Christina was having a hard time concentrating on her classes. She was glad it was only the first day. Nothing to important to remember. She was glad when lunch time arrived. She needed a break. Every class she had been to she was looking for Alexis, but so far she had not seen her again. Chris walked into the cafeteria and sat at the table that she had been sitting at for the past three years. She was busy looking for Alex when she felt arms wrap around her waist. In a fleeting moment Chris hoped that it was Alex. Then the moment past as she realized who it really was.
“Hi James” Chris said with a fake smile.
“Hey Chris” James said as he leaned down to give her a kiss.
Chris’s body shuddered as he kissed her. She knew that she would not be able to hide this reaction from him forever. She had tried to convince herself that she would stop feeling this way. That she could handle having a boyfriend. She would just have to deal with it. She needed to please her parents. They had told her on many occasions that they liked him and that he was a nice, respectable boy. Chris knew that it was not fair to him. She would never love him. But she had to have him around. It is what was expected of her.
“How has your day been?” James asked bringing Chris back from her thoughts.
“Fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. How’s your day?”
“Good. Although there is a new girl in one of my classes.”
“Really.” Chris suddenly got interested. She had to know for sure who it was. “What is she like?”
“Well she has black short hair, kind of pale, and she was dressed kind of weird.” James responded.
Christina did everything she could to hide her excitement. She did her best but she knew her eyes would give her away. She looked away from James trying her best to stop her eyes from reveiling the feelings she had toward this girl.
“She looks like a *****. I think she’ll be trouble… probably start hitting on the girls around here. I think you should just stay away from her.” James said as he put his arm around her shoulder.
Chris could not believe what she was hearing. Her excitment was gone and anger had replaced it. She thought that she was going to explode. Who does he think he is. Does he really know how much he sounds like an ignorant *****. I’m going to loose it. This can’t be happening. I just need to breathe. Calm down. I won’t let this get the better of me. Just pretend it is ok. He won’t be able to tell the difference. I have to pull this off.
“Well, no chance of that happening to me. Not with you protecting me.” Chris replied trying not to sound disgusted.
The rest of lunch was uneventful. Chris kept glancing around hoping to catch a glimps of Alex. She knew she was playing a dangerous game. Especially with James sitting right beside her. But he was in his own world talking to his friends about the upcoming football season. Chris never saw her though and her disappointment erased any anger that she felt for James. She had hoped to at least get one last look at her before the day was over. Even though Alex’s image standing in the doorway was as fresh in her mind, like it had only happened a minute ago. Chris seemed to have memorized all the detail of Alex’s entire face. Her thoughts made her long to see this girl again. But it wasn’t meant to be. The end of the school day arrived and Chris had not seen Alex. She went to her locker to get her stuff. She was utterly disappointed. She wasn’t sure why she wanted to see Alex so badly.
She just had a need that she couldn’t explain. Chris just knew that the last thing she wanted to see before she left was Alex’s face. She sighed as closed her locker. She turned to walk down the hall when she heard voices.
“Let me get to my locker.” Chris heard a voice say. She turned back around to see Alex trying to get to her locker which was being blocked by two guys. She started to walk towards them. Not quite sure of what she could do.
“I think the ***** is getting mad. She wants to get to her locker. I don’t think we should let her. I don’t think your kind should be allowed in this school.”
“I think you ***** should just leave her alone.” Chris said. She couldn’t believe the words had slipped out of her mouth.
She knew this was not going to be good. She knew that she couldn’t win this fight but she had to try. Before she got a chance a teacher appeared in the hallway.
“Is everything all right out here?” he asked.
“Yeah. Fine.” one of the boys replied.
“Good. Then you two should be on your way.” he said to the boys.
“Were leaving right now.”
The boys gave both Chris and Alex a look. Chris knew that this was not over. It might be for the moment but it would come up again someday. She just didn’t know when. Then she realized that she was just standing there next to Alex. She wanted the first words to this girl to be memorable.
“Hi.” was all she could come out with.
“Hi.” was the response she got.
“Are you ok. Those guys are a bunch of jerks.”
“Yeah. I’m fine. But those jerks made me miss my bus. I’m not sure how I’m going to get home.”
Chris’s mind raced. She knew with all being that she wanted to give her a ride home. She liked the idea of Alex sitting next to her in her car. Then again. What was she thinking. It’s not like I can do anything about these feelings I have. I just can’t do it. It would ruin everything. But maybe we could be friends. I would rather have her as a friend than avoid her like the plague. All I have to do is keep my feelings in check.
“I have a car. I can give you a ride. It’s really no trouble.” Chris waited what seemed like an eternity for Alex to respond.
“I guess I don’t have any other choice.”
Chris had to tell herself not to jump up and down with excitement. Nothing like making a complete idiot out of yourself. Chris waited as Alex got her stuff. They walk out to the parking lot in silence. Chris could feel the tension between them. She thought it was because Alex really didn’t want to ride with her. She started fearing that Alex really didn’t have any feelings towards. She seemed so quite. Seperated from the situation.
“Here’s my car. Just put your stuff in the back.”
The car ride was just as quiet. The only words that Alex spoke to Chris was how to get to her house. Chris was feeling like someone had punched her in the stomach. She was getting no response from Alex. Was this all a mistake. Am I falling for someone how doesn’t even like me. The doubts flooded her mind.
“This one right here.” Alex said as they arrived at her home.
“Thanks for the ride. I appreciate it. See you tomorrow.” Alex said looking at Chris.
For a moment Chris could see something in Alex’s eyes. Something that could not be mistaken. Chris had to look down to hide the exact same look she had in her eyes. When she looked back up the look was gone from Alex’s eyes. She had the same expression as she had the whole ride home.
“Yes, tomorrow.” Chris said a little too enthusiasticlly with a smile on her face. She couldn’t help herself. Just being around Alex was almost more than she could handle. She wanted more. A lot more. There was so much that she wanted to do, to say. She wasn’t quite sure how she was going to deal with this. But there had to be a way.
“Thanks again.” Alex said before she closed the door.
Chris watched as Alex pulled the her key out to open the door to her apartment. Chris sat there and just looked at Alex’s back. She knew she should leave before she was caught, but she just couldn’t stop looking. She knew that she would never get tired of looking. Reluctantly she put the car into drive and left. She didn’t notice Alex turning around to watch her leave.