Chapter 14 (post one)

Pre-note: This section is the being a s small conflict. Please let me know if you find it at all confusing. Also, I do so much telling instead of showing throughout New Wings... >.< The more I read back, the more I need to change! So much work! lol anyways...

Chapter fourteen, section one:

We settled into our usual half circle, close enough to the other lawn that we could watch easily, while far enough from the road that the occasional car wouldn’t disrupt conversation.

There was discussion about dresses and hair, although as soon as the football players walked out across the lawn, all eyes were on them. I watched them settle into their usual spot, their collars blowing the breeze. They were probably the best looking boys on the lawn, and I could easily see why they were the subject of the crushes. The one boy’s hair even fell in his eyes the same way Jake’s did, and the other wore the same brown flip-flops. The one with the hair falling in his face tucked it behind his ear and our eyes caught for a moment. He smiled, not breaking eye contact, and I smiled back. But just as suddenly as the moment had begun, it ended. I quickly turned away, feeling like a little child who has stolen from the cookie jar. This boy, 68 or 56 or something, was off bounds.

I couldn’t shake the guilt in my stomach. It mimicked something like hunger, and I realized that perhaps I should’ve grabbed a sandwich when everyone else had. At least then I would have a purpose, something to distract myself from what I had done. I quickly excused myself, and although the girls’ conversation had come to almost a halt, they didn’t say a word. I got up and began to walk towards the buildings.

My back was to the boys the whole time, so I missed some key things that I am sure occurred. I didn’t see the boy walk confidently across the road towards the group I’d just been sitting with, nor did I see a couple of his friends follow him. I didn’t see the joy spread across Chantel’s face as 56 came up to her, mentioning something about the football game, then asking her to the dance, all in one run-on sentence. I didn’t see Amy’s face brighten with anticipation as 68 came towards her, nor did I see it fall as he walked right on past the group.

The boy with the hair in his eyes tapped me on the back as I walked towards the cafeteria. I turned around, expecting it to be one of the girls, but froze when I saw who it was.

“Hey,” he said, smiling. “Where are you going?”

I could see he was joking around, making small talk, and I could hardly resist the urge to walk away. I hadn’t even seen Amy’s face at this point.

“I’m just going to the, uh, caf,” I said awkwardly, turning myself away from him and towards my destination.

“Are you going to the dance this Friday?”

“Um, yeah,” I said, trying to sound unwary already.

“Would you like to go with me?”

He seemed so confident, the way he knew what he wanted to say and just said, and so cute, the way he smiled at me. If it was back on earth, I would’ve jumped at the opportunity. However, here in Heaven, I had something in my gut saying no.

“Um, sorry, but I can’t,” I said quickly, and then turned, “See you around.”

He probably watched me as I speed-walked to the caf, but I never turned around. He was most likely shocked I’d turned him down, as I’m sure that didn’t occur often in these odd dating rituals. I made it to the caf and bought a sandwich with lots of time to spare before class, but I ate alone in the building. I was avoiding people, hoping the feeling in my stomach would go away. That feeling that I’d almost crossed some line, some deep rooted girl code in this world, and at the same time, almost betrayed my feelings for someone else.