to extract her even harder.
“ Thanks for lunch, Collin.”
“ You’re welcome, Natasha.”
“ Yeah, thanks,” Mia added
“ Thanks for taking us. I guess I’ll see you around later?” I questioned.
“ I’ve got work this afternoon, but I’ll call you later, if that’s okay.”
“ Yes.” Smiling, I turned and walked toward P.E. class with my friends. Looking back over my shoulder after walking a bit, I could see Collin still watching me. I waved, and he nodded his head slightly in acknowledgment.
“ Damn, girl, you are luuuucky!”
“ Yeah, I’d say. Not only is he cute, but he’s fun, and a gentleman to boot. Geez, you never find guys like that,” Mia complained.
“ It’s only been a couple of days, guys. Who knows if he’s really interested or just having fun right now.”
Mia and Natasha exchanged looks and then pulled me to a stop in front of them.
“ Are you blind?” Natasha demanded.
Mia responded like I wasn’t even standing there, “She’s blind. There is no other logical explanation.”
“ What are you guys talking about?”
“ Good grief, Bailey, any sane person can see how he looks at you. He’s totally wrapped up in you right now, head over heels.” Mia’s brown eyes were serious. Today she had her blond hair loose around her face and she kept trying to push her bangs out of her eyes.
“ Come on, there’s no way… Really? Do you think so?”
“ Yes. For sure!” Natasha added.
This gave me a small ray of hope; just maybe, the feelings and emotions that were stirring inside me were mutual. The thought was exhilarating. “Come on, guys, we better hurry, or we’re going to be late!”
* * *
The week passed almost in a blur. Collin would meet me in the morning at school and take us girls to lunch. After school I would baby-sit Riley, and Collin had work. The couple of days he didn’t work, he would bring Lacey and meet Riley and me at the park. Lacey and Riley were becoming best buddies, and it was fun to watch them interact with each other. In the evenings, he would either call me, or we would spend the night texting while trying to study for our classes. The biggest change of all for me was that I had a week of no nightmares. The dark shadows under my eyes vanished. My aunt and Riley’s mom both had commented on it.
* * *
Spring break had officially begun. It was Friday night, and Mia and Natasha were packing to go on their trip to Mammoth. They would be gone most of the first week of our two weeks off of school. They would be back for the second week. I walked over to my window and opened it to let in the cool night air. The sweet smell of orange blossoms from a nearby grove wafted in with the breeze. The moon was bright tonight, lighting up the front yard and street. The deep rumble of a car turning the corner brought a smile to my face. I was pretty sure it was Collin; we were headed out to a movie. Surprisingly, he had chosen a romantic comedy instead of the newest thriller that had just been released. The white Camaro turned down our street, and I left my room to meet him.
Downstairs, my aunt and uncle were sprawled out on the couch watching a movie with their big bowl of popcorn between them. Saying goodnight, I walked to the front door just as the doorbell rang. Opening the door, Collin stood waiting for me with a beautiful bouquet of purple tulips in his hands.
“ Oh, how pretty! I love tulips!”
“ Wow, you look stunning tonight.”
“ Thank you.” I had chosen a jean mini skirt tonight, with a black long-sleeved shirt and a pair of black flats. Spending a little extra time getting ready, I had curled my hair and pinned back my bangs so that they’d stay out of my eyes.
“ Come in. I want to put these in water before we leave. You can meet my uncle too.” I grinned at Collin’s look of slight discomfort.
“ Sure.”
Entering the kitchen, my tulips immediately caught my aunt’s eye, and she was up in a flash to inspect them and help
“ Thanks for lunch, Collin.”
“ You’re welcome, Natasha.”
“ Yeah, thanks,” Mia added
“ Thanks for taking us. I guess I’ll see you around later?” I questioned.
“ I’ve got work this afternoon, but I’ll call you later, if that’s okay.”
“ Yes.” Smiling, I turned and walked toward P.E. class with my friends. Looking back over my shoulder after walking a bit, I could see Collin still watching me. I waved, and he nodded his head slightly in acknowledgment.
“ Damn, girl, you are luuuucky!”
“ Yeah, I’d say. Not only is he cute, but he’s fun, and a gentleman to boot. Geez, you never find guys like that,” Mia complained.
“ It’s only been a couple of days, guys. Who knows if he’s really interested or just having fun right now.”
Mia and Natasha exchanged looks and then pulled me to a stop in front of them.
“ Are you blind?” Natasha demanded.
Mia responded like I wasn’t even standing there, “She’s blind. There is no other logical explanation.”
“ What are you guys talking about?”
“ Good grief, Bailey, any sane person can see how he looks at you. He’s totally wrapped up in you right now, head over heels.” Mia’s brown eyes were serious. Today she had her blond hair loose around her face and she kept trying to push her bangs out of her eyes.
“ Come on, there’s no way… Really? Do you think so?”
“ Yes. For sure!” Natasha added.
This gave me a small ray of hope; just maybe, the feelings and emotions that were stirring inside me were mutual. The thought was exhilarating. “Come on, guys, we better hurry, or we’re going to be late!”
* * *
The week passed almost in a blur. Collin would meet me in the morning at school and take us girls to lunch. After school I would baby-sit Riley, and Collin had work. The couple of days he didn’t work, he would bring Lacey and meet Riley and me at the park. Lacey and Riley were becoming best buddies, and it was fun to watch them interact with each other. In the evenings, he would either call me, or we would spend the night texting while trying to study for our classes. The biggest change of all for me was that I had a week of no nightmares. The dark shadows under my eyes vanished. My aunt and Riley’s mom both had commented on it.
* * *
Spring break had officially begun. It was Friday night, and Mia and Natasha were packing to go on their trip to Mammoth. They would be gone most of the first week of our two weeks off of school. They would be back for the second week. I walked over to my window and opened it to let in the cool night air. The sweet smell of orange blossoms from a nearby grove wafted in with the breeze. The moon was bright tonight, lighting up the front yard and street. The deep rumble of a car turning the corner brought a smile to my face. I was pretty sure it was Collin; we were headed out to a movie. Surprisingly, he had chosen a romantic comedy instead of the newest thriller that had just been released. The white Camaro turned down our street, and I left my room to meet him.
Downstairs, my aunt and uncle were sprawled out on the couch watching a movie with their big bowl of popcorn between them. Saying goodnight, I walked to the front door just as the doorbell rang. Opening the door, Collin stood waiting for me with a beautiful bouquet of purple tulips in his hands.
“ Oh, how pretty! I love tulips!”
“ Wow, you look stunning tonight.”
“ Thank you.” I had chosen a jean mini skirt tonight, with a black long-sleeved shirt and a pair of black flats. Spending a little extra time getting ready, I had curled my hair and pinned back my bangs so that they’d stay out of my eyes.
“ Come in. I want to put these in water before we leave. You can meet my uncle too.” I grinned at Collin’s look of slight discomfort.
“ Sure.”
Entering the kitchen, my tulips immediately caught my aunt’s eye, and she was up in a flash to inspect them and help
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