Then There Was You(17)

She leaned back in her chair. “So, why don’t you tell me about the first time you saw her?”

I rubbed my hands across my face. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this, but Mrs. Honeycutt sat there, eager to hear something good—something happy. She definitely looked like she needed her spirits boosted, and I didn’t want to disappoint her. Besides, remembering the good things about Kaitlyn helped me get through a lot of shitty days. So, I relaxed in my seat and thought back on that day, telling her all about it.



I didn’t know why I couldn’t just go back to my old school after I left Fairbanks the first time, but my mom insisted I needed a new set of friends. It wasn’t like I murdered someone. Damn! I mean, we were just playing with firecrackers. But there I was in that godforsaken town… in that ancient house with creaky floors and old plumbing… in that stupid school where the teachers grew up there and never left. I thought maybe I’d find someone, hell, anyone who wanted to get out of that place as much as I did. I had big dreams. I was gonna make it big.

I slipped my hoodie over my head and threw my guitar on my back. I wanted a chance to walk through the school and learn my way around. Besides, I needed to get my schedule for the next day.

“Here you are, Chris,” the receptionist said as she handed me my schedule. “The last school bell just rang, so you should have a little time to find all your classes before the teachers leave for the day. But please do not be in the hallways after 3:45pm,” she rushed out. “Our custodian will be checking for stragglers and locking up certain areas of the school for the evening.” She eyed me suspiciously, chuckling nervously as if I were wearing a ski mask and carrying a loaded pistol. I could hardly blame her since there was a certain stigma attached to the word “juvie.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied and winked at her on my way out the door. She giggled like she hadn’t been winked at in a long time.

I easily found all of my classes. I even introduced myself to a few of the teachers. My favorite class, by far, would be Theatre Arts. Ms. Carducci seemed like a real gem… a diamond in the rough. She was really sweet. I knew she and I would get along just fine. My favorite parts of her classroom were all the instruments she kept stored around the room. She even had a fucking ukulele!

“You never know when we’ll be doing a beach scene. A ukulele may come in handy someday,” she’d said with a laugh.

I was still smiling when some jerk rammed into me with his shoulder as he angrily pushed past me.

“Dumb little bitch,” he muttered under his breath.

Steam instantly shot from my ears, and I clenched my fists. “What the fuck did you just call me?” Juvie had a way of making the act of balling my fists up become a natural reaction to almost everything.

“Not you,” he grumbled and stormed off.

I knew that punk better watch himself. I stared after him while he stomped toward the field house near the football field.

I walked to the front of the gymnasium where some dudes were skateboarding. Hanging with skateboarders wasn’t really my thing, but I saw some kid beating the pavement with some drumsticks. Another guy was sitting on the base of the bulldog statue, picking out a few notes on his guitar. I knew immediately that I was amongst friends.

I sat down on the retaining wall near the kid with the guitar and started to strum. Together, we all got a melody and a beat going. Before long, several of us broke out into song. Chicks dig that shit. The skateboarders even seemed to enjoy our performance.

I was lost in the music when I saw her. The epitome of female beauty. It wasn’t even her nice rack or that tight ass that I noticed first. It was her smile… that wide grin with the cute dimple on the side of her cheek.

“I will. See you later, Allen,” she called to one of the skateboarders as she walked past.

I stopped strumming and looked her in the eyes, catching her gaze. Damn, she was so fucking beautiful. Dark brown doe eyes that looked back at me. I can’t explain what occurred in that moment, but I think she felt it too. A feeling of calmness washed over me. I couldn’t tear myself away from her stare, and I wondered who that chick was who had me melting into a sappy puddle on the pavement? That didn’t happen to me. Ever. At least not until that very moment.

I felt it—a connection that I couldn’t explain. I knew in an instant that this was a girl I wanted to get to know. I didn’t know why or how, but I knew it would happen. Some crazy force of nature or some shit.

She was down the stairs and out of my sight when I finally got my wits about me to start strumming again.