I heard a screech and looked to see the truck slam to a stop just a ways ahead of us. He yelled some obscenities out his window; something about stupid kids, but more colorful, and then sped away.
The guy immediately rolled off me, yanking the buds from his ears and looking at me with awe and concern.“Are you ok?”
“Uh...yeah, I think so,” I groaned.
“I can’t believe I just did that. You- you saved my life.”
“It’s fine. It’s a good thing I was here, I guess.”
He scooted a little closer and winced as he brushed my hair back from my face. “You cut your head,” he said breathlessly and looked a little dazed.
“I did?” I felt it with my fingers and squinted as it stung. My fingers had a little blood on them, but nothing alarming. “I guess I did. It’s all right, really, just a bump.”
I tried to stand, but he held me down with a hand on my shoulder.
“Whoa. Wait, ok? Let me call an ambulance. If something happened to you after you saved me...”
“Really, that’s not necessary. I’m fine.”
He frowned and paused, screwing up his lips like he was debating it. I looked at him in the soft glow of the streetlights. He was tall, that I’d seen from before, and broad, but his hair was brown and shaggy, curling around his ears and forehead, and his eyes were light, blue maybe or hazel. His lips were fascinating as he sucked them in and out of his mouth in contemplation. He was wearing a gray hoodie that said ‘VOLS’ in big orange letters on the front. Great.
That was one of my biggest problems with Chad. He’d been so set to go to Florida to be a Gator when the University of Tennessee was right here. Right down the road. His dad went to UF, I get it, he wanted to follow his dad’s footsteps but it just felt like he wouldn’t compromise. I don’t know.
The guy’s eyes drifted to mine and we just sat there, eyes locked on one another’s. Then the corner of his mouth rose slightly. And it was unnerving.
“Please, let me take you to the hospital at least.” He brushed my hair back again and leaned closer to inspect. I heard my swift intake of breath at his closeness and he did, too. He looked down into my eyes again and watched me closely. “It doesn’t look too bad, but...let me call someone for you. I’d feel better,” he said softly.
“There’s no one to call,” I muttered, but wished I could take it back when I saw his face. “Really, I’m fine.”
“I’m so glad you were here. I can’t believe I did that. And I’m sorry you got hurt. I must have hit you with my book-bag when we went down. That’s a pretty good grip you got there,” he said and smiled. I had one of those moments where you stare and can’t look away.
He smiled wider when I didn’t say anything and chuckled right as I came back to myself.
“Uh, thanks. Are you all right?” I asked and he nodded.
“So. There’s no one to call? Your parents? A boyfriend?”
“My dad won’t come and my boyfriend and I... Well, we aren’t together anymore. I wouldn’t feel right about calling him now.”
“You don’t think he’d come?”
“Oh, he would. That’s why I don’t want to.”
He seemed confused and amused at the same time. “Ok. I’m gonna assume there’s a story there and you’re not just suffering from a head injury.”
I realized then that we were still sitting on the sidewalk next to each other, in the middle of town.
“No, I’m fine. Look, I’m sorry. I’m fine, I promise. I didn’t mean to hold you up,” I stammered and stuck my hair behind my ear.
“Are you kidding? You saved my life. The least I can do is make sure you get where you’re going. Here.” He grabbed my arm gently and helped me stand, keeping it there to make sure I was steady. “You good? No stars, no spots, no blurs?”
“I’m good.”
“Where you headed?”
“I have no idea. Nowhere. I’m just waiting for someone to call and needed to get out of the house.”
“Did you go to graduation?”
“Yeah, I graduated.”
“Really? You look too young to be graduating.”
“Seventeen. My birthday’s in a few weeks. I, uh, skipped a grade so I graduated early.”
“Aha. So, I was saved by a genius. This just keeps getting better,” he said grinning.
“I’m not a genius,” I laughed. “I just used to like school. I loved tests.” I saw his expression. “I know, I know. I’m a freak. But I liked it, for whatever reason.”
“Not anymore?”
“Long story. Bad year.”
He nodded and seemed to know to leave that one alone.
“You’re not a freak, by the way.” He leaned close and stage whispered to me. “I love to do geometry speed drills. Love it.”
I raised my eyebrows and dropped my jaw in mock shock.
“No way. That’s crazy.”
“I know.”
“Maybe you’re the freak.”
“Hey!” We both laughed and then smiled at each other. “So, where can I take you?”
“Really, I’m fine. Where were you headed?”
“Oh, my uncle’s house a couple streets over. My cousin graduated, too. My mom and dad are here with me, partying it up with the family. You know.”
“Yeah,” I said bleakly as I most certainly did not know. “Who’s your cousin?”
“Kyle Jacobson.”
My jaw dropped for real this time. “Kyle is your cousin?”
“Yeah, you know him? Oh, of course you do.”
“Yeah, I’ve been friends with Kyle since...forever. He’s actually the one I’m waiting on. I thought his party was from five to seven?”
“It is. I snuck out for a walk. I can’t handle so many Jacobsons in one room.” He put his hands back in his pockets and rolled his shoulders, looking a little uncomfortable. “So, you’re Kyle’s big date, huh? He kept talking about you earlier.”
“It’s not a date. Well...I guess it is. We’re just friends. He’s sweet.”
“Well, I’ll tell you, he definitely thinks this is a date and wants to be way more than friends, trust me.”
I bit my lip and he smiled sadly at me. “Really? I wasn’t trying to get his hopes up, I just wanted to do something and he’s asked me out a few times already. I just didn’t want to say no again. You know?”
He nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. His hair fell across his forehead and I wanted to fix it for him. In fact, my fingers twitched with wanting to, but I clenched my fist and mentally shook myself. I was not one of those girls who got all swoony over a cute guy. I wasn’t about to start being one.“Well, I can walk you there since that’s where I’m headed anyway. Kyle will be happy to see you.”
He looked as disappointed as I felt at that prospect. I’d never been attracted to anyone but Chad before. And I was definitely attracted to mister blue eyes.
“Ok, but we’re just friends. I’ve never even been to his house before. You don’t think he’ll mind my just showing up when he said he’d text me, do you?”
“Positive that he won’t.”
“Ok.”
We started walking in that direction. I knew where Kyle lived but it was nice to have someone to walk with in the dark. “So, what year are you?” I asked to fill the silence.
“Heading into Sophomore. I’m studying to be an architect.”
“Really? That’s neat. I guess that’s why you like geometry.”
He smiled and nodded. “What about you? Are you headed to school anywhere?”
“Uh.” I sighed. “To be honest, as lame as it sounds, I haven’t even thought about it. I kind of blew it this year with my grades and haven’t even applied to any colleges yet. I have no idea what I’m going to do. My dad, he…he kind of needs me right now. I work at the diner in town. I guess I’ll work there until I figure it all out.”
“Hey, taking care of family is just as important if not more than taking care of yourself. You’re doing a good thing, staying with your dad while he needs you.”
It was the first positive thing I’d heard someone say about anything I was doing all year.
“Thanks. Wow, I can’t believe how much I needed to hear someone say that,” I admitted and smiled bashfully.
He smiled back. Then he pulled me to a stop by a hand on my arm and pushed my hair back once more to inspect my head. I looked up to his face, refusing to look away no matter how much my cheeks wanted to flush. I refused to be swoony. He looked back down at me, his hand still in my hair, and I felt butterflies attack in my gut. He cocked his head to the side a little and seemed to inspect my reaction. I licked my lips nervously. His eyes flashed and he immediately looked away and dropped his hand.
“It looks better. I think you’ll be fine. Hey, Kyle, look who I found.”
I turned to see Kyle standing behind us. An irritated gaze latched onto his cousin. “I can see that. Do you two know each other?”
“Nope, but your friend here saved my life.” He looked back down at me and smiled. He looked back up to Kyle’s incredulous look. “Seriously, I almost got hit by a truck. She pulled me out of the way. I would be standing here dead, if not for her.”
Kyle looked at me with a new admiration. “Really? You did that?”