Falling (3 page)

“So Miles just walked me to class again. That is twice in one day. He even squeezed my arm when he said bye. He is so dreamy,” Leah sighs.

“So that was the important something you had to do at your locker?” I start to giggle and soon we are both laughing.

Mrs. McKinney silences our laughter with a look as she starts class. We take notes the whole class period, and by the end my brain feels utterly exhausted. Yet, I still have chemistry to survive through. As we leave the room, I notice Connor standing by the door. I wave to Leah as she heads off to English. As I turn to head to Chemistry, Connor steps in front of me before falling into step with me.  

“Hey. I just wanted to check on you and make sure you were okay after this morning?  I have been thinking about you all day." Those words make my heart flutter, even if they don’t mean exactly what I want them to.

“I told you I was fine.” I laugh and roll my eyes at him.

He laughs, “You wouldn’t tell me if your leg was about to fall off, Abby. You are so independent, never needing anyone. You can handle anything on your own, except maybe a scary movie, right?" I notice as we walk, all the girls tracking Connor’s every move. I guess I am just one of the many.

“How can you stand it?” I ask before I can stop myself. I hate it when people watch me, especially when I walk because it makes me feel more clumsy than usual.

“Stand what?” he says with a glance at my face.

“Them all watching you? Doesn’t it get on your nerves or make you feel uncomfortable?”

“Usually I just ignore it, but sometimes it gets to be too much. Like Saturday when I came to your house. I just needed to get away from everyone. You and Leah don’t stare or try to get my attention by flirting. I can relax around you two. I love the guys I hang out with, but there are always so many girls around, sometimes it makes me crazy, and I just need to escape." He continues to look at the floor as we walk, like he is embarrassed by his response.

“You’re lying. You love all the attention. You go out with a different girl every weekend,” I smirk.

He chuckles, “Okay, I don’t hate it all the time. I love it that girls like me, what guy wouldn’t? I just wish . . .”

“What do you wish?" I ask when he hesitates. He eyes drift over my face until he looks me in the eye.

I don’t know anymore,” he says with a frown. “I gotta go, Klutzy. See you later, try not to fall,” he calls with a wave as he walks away.

After school, I pace in front of my car until finally I see Leah running across the parking lot. “Where have you been? You know I am supposed to be at home when Allie gets off the bus."

“Sorry, sorry, Mrs. Cloudy kept me after class for a second. She wanted to discuss my paper on
Moby Dick
. Why anyone wants to read a class full of essays on that book beats me. “

“It’s a classic,” I say in my best Mrs. Cloudy voice which makes Leah laugh.

As we are going downtown, Leah asks, “So, after Mathletes on Wednesday, I was thinking maybe a big group of us could go to Charlie’s and hang out.”

“Is this an excuse to hang out with Miles? My goodness, why don’t you just ask him out? He must be too shy to do it himself." I say with a shake of my head.

“I want him to ask me, Abby. Please, could we go to Charlie’s on Wednesday? If you mention it at practice, I bet almost everyone will go. Please, please, please.” Leah begs.

“Fine,” I give in as we reach the Sparks' house. “I will call you later tonight. I have to rush home to the beast." I laugh as she waves goodbye to me. I live about ten minutes away from Leah, so I make it home right in time to watch the beast itself get off the bus.

“Hey small fry. So who did you get for a partner?”

Allie glares in my direction and I know that she did not get with someone she wanted. “So, who did you get?” I ask again.

“Toby Martin. Only the most annoying boy in the class. He never shuts up, and he is such a smart aleck. I can’t believe I have to work on a project with him for the next month." Allie spits out.

“Well, you just described most boys so get used to it,” I mumble. “Mom won’t be home until around 7 or 7:30, so it is just you and me. Let’s get a snack, then start on homework. Do you have much?" I ask as we go inside the house. It really stinks to feel like a parent at 17.

Chapter 3

I have been part of Mathletes since freshman year, but I took over as the leader because I am organized and love math. It is usually a senior who leads the group, but we only have two seniors on the team and neither wanted it so it kind of fell into my lap. Plus, I have no social life, so I can focus on it more than some of the other members. There are ten members total, six boys and four girls. Mrs. McKinney is our sponsor and math teacher. She is tough during class but at Mathlete practice she pretty much lets us do whatever. We usually just review possible problems and end up arguing over the answers a lot.

Tonight’s practice is almost over and I have yet to say anything about Charlie’s. I can feel Leah glaring at me, but I really just want to go home and hang out with my family. My dad is off tonight and my mom made a point of cooking supper tonight for us. I glance at Leah and by the look she is giving me, I think she is trying to send telepathic messages to me about Charlie’s. She has looked forward to this all week and I won’t disappoint her.

“Okay, it’s 5:30. Anyone want to go grab some dinner at Charlie’s? I thought it might be fun if we all got to know each other outside of practice. What do you guys think?”

Erin, a girl with less of a social life than me, looks up excited. “Sounds like fun, I’m in.”

“Me too, I’m hungry anyway,” says Miles with a look in Leah’s direction.

“What about you guys?" I look around the classroom at Troy, Chris, Gracie, Corey, and Jonathon. A couple nod and start to gather their stuff. Well, I have done as promised. Leah should be thrilled.

I look up as someone burst into the room, “Did I miss the whole practice, guys?”

“Sorry Blake, we were just finishing up. Some of us are going to Charlie’s if you want to come along," I say with a smile. Blake is really cute and smart, but he misses most of our practices because of football practice. I don’t know him very well, but I have seen him at Leah’s house with Connor several times. He and Connor are best friends.

“Yeah, that sounds like fun. Anyone need a ride over to the diner?" He asks and seems to look at me a moment longer than necessary. A couple of people nod at Blake and start to gather their books and papers.

I turn to pack my bag and feel a tap on my shoulder.

“What about you, Abby? Do you want to ride with me?" Blake asks then blushes.

“No, I actually don’t get to stay long. My mom is cooking supper, and I have to be home by 6:30 to eat. Thanks, though, Blake, maybe another time." I wonder what made him ask me in particular. He smiles and heads out the door towards the parking lot.

By the time I arrive at Charlie’s, most of the Mathletes are settled into a big booth in the back. I notice that Leah and Miles are sitting close together whispering. I smile at her when she looks up and give her a thumbs up. I flop down into the booth at the end so I can get out easy. Blake slides over beside me and grins.

“So, sorry I missed practice, Abby. You guys should just kick me off the team,” he laughs nervously. This is not his usual crowd. He normally hangs out with Connor and the popular group. This is definitely a change of scenery for him. I notice Erin and Gracie are trying to get his attention. Erin is smiling really big, but I see that a piece of food is stuck in her braces. It is just so sad. Gracie is staring at Blake so adoringly, it is a little scary. I hope Blake doesn’t notice them and run away from Mathletes. He is one of our best competitors. I snicker before I can stop myself. Blake look
s in my direction questioningly.

“What are you laughing at?” he mumbles.

“Nothing I want you to know about,” I shrug as I snicker again. I can’t imagine acting like that. I wonder if that is how I look at Connor. If so, surely he wouldn’t talk to me. I must hide it a little better than Erin and Gracie.

“Come on Abby, what is it?” He leans toward me and nudges me with his shoulder. What is happening here? Is Blake actually flirting with me?

“Well, you seem to have the same effect on girls as Connor does," I whisper to him. I look pointedly around the table so he will notice what I am talking about. I see him tense up when he sees Erin and Gracie smiling dotingly in his direction. Most guys would run away from these particular girls, but Blake smiles back and starts telling a funny story about something that happened at school today.  He seems so relaxed and easy-going. Based on school gossip, Blake and his girlfriend broke up last month. Rumor has it that he broke up with her because she was making fun of someone. All I can say is if that is true, he is quite a catch.

Blake leans back towards me and whispers, “Hey, you going to join in the conversation, or just sit there like a bump on a log?”

“What, did you want me to stare tenderly at you too? Well, okay here goes." I stop talking and stare up at Blake as if I had stars in my eyes. I can’t keep from laughing when he sticks his tongue out at me.

“You are a little brat. Did you know that?” he jokes.

“If you talk to all the ladies this way, no wonder they are all after you,” I reply with a grin. I glance at my watch and decide I better scoot if I am going to make it home for dinner. “Sorry to bail on everyone, but I gotta get home. Leah, can you get a ride with someone?"

“I’ll take her home, if that is okay with you, Leah?" Miles asks sweetly.

“That would be great Miles. Ab, I will call you later. Be careful going home,” she says.

As I am unlocking my Jeep, I feel a tap on the shoulder. I look over my shoulder and notice Blake has followed me outside. “You leaving too?” I ask.

“Yeah, I’m tired. Football wears out a body. I just wanted to tell you bye and thanks for inviting me along. “

“You’re part of the team. Well, I hate to run, but my mom won’t keep my supper warm for me. I will see you at school. Bye Blake.”

“Bye Abby." As he walks away, I can’t help but notice what a looker he is. It seems unlikely, but could Blake actually be interested in me. That’s definitely something to think about.

**********

Family dinners in my house are rare. My mom made spaghetti and meatballs, which are even more unheard of. She never cooks. We usually eat frozen dinners, box meals, or fast food.

As we sit down to dinner, I notice my dad has his pager out looking at it.

“Dad, were you beeped? Do you have to leave?" I ask with a frown on my face.

“No way Abby, I am eating with you guys tonight. I hardly ever get to see my girls, I am not going to lose this chance." He walks around the table and gives me a hug.  “I love you,” he whispers in my ear.

Once we start eating, it seems like we are just a regular family who does this every evening. Allie tells a story about her partner Toby that has everyone laughing but her. I tell them about Mathletes and my plans for the weekend. We seem so close when we get the time to be together, but these moments are few and far between.

“Hey, I was wondering if we could do something as a family one day, maybe Sunday? Leah’s family has these nights where they go bowling or to the movies. It sounds fun and we hardly ever spend any time together.” I glance between my mom and dad. “So what do you think?”

“Sweetie, you know that Sundays are one of my busiest days. I’m sorry but that is when people like to look at houses. I will try to plan something for us." My mom says she will plan, but I can tell by the look on her face that the thought has already left her mind.

“Abby, I am on call this weekend, but maybe another time. We will do something, I promise." How many promises has Dad broken? Too many for me to believe him. I look at Allie, and she just shrugs with a smile. I feel a little bit better when I look at her, because at least I know I’m not alone. Allie is my real family.

After supper, I finish up my homework and then call Leah to see how things went with Miles. While I am waiting for someone to answer, I think over my conversation with Blake from earlier. I must have zoned out a little, because a familiar voice is saying my name repeatedly.

“Abby, you there?" Of course Connor has to answer the phone. There is just no escaping him, he is everywhere.

“Sorry, I zoned out for a sec. How did you know it was me?”

Connor
titters, “Caller ID. Can you hold for a second, there is another call on the line,” he clicks over before I can answer. As I wait, I pick at my bedspread and wonder what it would be like to call Connor instead of Leah.

“Sorry about that Ab, I’m back. So what are you up to?”

“Nothing much, just watching television, you?” I ask just as Connor excuses himself again to answer another call. After a couple of minutes go by and he still hasn’t returned, I decide to hang up and call back later. It must have been someone he needed to talk to, like Ivy.

I turn on my computer and log on so I can at least chat with Leah since calling her didn’t work. As my computer is booting up, the phone rings. I hear a knock on my door, as my mom sticks her head in and tells me I have a phone call.  It must be Leah, Connor must have told her I needed to talk to her.