Matter Point

by GG Shalton

  “I had fun. Thank you for asking me.” I actually felt comfortable around him and didn’t mind him holding my hand.

  He rubbed his thumb over my palm. “Do you think we should make this official?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Official, like only see each other?”

  What? My mouth dropped open slightly as I tried to think fast. My voice cracked. “I don’t know. I mean, this is our first date.”

  He seemed to study my face. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I hadn’t expected that question.

  Taking a softer tone, I squeezed his hand. “Can I have some time to think about it? I do like you, but this is all so new to me.”

  I saw the disappointment in his eyes, and I felt a tug at my chest. Perhaps I was being too judgmental? I had enjoyed our time together and was slightly interested. I knew I needed to show him some encouragement.

  Closing my eyes, I kissed him on the cheek. “Just a little time.”

  That brought a smile to his face. “Sure.” He stared at me for a second then seemingly changed his mind on what he was going to say. Instead he stood and held on to my hand as he helped me stand. “Let’s get you home.”

  We walked back to the car in relative silence, and the ride home was filled with radio music with little conversation. The mood had changed, and I almost felt guilty. I needed time to think about what I really wanted and if I was being fair to Trace. Did I prejudge him?

  He walked me to my front door as my chest squeezed with anticipation. Would he try to kiss me? Turning toward him, I felt him move my hair away from my face as he leaned down. He softly touched my lips with his. The kiss was gentle and made me curious. He cupped my face and tilted his head, kissing me again with more pressure. This time, he opened his mouth and nudged mine opened, then he put his tongue into my mouth and engulfed me. I struggled trying to match his kiss, but it was awkward. I nearly lost my balance as his kiss became almost sloppy.

  Trying not to bring too much attention to it, I gently pushed him away. “I should go inside.”

  He seemed a little torn then nodded, straightening his shirt. “When can I see you again?”

  I smiled. “Soon.” Rising on my tiptoes I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and opened the front door. “Thank you.”

  I waved goodbye as I closed the door. I touched my lips and tried to remember the kiss. It wasn’t what I’d expected, but since I had little experience, perhaps I was just too nervous? It had felt rushed and a bit messy. Was it supposed to be like that?

  Chapter 9

  Ariel

  High school was nothing like I’d imagined. Kids were practically hanging off the rafters as I tried to squeeze through the crowds. I had been lucky to find a parking space but walking through the halls was turning me in circles. Matter Point High had many different buildings, making it almost feel like a college campus instead of a high school. There was outdoor space between the buildings, and I noticed a statue of the founder of the school in the middle of the courtyard.

  With all the students laughing and playing music, it was a bit chaotic. My teachers in Europe would have given out tons of demerits if they’d witnessed some of the behaviors and language these kids were using. Some of them dressed fashionably, and others wore pajamas. I even saw a few kids smoking near the gym doors. I held my schedule, hoping I could find the right building and room.

  After several attempts, I found my first classroom. Trace had offered to meet me out front to help me find my classes, but I knew he had football practice and his coach wouldn’t want him to leave early. A few of the kids smiled as I walked by, but mostly people had formed into their respective groups and I couldn’t find Paisley to save my life. She’d had to change her schedule and I’d told her I would be fine.

  English was my first class and I hoped the teacher was as good as my teacher was at the academy. Walking in, I noticed a few of the kids already in seats. Most of the back row was taken already. Sliding into one of the desks in the middle of the classroom, I took out my phone and tried to occupy myself until class started. I felt their stares and heard their whispers.

  “Ariel?”

  I looked up and saw Dillon and Bailey walk into the classroom. They smiled as Dillon took the seat beside me and Bailey slid into the seat in front of me.

  Dillion leaned over. “I didn’t know you had this English class.”

  Bailey smiled. “Trace tried to leave early to help you.”

  I lifted a dismissive hand. “I told him I would be fine.”

  Dillon shrugged. “What do you think of our wonderful school?”

  I widened my eyes and whispered, “It’s way different from what I’m used to.”

  Bailey’s smile faded as he nudged Dillon. “Take a look. They must be from Northside.”

  I glanced over as two hefty guys walked in. One had a piercing in his nose and wore a black shirt and ripped-up jeans. The other one had greased back his dirty blond hair and had a tattoo on his neck. They gave each other a look and laughed. A few of the kids looked at us as I tried to figure out what was so funny.

  At the door, one of the kids ran inside before the bell rang. He held up his hands. “Made it.”

  An older man walked through after him. “That was close, Simon.”

  Simon sat in a chair near the door and visibly tried to catch his breath. “Come on, Mr. Dupree. Close is my middle name.”

  A few of the girls giggled and kept looking my way with confusion on their faces. One tried to wave at Dillon, but he ignored her. Bailey turned around as all of us looked at the teacher.

  “Welcome to English. I’m your teacher, Mr. Dupree. I’m also the boys’ soccer coach, among other titles they give me. I’ll pass out the syllabus and ask that you read it and prepare for class each day. You will need to read the material and be responsible for all the assigned homework. I will know if you don’t read the book and only rely on the internet for your notes. Right, Mr. Simpson?” He glanced at the guy who was late coming in and pointed his finger. “You had me last year and can attest to the quantity of pop quizzes. There were many times you weren’t prepared.”

  “I resent that,” Simon said as he huffed loudly.

  A few kids snickered and I tried to hide my shock. If I’d ever spoken to a teacher that way, I would have gotten at least five demerits and been banned from leaving my dorm room for several weekends. Not to mention extra duty after school. I took out my folder and stuck the syllabus inside. The rest of the class went by quickly, and when the bell rang, I was on my own again.

  I looked at my schedule and cringed a bit. Markson Hall was coded in red. Where was Markson Hall? I’d heard rumors the classrooms smelled, and most tried to avoid that area of the school. I looked through each corridor, trying to find the signs, when I noticed Gretchen.

  “Hey, Gretchen!”

  She smiled when she saw me.

  “Do you know where Markson Hall is?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Ew. I hate that building. It’s old and a bit dingy. They opened it back up this year for all the new students, but they closed down after our freshmen year when some people said they saw rats in the hallways.”

  I shook a little with disgust as I tried not to think about rodents. “I heard. But I have history class over there.”

  She motioned with her arm. “It’s across the courtyard. If I was you, I would try to switch to Edwards’s class. He teaches history fourth period too. You could take it with me.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  I waved to her as I approached the glass doors by the courtyard. Eyeing a few of the kids gathering in small groups by the concrete tables, I turned down an alleyway and walked around the yellow brick building. It was the administrative center. Where is Markson Hall?

  I walked back around and heard the bell ring. Great! I was late and lost. I kept walking
, coming across another structure that had a statue of a horse in front of it. The mascot was a stallion and looked huge up close. Walking near the back, I turned the corner and ran smack into a hard body. My backpack fell off my shoulder and hit the ground as I looked up into a pair of brown eyes. The guy was tall with broad shoulders. His dark hair fell across his eyes until he swiped it away with his hand.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said, trying to grab my bag.

  “Are you okay?” His voice was deep and rough.

  Bending, he helped me pick up my backpack and the few pens that had fallen out. I felt my cheeks growing warm as I tried to compose myself. The boy seemed older and had a commanding presence.

  “I’m good.” I giggled nervously and tried to put the backpack across my shoulder. “I must admit I’m a little lost.”

  He stared at me for a moment, then the corner of his mouth lifted. “Me too. What class are you looking for?”

  “History. With Mr. Robart.” My heart beat slightly faster as I fidgeted with my backpack strap.

  “I think I have the same class.” His smile met his eyes and I suddenly felt a little shy around him.

  “Yeah?” My stomach dropped slightly. “I heard the Markson building was hard to find.”

  “I heard the same.”

  I had no idea what else to say. The guy probably thought I was an idiot. “Are you new?”

  “I’m from Northside.” He lost his smile as he seemed to wait for my reaction.

  I knew many of the kids didn’t want them here. But I had no opinion on the matter. “I’m new too. My name is Ariel. I just moved to Matter Point over the summer.”

  “That explains it,” he said as his smirk returned.

  I tilted my head. “Explains what?”

  “You’re way too sweet to be from Matter Point.” He winked at me.

  I looked away as I felt my cheeks warm again. The man threw me off balance with the intensity of his gaze and his rugged good looks. Not knowing how to answer him, I shifted my feet, looking around. “I think we’re late.”

  He shrugged. “It’s our first day. We shouldn’t get into too much trouble. We can try to find it together.” I followed him around the corner as he said, “I think Markson Hall is the white brick building over there.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because the sign on the side says Markson Hall.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t believe I passed it and didn’t notice the sign.”

  “It’s the ivy growing on it. It covered the side.”

  I followed him down the sidewalk. “It’s kind of out of place here on campus. The other buildings look so new.”

  “It does looks old and worn down. Kind of fitting for history class,” he said.

  I smiled. “Yeah. You’re right. It should be full of history.”

  He held the door open as I walked in front of him. We walked silently down the hall and found our class. The teacher was introducing himself as we walked in, and everyone turned to see who walked in.

  “Please find a seat quickly,” the teacher said. “I expect you to be on time tomorrow.”

  I didn’t say anything as I spotted an open seat in the second row. The guy I’d run into took a seat in the back, near a guy who fist-bumped him.

  The teacher’s monotone voice practically put me to sleep. I halfway listened to him going over the rules of the classroom and the subject matter we would be exploring through the semester. He mentioned something about a few group projects and a field trip to the museum.

  Before long, the bell rang, and students left the class. I gathered my books and followed the masses out of the building into the courtyard. The air was a little colder and I rubbed my shoulders as I headed toward the main building.

  “Ariel?”

  I turned to see the brown-eye guy coming toward me. I tried to compose myself and not fidget. Something about the guy put me on edge. He had a bit of danger in his stride, yet an attraction that was undeniable. “Hey.”

  “Did you hear which chapter our assigned reading was?”

  “Huh?” I was watching his mouth but didn’t quite hear what he said. I needed to snap out of it. I noticed his sleeve pulled up as he clutched a notebook, revealing a vine tattoo wrapped around his muscular arm.

  “The assigned reading.” His deep voice resonated through me. He rolled his eyes. “One of my friends distracted me, and I didn’t hear the teacher.”

  “Oh. Um…” I looked down at my notebook. “I think it was chapters four and five. He said he didn’t want to go in order.”

  “Ariel!”

  My head jerked around, and I saw Trace and a few of his football friends coming toward me. I waved at him and turned around. “I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow in class.”

  “Jaxon.” The boy looked over my shoulder and noticed Trace. His expression deepened slightly, but he showed no emotion as he glanced back at me.

  “Huh?”

  “My name is Jaxon.”

  I smiled. “Jaxon. Thanks for your help today.”

  “Any time.” The corner of his mouth lifted, and a jolt went through me.

  Why did this guy have such an effect on me? I took a deep breath and forced myself to walk away, feeling his eyes on my back.

  Trace approached me with a grimace. “Who were you talking to?”

  “When?” I asked innocently.

  He let out a frustrated breath. “Just now. That guy.”

  I shrugged and looked back at Jaxon walking away. “Oh. He helped me find my class.”

  “I don’t want you talking to him.”

  His friends were quiet as they listened to our conversation.

  I didn’t like Trace’s tone. “Why?”

  He took my arm and led me away from his friends. “Because he’s from the Northside and you need to keep your distance. They’re like dogs—once you feed them, they keep coming back for more.”

  I snorted. “You’re being ridiculous. He’s a nice guy.” He squeezed my arm tighter as I twisted it. “You’re hurting me.”

  “Sorry.” He released my arm and ran his fingers through his hair. I rubbed my arm as he took a deep breath. “Look, I know you want to be nice to everyone, but your father would not want you to associate with those types of people.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Just because they don’t live on the Point doesn’t make them bad people.”

  “You’ve been locked up in boarding school for a long time. Believe me when I say that most of them are criminals or their families are messed up. They’re only here for the semester, and it’s best to keep away from them.”

  The nerve of him. “You are not my father. I don’t need a lecture.” I took a deep breath and tightened my hold on my backpack. “I have to go to class.”

  “Wait.” Trace stepped closer and leaned down near my ear. “Don’t be mad. I’m just trying to be a good boyfriend and protect you.”

  “Boyfriend?” I said, looking into his eyes.

  He smiled as he tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. “It’s what I want. We would make a great couple.” He kissed my cheek. “Have you thought about it?”

  “I don’t know. I told you I needed some more time.”

  Trace Jenkins wanted to be my boyfriend? He practically ran the school and most girls would have jumped at the chance. But I wasn’t sure if I was ready. I had never had a boyfriend, and Trace was a little forceful.

  “You still don’t know?” His tone changed, and he was visibly annoyed. “Come on, we’re practically a couple already. We just haven’t put a label on it.” He touched my face as he leaned down and softly kissed me on the lips. “Don’t tease me, Ariel. You know you drive me crazy.”

  My shoulders tensed from the surprise kiss. I stepped back, looking around for any witnesses to his display of affection. “Um…
”

  He gave me his signature cocky smile. “You’re cute when you’re nervous.”

  “Trace!” A few of his friends were motioning for him. “Let’s go.”

  He let out a frustrated breath before he kissed my forehead. “We can talk about this later.”

  Trying to digest our conversation, I watched him walk away. Did I want to be his girlfriend? Sure, Isabel and I used to talk about having boyfriends when we went to college. We wanted to double date and go to parties together. But this felt different. Trace was attractive, there was no arguing that, but I didn’t get butterflies when I saw him. Perhaps that was normal? After all, Amanda and my father seemed to adore him. But a relationship would mean sharing parts of myself I wasn’t ready to share. I wished Isabel was here. Our short texting conversations weren’t enough.

  Chapter 10

  Ariel

  The rest of the day flew by, and I was glad when the last bell rang.

  After school, Paisley met me in the parking lot. “We’re going to Matter Diner for dinner. It’s tradition after the first day of school. The guys have a football meeting but will meet us there in a few hours.”

  My stomach had been in knots all day. I longed to go home and call Isabel. “Sorry, I have some reading to do and will probably skip the diner.”

  She looked at me as if that possibility was inconceivable. “You can’t skip it.”

  “But…” I couldn’t think that fast. I needed another excuse.

  She nudged my arm. “Besides, Trace would have a fit.”

  “I’ll text him,” I said quickly. “Seriously, I want to, but Amanda wanted to do some shopping tonight.”

  Okay, I’d lied. Or at least omitted part of the truth. Amanda did want to shop, but she didn’t specifically say after school. However, the truth was that I needed some time to myself.

  Paisley stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. “Fine. But we also go there after the first home game, so you may want to not make plans on Friday.”