by Lila Felix
The first three classes went by and then it was lunch time. It sucked that I had no classes with her, so I would have to make lunch count. I waited until she got into the cafeteria line and saw her making faces at the choices we had to make about eating garbage or eating cardboard. I tapped her on the shoulder and showed her the bag that I was carrying.
“What?” She laughed. “You brought lunch too?”
“Yeah, I did. Can’t do well in school eating this crap.” I tried to be as serious as I could.
She shrugged and we started to walk outside and someone was yelling my name. I turned around and there was a girl with the blondest hair I had ever seen coming towards me. She also had the shortest skirt I had ever seen. How did her mother let her leave the house like that? I’m sure most guys like that, but jeez, leave something to the imagination for crying out loud.
When her voice came out my teeth ground together. It was like fingernails on a chalkboard.
“Cooper, why don’t you come sit with us?” Then she smiled and did some kind of twirl thing on her feet as she pointed to a table of over-manicured people.
“No thanks, I have plans.” I turned around and Remi was gone.
I looked around and spotted her sitting under a Cypress tree as she took in the view.
I also spotted Troy and Josie on a bench on the other side of the grassy area and they looked like they were enjoying their lunch.
When I reached her, she looked surprised.
“Why’d you run out on me?” I asked.
“Um…I thought you were going to eat with High-Pitched Blondie.” She said and shrugged.
“She’s a little too underdressed and um…blonde for me. Anyway, I thought I already had a lunch date.”
She let out a sigh and then gave me the biggest smile.
“So, do I get breakfast and lunch every day?” She joked as she took a bite of her sandwich.
“Will it help you in school?” I got comfortable and started eating.
“Yeah, but how about we switch? I make a mean sandwich.” She suggested.
“Ok, so it’s your turn tomorrow. Just so you know…I hate mayonnaise.”
“Good to know. And Cooper?” She stopped eating and looked me straight in the eye.
“Yeah?” Man, I loved that smile.
“Thank you. I was sorta a wench yesterday. But breakfast and this? Well, thank you.”
Before I could say anything she reached over and hugged me, putting her arms around my neck. Some of her hair fell in my face and it smelled like apricots and honey. I rubbed my hand down her back and she gasped in a breath.
She pulled away from me and I instantly felt a loss. I still felt the impression of her torso against mine. She blushed and it lit up her face and made her look even more beautiful.
We finished our lunch and then the bell rang. I gathered up our trash and threw it away while she got up and got her bag on her shoulder.
I started to walk next to her and her hand brushed mine for the most minute of moments and she cleared her throat.
“My class is down here.” She pointed to the opposite way that I was going.
“Too bad…you were about to hold my hand.” I left her shocked and made my way to my next class.
Remi
I thought for sure that spewing out all of that heavy mess over the phone was going to drive him away. But it just came out of my mouth before I knew it. I didn’t mean to say it. I didn’t really want him to know all of my hang-ups but it just came out. Here I was thinking that maybe I had a chance to do well in school and maybe have at least a few dates with this great guy and I had ruined it. It was like my brain was at war with my heart and my hormones. Too bad that most of the time my brain had control of my mouth.
So I woke up in a pissy mood. I got dressed in some jeans and a v-neck t shirt and threw on some shoes and barely brushed my hair. I had to put it up anyway because Josie had a convertible. We got there and I brushed my hair out and checked out my fat lip. The wind had really done a number on my hair. I wished that I could just take back all the crap I said last night to him, but at the same time, it was all true.
We walked towards the school and Josie put the heel of her hand to one side of her mouth and left the other side open to tell me something.
“Look out, hotties at twelve o’clock.” I just rolled my eyes at her goofiness.
Then Cooper and Troy stepped out in front of us and he said ‘good morning’ and something about eating before school and handed me a bag. I walked away confused, but when I looked in the bag, my heart melted. Inside were three little blueberry muffins and a bottle of orange juice. How was I supposed to concentrate on school with this kind of gooeyness going on?
I looked at him over my shoulder and smiled, and he smiled back at me.
He could not be cuter or sweeter. What am I gonna do?
Classes were boring and I was upset that I didn’t have any classes Cooper but at the same time I wasn’t. This meant that I could actually concentrate and maybe pull some good grades.
Lunch came quickly and I had to navigate the halls with my map in tow to find the cafeteria. A group of giggly, gorgeous girls passed me and when one of them hit my shoulder she said ‘Oops’ in an I’m not sorry at all way.
I got in the line for food and I’ve been poor and hungry, but this stuff just looked flat out disgusting.
Then, like he could read my thoughts, Cooper stood next to me. He held a bag of something and whatever it was had to be better than what was in front of me. We started to make our way outside to eat, but I heard a shrill voice calling Cooper’s name. I knew it wouldn’t be long until the beauties of this town got wind of him.
I heard her inviting him to sit with her and her friends, so I just saved him the effort and made my way outside alone. I found a tree to sit under and decided that no lunch was better than slop or watching Cooper’s new friends.
And again, just when I had underestimated him, he stood above me and looked as if I was such a dummy to think that he would sit with them. He had made me lunch and said it was because he wanted to help me do well in school. I couldn’t believe that he was even still talking to me after last night and even more he was helping me? He brought me breakfast and lunch? Of course it was then that my mother’s words echoed in my memory.
Guys butter you up good, get what they want and then hit the road.
But I kicked her words to the curb and reached out to hug him. I wanted to have that feeling that I had yesterday when he held my hand and wondered if it could be repeated. And did it ever get repeated.
He ran his hand down my spine and every muscle and nerve in my back felt the ripple of tingles that each of his fingers had left behind in their wake. And I might’ve been nuts, but I could almost testify in a court of law that he had smelled my hair. And it made me blush to no end.
We stood up, walked into the school and in the main hallway parted ways but he had cracked a joke about me trying to hold hands with him. Is that something he wanted? Is that something people just do without going on a date? They say women are confusing but this guy had me more confused than anything.
I went to my next class which was history and then I went to math for my last class of the day.
When I left math, Cooper came out of a classroom which I knew belonged to Aunt Brenda. Poor Cooper, I heard she was a tough teacher and I was glad I didn’t have her myself. I saw his shoulders slumped over so I walked up behind him and poked him in the ribs.
He jumped a little and smiled at me.
“Hey Rem…” He didn’t sound like the Cooper I knew, well barely knew.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him.
“Ugh, I know it’s your aunt, but man, she’s tough and she’s making us read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.”
I laughed and told him that reading a little book by a girl was not going to hurt him.
We talked all the way to his car and he offered to bring me home but I told him that I already had plans
with Josie. She and I were going to see Edith, but I didn’t tell him that. He asked if he could call me again and I told him that I would call him when I was done studying. He wrote his number on my hand and winked at me. Then he said he forgot something and he and Troy went back into the school as Josie and I left.
When we got to Edith’s apartment, she answered the door and she was in such a great mood. I had visited her several times over the past week and her moods shifted from one day to the next, but never in a bad mood. Some days she was more talkative and some days she was just hilarious. She would go on and on about how ‘girls these days don’t cover up their goodies.’ Today was one of those days. She had us in hysterics for the whole hour we were there. Then she and Josie picked and prodded me for more information about Cooper. They ganged up on me for sure. She also said that I didn’t need to look for a job because she was going to pay me a hundred dollars a week to clean her apartment on Mondays and Thursdays. That was music to my ears. I tried to tell her that she was paying me too much, but she wouldn’t hear it.
Her loud wall clock struck four and she rushed us out like her carriage was going to turn into a pumpkin. At the door she whispered in my ear, “If he really, really likes you, he will continue to prove it until you believe him.”
I looked at her and squinted my eyes at her comment. The old bat knew something. I suspected Aunt Brenda.
She practically shoved us out and told us to get home. Josie dropped me off later and told me to hurry up and get my homework done so I could call my man. I rolled my eyes at her ridiculous comment and went in the house. Aunt Brenda made dinner as I sat at the table and talked to her as she cooked and finished my little bit of reading. It was the first day of school and I didn’t have any real homework yet.
She turned around while her pots simmered and went to her room. She came back with a bag and pulled out a new cell phone and a charger.
“I got this today after school. This way I don’t have to worry about you. “ She winked at me.
“So, it has nothing to do with me, only you worrying.”
“Exactly, you’re so smart. By the way it has unlimited text messaging. You know, in case you want to do that sort of thing with someone.”
“Smooth Aunt Brenda, real smooth. And thank you so much. I’ve never had one.” I laughed at her.
We ate dinner and talked about school as we washed the dishes. I was really beginning to love her. She treated me like I was her kid. Mom hadn’t called in a while and when I called her, it always went to voicemail.
I went into the living room and she not so subtly reminded me that I had a phone with texting capabilities.
I sent two text messages, one to Josie and one to Cooper.
Cooper’s return message came back almost immediately and it scared the crap out of me. My ring tone was set to some loud bell and I needed to find out how to change it. It sounded way too much like the bell at school.
Cooper: Hi! This is a surprise. When did you get a cell phone?
Me: Today. Aunt Brenda got it for me. I have no idea how to work it. It took me ten minutes to text you.
Cooper: I’m glad you figured it out. I can show you how to work it at lunch tomorrow.
Me: OK, good. This ringer is driving me nuts.
Cooper: LOL.
Me: What?
Cooper: Laugh out loud. Can I call you instead? Are you done with your homework?
I guess I took too long to answer.
Cooper: It’s ok. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. I know u r studying. Ttyl.
I stared at the text for a few minutes. First of all I had no idea what ‘ttyl’ meant and second I wanted to talk to him, I just took too long to answer.
So I walked into my bedroom and shut the door and dialed his number. He answered quickly.
“I thought I had pissed you off.”
“No, if I was still studying, I wouldn’t have texted you. Anyway, it’s the first day, I didn’t have much. Besides, it takes a lot to piss me off.”
“So…um…what’s ttyl?” He laughed at my ignorance and we talked for a while. Then there was a knock on my bedroom door. I went to answer it.
“Remi, it’s ten o’clock honey. Time to get off the phone.” She winked at me and I blushed. She was onto me like a private investigator.
“Ok, sorry.” She waved me off and I went back to tell Cooper goodbye.
“Hey, that was my aunt. I didn’t know it was ten o’clock already. I need to go to bed.”
“Yeah, I didn’t realize the time either. So see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah.” I loved the thought of seeing him in less than twelve hours.
“One more thing Remi…Don’t forget our deal.” And then he hung up.
Crap! I had forgotten already. What a dunce I was!
I went to the kitchen and made us lunches, no mayonnaise for him. I went back and set my alarm for earlier than usual. I bet he thought he was the only one with plans.
I texted him before I went to bed.
Me: Wanna come over tomorrow at seven for breakfast?
Cooper: Breakfast w/u? Ur on. C u @ 7.
It took me at least three minutes to decipher that last one, but I got it.
I woke up at six, got dressed, fixed my hair in a braid and started making breakfast. Aunt Brenda was already gone to a before school meeting, but I told her about Cooper coming over just in case. I didn’t want to hide anything from her. She said she trusted me and she would see me at school. I flipped the last piece of French toast when I heard the roar of his engine in the driveway. I swore that car did something to me.
He knocked on the door and I blushed at the sight of him at my house. He walked in and I told him to have a seat. He insisted that I sit first, always the gentleman, and we talked about school and my new phone while we ate. He put his fork down after three plates of food and said,
“That’s the best breakfast I’ve had since I left my mom’s. Ok, time to get the lady to school.”
I turned with plates in my hand, “Josie is bringing me to school.”
He shook his head, “Nope, after you texted me last night I texted Troy and we decided it would be easier, just for today, “ He pleaded for my calm with his hands, “that I bring you to school today and Josie is picking up Troy. I think he wants to ride with her anyway, know what I mean?”
“Ok, good.”
“Good why?” He was baiting me, but I wasn’t biting just yet.
“‘Cause I love your car something serious.” He laughed out loud and it was an absolute symphony.
“So you love my food and the Cuda. But no love for me?” He held his chest and feigned heartbreak.
“Thinkin’ about it still.”
I left before he could think up a comeback to that one and grabbed my bag and headed towards the door. He opened the house door and locked it for me and then opened my car door.
It was only a ten minute ride to school, but about halfway there he reached over and held my hand. I didn’t immediately react, so he started to pull back, but I gripped it as tight as I could and then loosened my grip a little and he smiled without ever looking at me. Dang, I soooo took the bait.
“Don’t smile like you won a prize.” He chuckled and shook the hand he was holding.
“Yes I did.”
We pulled into the school and Josie and Troy sat together on the trunk of her tiny convertible car. We got out of the car and Josie didn’t waste any time. She pulled me beside her and we practically ran in front of the boys to get a good distance away. She looked back and slowed us to a walk.
“I didn’t see your text last night until Troy texted me later. Tell me everything.”
Cooper
Just when I thought I was going to be the one trying to get her to fall for me, she goes and gets me to fall a little bit deeper with one text message and the best morning ever. When she texted me last night I thought it was Troy and he usually has something hilarious to say, so I picked it up. It was Remi and I ne
arly fell off of my bed when I saw it.
We texted for a while and then she called me. She…called…me. We talked for a long time and then her aunt reminded her what time it was. After we got off of the phone I turned off the lights and tried to go to sleep. I could faintly hear Credence Clearwater Revival coming from my Dad’s back porch radio. It was his day off yesterday and we had gone to visit my grandmother again. She was extra funny and happy yesterday. She told me stories about my Dad and then always, without fail, made me tell her all about Remi. On my way out, she told me to show her how much I like her until she believes it. That I could do.
She had run ahead with Josie, probably to tell her all about our morning. And I was right about one thing. The girl had a thing for my car. I patted the hood of the Cuda in praise of its magnetic power.
Troy was going on and on trying to get me to give all the details of our breakfast and he kept doing air quotes every time he said breakfast. The guy was hilarious, but he was grating on my last nerve with the air quotes.
“Dude, stop with this…” I mimicked his air quotes.
“OK, but tell me something, anything.”
“She makes the best French toast I’ve ever eaten, she has the hots for my car and she let me hold her hand on the way to school. Happy?”
“Um, not really, she’s supposed to have the hots for you, not your car.”
“Oh, she does, but she admitted loving my car out loud. I can work with that.”
I wanted to get into school because yesterday I had put a ton, I mean a ton of notebooks, paper, pens, pencils and everything in between in her locker. I had memorized the combination when I helped her the morning before and I was going to use it every chance I got. She had to know what she meant to me already. I would make her know.
I strolled into the hallway and didn’t even look at her. I wanted to see if she was going to approach me. I took my sweet time at my locker. I shut it, disappointed. I turned to go to my class and she was right in front of me.
“Why?” Is the only thing she said and she was blushing, but not smiling.
“Because, you said you wanted to do well in school this year, right? Well, I’m going to make sure that I do everything I can to help you make that happen.”