't have to apologize," he said, clearly not understanding my point. "I just thought you were already with someone else, that's why I had to ask." "Ask what?" I replied confused. He stared back and frowned, "So you are with Drew, then?" I laughed, "Is that why you were annoyed with him? Because you thought we were dating?" Stacey and Justin were already outside clearing the driveway, giving us some privacy. His frowned deepened. "Isn't that what you're trying to say?" he said loosening his hold on my hand. "Cuz I totally understand if you are dating someone else." I quickly snatched his hand before he could let go, "No, I'm not. I thought you were dating someone else, that's why I left." He laughed shakily, "Oh. Okay. Well-" Suddenly Justin appeared in the doorway, "Hey lovebirds you done yet? We need to get inside." I blushed and pulled my hand out of Dante's. Justin reached for it and pulled me out in one fluid motion. I popped out onto the driveway and straightened up. I dug into my bag and found my house keys. Dante go out after me and stood, before stretching. I smiled at him, and walked to my front door. They waited patiently as I unlocked it. I heard the dead bolt slide out and the door softly jerk. I walked in and slowly looked around, seeing the room through Dante's perspective. We had a large sofa off to the right underneath the front window, and a small love seat placed across from it. A medium sized glass coffee table was placed between both couches, with a handful of magazines placed on it. We had a fireplace off to the far wall, but we hardly used, mainly because a heater was more efficient. A couple of end tables, stood off to the sides of the couches. Each had a large lamp placed on top of it. Stacey and Justin immediately made themselves comfortable on my couch, while I guided Dante into the house. "Well Dante," I said, throwing my bag behind the couch, "this is it. My humble abode. What do you think?" He walked around the small area, randomly picking up pictures from the mantle. "Is this you?" he asked holding up a picture of me from the eighth grade. I was smiling with metal braces, and had the dorkiest haircut. Justin saw the picture and grinned, "Yeah that's him. I forgot he use to have braces." I could feel the heat of my blush course over my cheeks. I immediately walked over and reached for the frame. "Yeah, not one of my best moments, I'll admit," I replied coolly, afraid of them teasing me. I tried to reach for it, but Dante held it high above his head grinning widely. I glared at him, before giving up and sitting on the small couch. "Okay, okay, make fun of me," I said plopping down on the squishy cushions. "But those braces paid off." I flashed them all a smile, and was rewarded with laughter. Stacey was uncharacteristically quiet, and I looked to her to see what was wrong. She was merely observing what had just happened, and seemed to be assessing me. "Stace, are you okay?" I asked, throwing a couch pillow at her. "You're awfully quiet." She just laughed it off and threw the pillow back in my face. "Quiet, braces." she teased. I laughed too, but got up and grabbed my bag from behind the other couch. "Well I'm gonna start my homework. The basketball hoop is outside, guys," I said addressing Dante and Justin, who were still looking at my family pictures. "Alright, cool." Justin said after putting back the picture of my dad and me. "Let's go Dante; I wanna play before the sun goes down." I sat at the table, and spilled all my books out. I had quite a hefty load on my hands. I looked up out of habit and noticed Dante, was still looking at the picture of me and my dad, until Justin called him again. He quickly placed the picture frame back and bounded out the front door, without a glance behind him. Stacey was too busy texting to notice, but I certainly did. I watched as he called to Justin to wait, while he stood on the porch and pulled off his jacket. He lifted it off slowly and it caught on the bottom of his shirt, pulling both up at the same time. I felt a slight jump in my pants at the sight of his chiseled abs, which were visible from where I sat. There was a light dusting of dark hair near his pant line, which lead up to his belly button and abs. I gulped involuntarily, and suddenly noticed he was done. I glanced up to his face, and saw that he was watching me too. I quickly looked away, blushing like an idiot. I didn't dare look up, until Stacey spoke up from her phone. "Hey, Cale when's Trudy getting home?" she asked as she placed her bag onto the coffee table next to mine. I looked up, and saw that Dante wasn't on the porch anymore, "Uhh, she gets off at five, so she should be back five thirtyish. Why?" "Casserole Thursday," she explained while texting. My face blanched at the name, and saw Stacey's face pinch also. "I understand," I replied, "my mom was just asking about you the other day, anyway." "Really, that's cool. My mom hardly ever asks about my friends." "I'm sure she means well." "Yeah, maybe..." she said trailing off, before suddenly perking up. "So, what's with you and Dante? He seemed cozy in the car." I rolled my eyes, "It's not like that, Stace. He's just really friendly." "Huh, I wish my friends were that friendly," she said going back to her phone. "Oh, really?" I asked in disbelief. "What about Justin?" I laughed at her astonished expression but, let her text, while I started on my assignments. From then on she made an effort to avoid conversation, so I let her stew over what I said. Besides, I had a lot of work to do, but I had my mind set on finishing before the weekend. When the boys finally came back in, I was more than halfway finished with my first stack of math homework. Stacey was done before me and had finally gotten over her embarrassment enough, to explain some of the assignments to me. The boys were sweaty with exertion, and immediately fell onto the couches to rest. Justin laid down near Stacey and had a sweaty arm resting on her shoulder, while Dante wearily collapsed on the floor next to me. Stacey laughed at their exhausted arrangement and continued checking my math answers, while Justin absently played with her hair. She smiled whenever he brushed her ear, and I suddenly felt guilty for pestering their relationship. I looked away, feeling the urge to give them their privacy. Eventually, the boys gradually regained their stamina, and sat up. Justin made himself comfortable at the edge of the couch, and turned on the TV. Dante sat up and scooted over to the table to sit next to me. I smiled at him and turned back to Stacey, who was now explaining my math homework. I was fully aware of Dante sitting next to me and it was hard to pay attention to what Stacey told me to do. I had only understood half of what she said, but I nodded like I did. "And that should give you the correct solution," she concluded, while pointing to a complicated problem. "Umm, okay," I replied unsure, "maybe I'll do that one later." Dante chuckled next to me, but I ignored him, and checked the time on my phone. It was a quarter till five. I wanted to cook for my mom before she got back, so I started to put my homework away. Stacey seemed to understand, and helped me stack my papers in a pile. "So what are you cooking for Trudy?" she asked, handing me her stack. "I don't know," I replied, "I was thinking something simple and quick." Dante seemed interested and spoke, "Do you mind if I help? Maybe I could offer a few suggestions." Just then, Justin piped in, "Awesome, were going to have a real Italian dish tonight?" I laughed shakily, "I didn't know I was feeding the whole town tonight." "What?" Justin replied in mock horror. "Stace gets to stay, but my own buddy turns me away?" Stacey replied before I did, "How do you know I'm staying for dinner?" "Oh, come on," he replied, like the answer was that obvious. "Casserole Thursday?" Stacey laughed and shoved his head to the side, "Whatever, at least I was invited." Justin just looked at me, and smiled expectantly. "Alright," I finally said, "but you're explaining the flowers to my mom." That quickly wiped the smile off his face. I looked to Dante, and saw that he was enjoying our little banter. He had an amused smile on his face, when he turned to me. "Oh, Dante," I said, suddenly remembering he asked to help. "Since you're gonna help cook, you might as well stay for dinner too." He chuckled deeply, "That's fine with me." "Well that settles it," Stacey exclaimed standing up and rubbing her hands together. I got up too and heaved my bag along with me. Stacey guided Dante to the kitchen, while I ran up to my room, to put my bag away. I threw my bag onto my bed and ran to the bathroom. I peered into the mirror and looked at my reflection. I saw a slim boy with soft chestnut colored hair, lightly brushing his forehead. His eyes were wide with delight and dark as chocolate. His face was boyish, but still lean. He smiled and dimples formed around his mouth, making him look cuter. I saw my smile and felt reassured, before heading back down into the kitchen. Stacey already knew where things were and had all the ingredients Dante needed out on the counter. There was a bag of fresh spinach leaves, cloves of garlic, cherry tomatoes, and lean cuts of chicken placed randomly around the stove. The stove already had a pot of boiling water on it, next to a box of rotini. "Caleb," Dante said after I walked in, "do you have olive oil?" "Yeah," I replied pointing to the cupboard above the fridge, "top shelf." "Oh, that's where it was," Stacey said as she pulled a knife out a drawer. "I knew it was here somewhere." "Wow, you take no time at all," I said, smiling at Dante, who found the bottle of olive oil. "Yupp," he replied with a grin, "you said quick, right?" I stuck my tongue out making him chuckle, and helped Stacey out with the garlic cloves. She had a hard time peeling the skin off, so I showed her an easier technique. I laid the flat of the blade on the clove of garlic and slammed it down with force. This opened the shell of the clove, and made it easier to peel off the skin. "Impressive," Dante said with astonishment. "Food Network," I replied off hand, and started on the next one. He chuckled, but commented no further. Stacey took that as a sign to get out of the way. She instead began to ask Dante to teach her a few words. He obliged with grace, and started to say a few random phrases. I didn't understand any of it, but listened to the way he spoke. I watched as his tongue rolled, whenever he said a word with a double 'r'. He occasionally licked his lips before saying a word, which caught my attention immediately. He spoke with perfect dialect it was hypnotic. I could sit and listen to him talk for hours, without ever getting bored. He continued to teach Stacey, while cooking, which impressed me even more. Stacey seemed to learn more from the training than I did, but I was more interested in the cooking. He started off with the rotini by pouring the entire box into the boiling water. Then he drizzled some olive oil into a fairly large sized sauce pan, while turning up the heat. His hands moved fluidly as he moved the oil all around the pan. Then he began to cut the chicken fillets into small strips with such precision it was fascinating. While he did this he pulled out another sauce pan -medium this time- and placed on the stove. The whole entire time, he continually corrected Stacey in her language lessons, while I just stared at him in astonishment. He then threw the strips of chicken into the oil. They sizzled with intensity like the sound of a thousand bees. I watched as he expertly tossed the chicken in the pan, evenly cooking both sides. He placed the pan back down to allow them to cook through, before ordering me to stir the pasta. I scurried over to the pan and slowly moved the pasta with a wooden spoon, keeping them from sticking in the pan. He then ordered me to chop all the tomatoes in half. I willingly obeyed and cut them in half, but somehow lacked the elegance he had. When I was finished he had me mince the garlic, while he poured more oil into the third pan. The pan quickly heated up, and he had me toss the minced garlic into the oil. They popped with heat and the room filled with the scent of garlic. He turned off the boiling pasta, and checked it by taking a noodle and biting into it. He threw me a thumbs up before handing me the pan. I smiled in understanding and ran to the sink where there was a colander already waiting for me. When I finished draining the excess water and moved back to the stove he was already two steps ahead of me. The strips of chicken were lightly golden and the pan was cooling off. The garlic bits in the third pan were joined by the spinach leaves, which were wilting to small amounts. I placed the pan of noodles on the stove and waited for further instruction. He continued with his teaching, while he added the cut tomatoes to the third pan of spinach leaves and garlic. The concoction was brilliant. The spinach leaves and tomatoes accentuated each other greatly. Their colors look amazing together, and had my appetite peaked. Finally he asked me to get a bag of mozzarella cheese which I told him we don't have. "But we do have a block of mozzarella," I added in urgency. He brightened, "Actually that's way better." He smiled warmly at me and had me grate the block of cheese. After I'm done grating the cheese he tells me it's ready to be mixed together. He began with the noodles as the base and added the spinach, garlic, and tomatoes to it. Then he had me sprinkle the cheese over the concoction, while he added the chicken. The dish suddenly began to bloom before me. He gently folded the cheese and chicken in, creating a nice effect to the whole dish. He stepped back and let us see his food masterpiece. I glanced into the pan and stifled a gasp. The food looked amazing. The smell wafted up my nose, and had my mouth watering in anticipation. Stacey was also at a loss for words, and I could tell she was hungry. "What do you think?" he asked us, enthusiastically. I was the first to regain my senses, "It smells amazing, Dante. I can't wait to try it." "It looks soo delicious," Stacey replied in earnest. "Justin needs to see." At that, she exited the kitchen to get Justin. Dante looked to me, but I merely smiled. "Really it's amazing, Dante." I whispered feeling the need to. "It's nothing," he replied nonchalantly. "Couldn't have done it without you." I shook my head and looked back at the dish. He chuckled lightly and walked forward. I turned immediately in his direction, and saw that his face was gaging my reaction. I stood in place, frozen, not knowing what to do. "I've been wanting to do this since the theater," he whispered shakily. His hands grazed my arms, which were at my sides, as he walked closer. The small space between us closed quickly and he had me leaning back against the stove. My body shook in anticipation, but I couldn't seem to control my nerves. I didn't look up into his face until his hands were at my waist. I gulped again, which made him grin crookedly. I sucked in a shaky breath at his smile, and leaned back from his body. I've never had this problem before. I've always kissed the person before they kissed me, but couldn't this time. He watched me as I tried to back away, before his arms wrapped tightly around my waist and pulled me closer. I kept my eyes locked on his, while he pushed his whole body into mine. I stopped breathing altogether. He leaned his face towards mine and lightly ran his nose over my cheeks, eventually skimming my nose. I shuddered involuntarily and closed my eyes in expectation. I could feel the soft texture of his lips and the scratchy stubble on his chin. I finally inhaled sharply and could smell the scent of his shampoo. His lips parted and breathed a sweet scent into my face, making me dizzy. Suddenly someone cleared their throat. I instantly pull away and saw my mom in her scrubs standing next to Stacey and Justin. I blushed deeply and took a step away from Dante. He stepped away too and pulled his hand from my waist. He stared down at his feet, and didn't say anything. I regained my composure and introduced him, "Mom, this is Dante Giordano. He just moved here." I looked at my mom and saw her face was still in a mask of shock. She blinked once before recovering her senses and stepped towards Dante. "Hello, Dante," she said extending a hand. "I'm Trudy Pierce, Caleb's mom." "Hi, Mrs. Pierce," Dante said formally. He was stiff with embarrassment and I felt sorry for him. Stacey and Justin were quiet with disbelief and maintained their position near the door. I looked to Justin for help. He nodded once and stepped around Stacey. "Hey, Mrs. P." He said grabbing her purse. "Dante was the one who made us this amazing dinner." He pointed to the stove where the food was still sitting; covered. She looked at it momentarily before looking at me. I smiled timidly and saw that the shock was over. She smiled back and surrendered her purse to Justin. He took it with caution and placed on the counter near the sink. "Alright, let's eat!" he exclaimed, thawing out the room and nudging Stacey. "Plates, Stace." She moved at the gesture and started to get the plates and silverware. Justin led my mom to the table and started to ask about her day. While he kept her occupied I grabbed Dante's arm. "Help me serve," I whispered. He obeyed willingly and grabbed a serving spoon from the dish rack. "What do I do?" he asked desperately. I smiled reassuringly, "Just act normal. Don't worry. She was just surprised to see us...well, like how we were." He nodded in understanding and carried the food to the table. My mom was more comfortable now, and I smiled at Justin. He winked in response. "So, mom," I said, while serving her a spoonful of pasta, "how was work?" That thawed her out completely and she slowly went into a story about a patient hiding in the hospital. We all laughed at the story, which helped Dante out a lot. I could see that he was more comfortable too. My mom eventually addressed Dante and asked how he was adjusting to life in Taylor. He answered her willingly, and even smiled in response. She didn't delve that much into his personal life, but kept him in the conversation throughout the evening. We finished the entire pan, and even had seconds, but Justin still craved more. My mom insisted on doing the dishes so that gave us time to hang out before all three of them had to go home. For the rest of the evening we sat around watching silly TV shows. None of us brought up the previous situation and kept the atmosphere light and casual. It wasn't until much later that they were all called home. They groaned in unison, but each got up to leave. Justin and Stacey agreed to give Dante a ride home, so they all had to leave at the same time. "We'll see you tomorrow, buddy," Justin said after hugging my mom and bounded down the porch to start his car. "Cya, Justin," I called after him. "Remember, tomorrow, concession clean up." Stacey said in parting and gave my mom a hug. "Bye, my darling Trudy." My mom laughed, "Bye, Stace." She waved a little wave, before stepping down the porch. I looked to Dante, who was standing in the entryway. "It was nice to meet, Mrs. P." Dante said getting ready to shake my mom's hand. She wouldn't have that. Instead she pulled him in for a hug. "Please, call me Trudy, Stacey does," she said as she patted his cheek. "Well, I'm gonna go in the kitchen and pretend to do something." Dante chuckled and looked down in embarrassment. I scowled at my mom as she passed. She just grinned and shoved me towards Dante. I turned and watched her go into the kitchen, before turning back to Dante. "Awkward," I said breathlessly to Dante. "Very," he agreed his hands in his pockets. "Well I had a good time tonight and I like your mom." "Me too," I replied keeping my eyes to the floor. "The evening I mean. Not my mom. I love my mom." He smiled at my obvious nervousness. We stood in silence for a few seconds. "It feels like were pressured to kiss right now, doesn't it?" I asked finally looking into his eyes. He laughed breathlessly like he had been holding it, "Yeah, kinda." "Well how about a hug for now," I suggested, "cuz, I think Stacey and Justin are getting restless." On cue, the sound of a horn blared from the open door. He laughed and grinned widely. "Alright," he agreed and opened his arms in an invitation. I smiled sheepishly and walked into his arms. They folded around me with ease and tightened with comfort. My arms wrapped around his hard chest, making me want to stay there forever. My head fit perfectly in the crook of his neck and shoulder, which surprised me. I inhaled deeply and could smell his cologne, which was strong, but not overbearing. His head leaned down and he buried his nose into my hair. We stood there for a while, before he softly pulled away and stepped back. His eyes were alight with pleasure and something else, but he looked away before I could see. I blushed scarlet, and he brushed a hand over my hot cheek. "Tomorrow?" he said just above a whisper. "Tomorrow," I agreed, before he pulled away and turned out the door. As soon as the door clicked close, my mom was in the room. I turned around and saw her stepping out of the kitchen. Her eyes were bright with happiness and joy. I smiled tentatively at her. "Details!" she exclaimed surprising me. "What did he say?" I smiled widely now, "I'm going to bed." Her face shifted in surprise, before settling down to a scowl. "Oooh, Caleb Pierce," she said with faux anger. "You're so mean." I laughed and walked around her, calling over my shoulder, "Night mom. See you in the morning." "Yeah, yeah." I heard her say, before I entered my room. That night I went to bed, thinking of what tomorrow would bring.