of him, my heart skipped a beat.
Chapter 7
I finally made it to the office for a pass to get into class, but I wasn’t fully present even when I slid into my desk. Later, I was still in a fog as I walked to Shelby’s car. Everyone ran past me to get to their cars; however, to me, they moved in slow motion. Tires squealed, engines roared, but I barely noticed until I felt a tap on my shoulder.
“Holly, I’ve been chasing you down the hall and yelling your name. Didn’t you hear me?” I turned to see Wayne standing behind me.
“No, I’m sorry,” I shook my head. “I didn’t. I had my mind on other things.”
“I’ve wanted to talk to you, but you didn’t come to lunch. It’s the most extraordinary thing. Clemson University contacted me about the water from our well. There is some unknown trace mineral or substance they cannot identify. They want me to collect an unadulterated sample from the well. Mr. Winters and I are getting a harness from his brother who rock climbs, and I’m going down in the well to collect the sample in the kit they sent to me.”
I watched his face light up in excitement as he spoke without taking a breath. My conversation with Anthony had slipped my mind, and now my brain was too numb to come up with an excuse. “Wow, that sounds…interesting.”
“If we discover something new, my name will go in the science books, and it’s all because of you. I was wondering if you would like to stay after school with us Thursday and watch me go into the well to get the sample? ”
“I would, but….” I glanced over to Shelby’s car where she sat texting. “I don’t have a car and my ride has an after school job. I’d hate to ask her to stay and wait on me.” That sounded good.
“I’ll take you home. My parents just bought me a new car,” he said and pointed to a shiny black Camaro.
I was stuck. “Sure.” I smiled at him and took a breath. “See you tomorrow.”
Wayne smiled his metal smile, “It’s a date.” Suddenly a hiccup like sound escaped from his lips. It happened a few times before I realized he was laughing.
“My ride is…um…waiting.” I turned and ran to Shelby’s car.
I got in the car and slammed the door. “Drive.”
Shelby did as I commanded, before she giggled. “You and Wayne Mossburg ?”
“The end of that sentence is, ‘are friends,’” I said with a glare.
“What were you guys talking about?”
I didn’t want to get into all of it. “He asked me to help with a science thing after school Thursday. He’s going to give me a ride home after.”
“Um huh?” She grinned and glanced at me.
“Hey, I don’t bother you about your guy so leave me alone about this guy who’s not my guy at all, okay.”
“Just messing with you. Say, you wanna do something Friday after school? I’m off and was thinking of going to the mall and then the football game.”
“Maybe. I’ll ask my mom if I can.”
Shelby pulled into my driveway. “See you tomorrow.”
“See ya .”
It was nice looking forward to school for a change. I looked forward to drama and seeing Theo.
***
Shelby didn’t have much to say the next morning on the way to school. After a while, I had to ask why she was being so quiet.
“Sorry,” she said. “Brad and I had our first fight last night when I got off work.”
“Oh, sorry. Was it a serious fight?” I didn’t want to pry but if she needed to talk…
She shook her head, “I did something stupid and made him mad. It’s my fault really.”
I didn’t bother her anymore about it. I had too much going on with my own life to add Shelby’s problems to my list.
I got to drama a little late because my AP history class ran over. Ms. Jones walked to the middle of the stage. Paint splattered overalls replaced her normal dressy style “Listen up everyone. Our scripts still aren’t here, so we are going to get busy painting scenery. We have canvases ready for painting. If you are talented in art, you can work on the
Chapter 7
I finally made it to the office for a pass to get into class, but I wasn’t fully present even when I slid into my desk. Later, I was still in a fog as I walked to Shelby’s car. Everyone ran past me to get to their cars; however, to me, they moved in slow motion. Tires squealed, engines roared, but I barely noticed until I felt a tap on my shoulder.
“Holly, I’ve been chasing you down the hall and yelling your name. Didn’t you hear me?” I turned to see Wayne standing behind me.
“No, I’m sorry,” I shook my head. “I didn’t. I had my mind on other things.”
“I’ve wanted to talk to you, but you didn’t come to lunch. It’s the most extraordinary thing. Clemson University contacted me about the water from our well. There is some unknown trace mineral or substance they cannot identify. They want me to collect an unadulterated sample from the well. Mr. Winters and I are getting a harness from his brother who rock climbs, and I’m going down in the well to collect the sample in the kit they sent to me.”
I watched his face light up in excitement as he spoke without taking a breath. My conversation with Anthony had slipped my mind, and now my brain was too numb to come up with an excuse. “Wow, that sounds…interesting.”
“If we discover something new, my name will go in the science books, and it’s all because of you. I was wondering if you would like to stay after school with us Thursday and watch me go into the well to get the sample? ”
“I would, but….” I glanced over to Shelby’s car where she sat texting. “I don’t have a car and my ride has an after school job. I’d hate to ask her to stay and wait on me.” That sounded good.
“I’ll take you home. My parents just bought me a new car,” he said and pointed to a shiny black Camaro.
I was stuck. “Sure.” I smiled at him and took a breath. “See you tomorrow.”
Wayne smiled his metal smile, “It’s a date.” Suddenly a hiccup like sound escaped from his lips. It happened a few times before I realized he was laughing.
“My ride is…um…waiting.” I turned and ran to Shelby’s car.
I got in the car and slammed the door. “Drive.”
Shelby did as I commanded, before she giggled. “You and Wayne Mossburg ?”
“The end of that sentence is, ‘are friends,’” I said with a glare.
“What were you guys talking about?”
I didn’t want to get into all of it. “He asked me to help with a science thing after school Thursday. He’s going to give me a ride home after.”
“Um huh?” She grinned and glanced at me.
“Hey, I don’t bother you about your guy so leave me alone about this guy who’s not my guy at all, okay.”
“Just messing with you. Say, you wanna do something Friday after school? I’m off and was thinking of going to the mall and then the football game.”
“Maybe. I’ll ask my mom if I can.”
Shelby pulled into my driveway. “See you tomorrow.”
“See ya .”
It was nice looking forward to school for a change. I looked forward to drama and seeing Theo.
***
Shelby didn’t have much to say the next morning on the way to school. After a while, I had to ask why she was being so quiet.
“Sorry,” she said. “Brad and I had our first fight last night when I got off work.”
“Oh, sorry. Was it a serious fight?” I didn’t want to pry but if she needed to talk…
She shook her head, “I did something stupid and made him mad. It’s my fault really.”
I didn’t bother her anymore about it. I had too much going on with my own life to add Shelby’s problems to my list.
I got to drama a little late because my AP history class ran over. Ms. Jones walked to the middle of the stage. Paint splattered overalls replaced her normal dressy style “Listen up everyone. Our scripts still aren’t here, so we are going to get busy painting scenery. We have canvases ready for painting. If you are talented in art, you can work on the
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