Lingering Touch - A Story of Young Love

by Anna Howard

  The damage to the living room was minimal, only the coffee table was broken. The kitchen was a lot worse, and I felt bad for whoever would have to clean it up while I was at school. Broken plates and china were scattered across the floor, the drywall on one of the walls was dented in, and little paint chips were peeling off. One of the dining room chairs was flipped over and looked like it'd been thrown across the room, but it seemed to be okay. A sticky mess of what I presume was beer covered the counter's surface, and more shattered glass beside it. I swear all the man does is drink and throw things around.

  I grabbed my iPod and slipped out of the house, turning up the volume so all I could hear was the pounding of my feet and beating of my heart. I ran out in the crisp morning air and up the road I knew lead to my favorite trail. Once my legs were pumping, I let them lead me through the misty trees as I tried to clear my mind. All thoughts of my dad and his beer fled my mind as I focused on breathing in clean air and weaving between clusters of aspens.

  After about 20 minutes I got to my favorite part of the trail; a tiny spring of clean bubbling water. I don't even bother bringing a water bottle anymore because the cool water is fresher than any bottled water I've ever tasted, and I've tasted a few. I wiped my forehead on my arm and took a deep drink from my cupped hands, reveling in the earthy taste.

  I couldn't stay long though, and soon I was jogging at an easy pace back home, trying not to think of what awaited me there.

  But when I got there I didn't find what I was expecting—broken glass was still everywhere and smelling like alcohol, just like I left it, of course—Collin was waiting for me on the porch. I sped up my run and he met me halfway across the lawn. Even though I was all sweaty and stinky and I knew it, Collin hugged me and lifted me off the ground easily, spinning me in a circle.

  "Have I ever told you how hot you are when you're all sweaty?" He grinned at me and checked me out, completely unashamed.

  "I think you might have mentioned it," I winked and ordered him to turn around so I could get the spare key from under a flowering pot of lilies on the porch. Just because he was my boyfriend didn't mean I wanted him to be able to get in my house anytime he pleased.

  As we were walking in I suddenly remembered the mess inside and stopped him in the front hall, where—thankfully—you couldn't see any of the mess waiting further inside.

  "What—" I cut him off with a kiss, the only effective way to shut him up. He pushed me on the wall and crushed me against it with his body. I was so not in the mood for this, and I was all gross and sweaty, which I was sure couldn't be in any way attractive. So I pulled my head back to tried and breathe, but he wouldn't take the hint and just moved his kisses down to my jaw. Ugh, did he even know how to stop? When his hand touched my butt I pushed him away forcefully, but I was probably only able to because he hadn't been expecting it.

  His face was incredulous.

  "What'd you do that for, babe?" He started coming closer again but I held my hand up.

  "This is great and all, but I really need to shower and get to school." I backed away to the stairs, praying he wouldn't follow.

  "Would you like me to join you?" He tried to look seductive and sexy, but like I've said before, he isn't that fantastic looking.

  "No, you idiot!" For a second he actually looked hurt, but then his face relaxed.

  "Suit yourself, but one day, you'll want to, I promise." He winked and left, slamming the door like always.

  Finally!

  I trudged up the stairs, again avoiding the broken bottle. In the shower I scrubbed myself more than usual, feeling dirty more from Collin than the run.

  As I was walking down the hall to my locker, I saw a head of jet black hair bobbing down the hallway. He was tall, but I couldn't make out an actual face. The only person I'd ever seen with hair so dark was Amber, and she was barely five feet tall, so I knew it wasn't her. The black haired boy was walking in the same direction as I was, only he was a while ahead of me. I completely forgot about my locker and followed, wondering who it might be. This had be the kid in my math class.

  Alyssa skipped up to me, all happy and excited.

  "Hey have you heard about the new kid?" Leave it to Lyssa to already have all the gossip.

  "Lemme guess," I said. "Tall, super dark hair, and really attractive?" I hoped he was attractive, at least.

  "Close! Well actually the first two were totally right but he's not really that attractive. I heard he moved here from New York! Isn't that exciting?" She kept talking but I stop listening to her after she'd said he wasn't attractive. But I wanted to see for myself, so I searched the hall for the tall black head bobbing, but I couldn't find it. Dang it, Alyssa.

  "Aren't you?" She asks me suddenly. I hadn't been paying attention at all.

  "Uh, what?" I asked, still searching.

  "The geometry test! Aren't you so worried about it? I'm like, totally freaking out! But I mean, of course you aren't, because you're a freaking genius, but the rest of us mortals are like, totally stupid! Oh wait, you don't even have geometry! Why are you so smart? I'm going to fail it!" She wailed.

  "No you're not. 'Sides, I'll just let you copy off me, babe." Her flavor of the week showed up just in time, pulling her into an embrace so tight, that it should've been illegal in public.

  "You two are awful. Later." I give Alyssa a one armed hug when the kid released her and took off down the hall. I can't stand being around them. The day passed fairly quickly until lunch, and I remembered that I wanted to see the new kid. I looked around for him but he was nowhere to be seen, so I closed my eyes and relaxed on my table, basking in the sun.

  My eyes snapped open and I sat up when I heard a polite voice ask from a few tables away, "Excuse me, is this seat taken?" in what I was pretty sure was a New York accent.

  "No, but you're not going to sit there, anyway." A snobby sounding voice replied. "New kids sit alone, or with other loser kids, so get lost!" The girl sneered at him and pointed to the dumpsters, where some of the reject kids sit alone every day.

  He was tall as I expected, probably around 6'4. He wasn't huge and muscular like Collin, but he definitely wasn't gangly or awkwardly skinny like Lyssa's new boy toy. And she was wrong, this kid was hot. His hair was just as dark as I remembered, and almost seemed to have a purple glow in the sunlight, it was so dark. It fell over his eyes and he flicked his head to make it swish to the side, even though it hung straight and fell back almost immediately. He turned around and made brief eye contact with me, because I was kinda staring at him like a creepy stalker. I looked away and lay back down on the table, closing my eyes. But behind my lids all I saw were his bright, pretty, piercing blue eyes staring back at me.

  As I expected, he was in my calculus class when I walked in and he was seated right in front of my chair in the empty desk I still kinda hated him for taking. He didn't pay any attention at all during class, so when Miss Carmandy asked him a question and had to repeat it three times, he flushed down to his toes—or I assume he did because I saw the back of his neck grow pink—and stuttered out that he didn't know the answer. His accent was really adorable, so when he stopped talking I leaned forward and subtly whispered the correct answer it to him, and he repeated what I said without hesitating. Miss Carmandy looked impressed but gave me the evil eye for smirking at him afterward.

  After class I planned on talking to the new kid, I didn't catch his name. But he was gone before I could even get out of my seat. Weird.

  The next few days I felt like I saw the new kid everywhere, but he was never close enough to actually talk to him. He kept to himself, never talking to anyone, never making eye contact with anyone, and never speaking out in class.

  "Ok, spill about the new kid." I finally ask Alyssa.

  "OMG, I knew it! You totally weren't paying attention when I told you the first day!" She pouted, crossing her arms. But one look from me and an eager smile split across her face. "Ok fine, but you have to promise you'll listen next time." She didn't
wait for an answer. "So. He's from New York, and ohmy have you heard that accent of his? It almost makes up for his face! Anyway, he's like, totally an outcast, and doesn't ever talk to anyone! Weird, right? He like, totally just keeps to himself and writes in that stupid notebook every day. Whatever. Anyway, some of the girls in my P.E. class think he's way cute, but I just think he looks like some weird emo kid. Whatever. Emo kids are so not attractive. I'm surprised he doesn't wear eyeliner! Ha, ha! But really, why are you so interested in him?" She asked as if she'd been waiting to ask that for ages.

  "I'm not, I was just wondering." I said, brushing her off. "Jeez, girl, calm down!"

  In math that day, while Miss Carmandy was lecturing, I tapped his shoulder. We sat in the back, so I was fairly certain no one would notice me talking to the new kid. He didn't react, so I tapped it again. He finished writing something and turned around.

  Wow. His eyes were even bluer up close.

  "So you're the new kid?" I ask/whisper.

  "Yeah, so? Are you going to tell me I can't sit here? Because I don't really have a choice." He turned back around and started writing again. Some way to thank me.

  Whatever. I didn't talk to him the rest of class and he didn't talk to me. Until Miss Carmandy announced near the end that we both have to stay after class because she needed to talk to us. I suppressed a groan as people turned in their seats to glance between new kid and me, confusion on all of their faces. I shrug nonchalantly and examine my nails, uncomfortable under their stares.

  After class, Miss Carmandy walked to the back of the classroom and stood before us.

  "Trevor, I understand you just moved here, but you were in Calculus at you're old school, too." Miss Carmandy admonished to the new kid. Trevor, apparently.

  "Well yeah, but I wasn't so good at it then either." He shrugged, looking down.

  "Well you won't be failing my class if I can help it." She said. "Ariana here is the smartest girl in class, surprisingly enough," she added under her breath and Trevor didn't even try to hide his smirk. "So I'm going to ask her to tutor you until your grade improves." She looks at my down her nose. "If that's all right with you, Miss Luke?"

  All the amusement was wiped from our faces. Me tutor new kid? Not in this lifetime, lady! I was about to protest but Trevor beat me to it.

  "But Miss Carmandy, I can try to work harder, really! I don't need a tutor…" He didn't want me to be his tutor? Fine. Two could play at that game.

  "I'd be happy to do it, Miss Carmandy." I smiled brightly at her, delighted to get back at Trevor, even if it meant I'd have to tutor him. It just gave me another thing to make fun of him for!

  "Splendid!" She clapped her hands and beamed at me. That was a look I would never get used to as long as I lived.

  "But I don't need—" Trevor began. Miss Carmandy kept talking like he'd never even spoken.

  "I want you to meet every Tuesday and Thursday, unless you have previous engagements."

  "I work those days," Trevor said, finally giving up. "but I'm free Wednesdays and Fridays."

  "Fine, then you'll meet on Wednesdays and Fridays during lunch or after school, I don't mind which, as long as it gets done. Clear?" She effectively cut off any protests we might have had.

  "Lunch." He says at the same time I say, "After school."

  "Well, why don't you talk about it now? I just have a planning period next, but I was thinking on going to the teacher's lounge anyway. I'll write you notes for your next class, but please try not to take too long. I'll be back shortly." She abruptly left the room, leaving me alone with Trevor.

  "Why not lunch?" He asked, flicking his hair. It looked really soft.

  "Why not after school?" I countered. Ok, so it wasn't the wittiest of comebacks. Bite me.

  "Fine, whatever. After works, I guess."

  "Ok fine. Whatever," I mimicked him in an awfully whiney voice. Why was I acting so childish? "After school then, at my house." I paused. "Umm, do you want to just ride with me?" I said after a minute.

  "Yeah, whatever." Does he know how to say anything else? Jeez.

  "Ok, meet me by the front doors." I said.

  "Whatever."

  After school, I had my pack over my shoulder, laughing with the girls. I had just told some cheerleader that a football player liked her, and I told him the same. We found them making out under the bleachers half an hour later. We walked out the doors together. I was headed for my car when I noticed him standing right outside the doors.

  "Ugh," I slap my hand on my forehead. "Sorry guys, I can't hang out. Miss Carmandy is making me tutor the new kid." I fake shudder and they gave me words of sympathy.

  "How about you just don't and say you did?" Alyssa laughed at her awful joke. But the truth is I kind of wanted to do this, strange as it was. The kid interested me, he wasn't like the other boys here who'd practically faint if I turned my charm on them, not that I did that to Trevor or anything, but still.

  "So are we gonna do this or what?" he said to me, looking me squarely in the eye. I was about to retort with something mean but Amber saw it coming, and she stopped me with a gentle hand on my arm.

  "We were just leaving, Trevor. You guys have fun." Dang, why does she have to be so polite all the time?

  I stalked off without checking to see if he was following. He'd better be. When I got to my car I deftly jumped in and stuck the key in the ignition. It purred to life. Trevor walked up wearing a black Yankees hat and looking nervous, he opened the door and sat too, closing the door very gently. He carefully placed his skateboard and backpack in the back seat beside mine.

  "Relax," I said, "you're not going to scratch anything." I turned up the radio so I wouldn't hear him answer—if he gave one—and so I wouldn't feel pressured to talk on the drive to my house. I hoped the maid had already cleaned the house.

  Trevor looked up in awe at my house when we got there. Sure it's big and fancy, but so are all the other houses in my neighborhood. It's no better than any of them. I got out and slammed the door for effect. Luckily, I remembered my key so I don't have to tell him to turn around while I got the spare.

  The maid had—thankfully—already come and gone and the house looked normal. We kicked off our shoes and headed up the stairs to my room.

  "Uh, don't you wanna do this somewhere else…?" He asked uncomfortably when we walked in. Of course. The new kid is scared of being alone in my room.

  "What, you don't like it in here? You know, they say a girl's room is like a window to her soul." I said dramatically, laying across my bed in a 'seductive' manner.

  "No, their eyes are the windows to the soul." He said dryly.

  "Fine whatever. We can go downstairs to the kitchen table," I said in my best imitation of his accent.

  He scoffed at my pathetic attempt and left the room, headed downstairs, I'm sure. I followed after a moment, surprised at his casual wandering of my house. Some of my friends got lost in here. I really hoped he wouldn't.

  When we got into the kitchen he was already sitting down, so I sat next to him. I pulled out my book and opened it to the correct page, but Trevor just got out that notebook and started scribbling. "Why do you do that all the time?" I asked, trying to read over his shoulder.

  "Nothing," He said, and slammed it shut. Ok, that was weird.

  "Okay, well, let's get to work." I started reading the chapter, reviewing so I wouldn't mess up in front of him. He sighed very audibly and yanked his book out of his bag as well, flipping through the page lazily. "Listen," I said. "If you want me to help you, you actually have to try. Alright?"

  "Well I don't want your help." He rolled his eyes. "Why don't you just do what your friend said?" he asked after a minute, studying me like it was the most important question in the universe.

  I couldn't tell him I thought he was interesting, then he'd think I'm completely psycho! Then again, I pretty much was. "'Cuz I'm an amazingly generous person. Here, look at this." I pointed to something in my book. He leaned over to look in my bo
ok, non-purposely getting in my way and putting his hair right in my face. It smelled fantastic. Like fall. Like the crisp, clear air and golden leaves. I paused. Was I seriously smelling him?

  "Want a drink?" I stood up abruptly and walked over to the fridge, and pulled out a Dr. Pepper. He shook his head without even looking at me, staring intently at my book.

  "Ha, who's R.J.?" He finally looked up at me, smirking.

  I had forgotten that I'd scribbled Ryan's initials all over my book at the beginning of the year. I totally thought that I loved him, before I realized there was no such thing as love.

  "Nobody!" I snapped at him, and snatched the book away, shutting it tightly and hugging it to my chest. He laughed at me, but then his face suddenly sobered and he looked away. Weird.

  "So let's do it," I say, plopping down next to him and opening my book—carefully—again.

  "I didn't know you wanted to," He wagged his eyebrows at me and grinned. Boys. Wasn't he the one who was nervous to step foot in my room?

  "You're worse than Collin." I muttered and looked down at my book. Why was I blushing? Guys said stuff like that to me all the time, and I never reacted like this.

  I tried for the next hour to teach him the basics of roots and ratios. How he got into Calculus I'll never know. Finally he groaned and shoved his book across the table.

  "I give up." He stated.

  I sighed, too. He was right. This was pointless.

  "Yeah, ok, fine. You got somewhere to be?" He kept checking his watch. It was kind of getting annoying. I wondered idly if he has a girlfriend. I didn't really pay attention to the twinge of emotion I felt because of that thought.

  "No." He scowled and crosses his arms.

  "Then let's do something," I said before thinking about it. Smart.

  He looked at me like I just spoke Latin, which I can, by the way. He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Funny."

  "I'm serious. We can like, go to a movie or... The mall or something. Or we could just hang out here." I wasn't so keen on everyone seeing me in public with him.

  Again he looks at me like I'm delirious. "Okay..."