Paying Attention

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE



I'm really glad that Alicia forced me to go shopping with her on Wednesday to get my outfit, because after I saw Ms. Tyler on Thursday, I have an even more overwhelming urge to please her, so I have spent yesterday and part of this morning to work on my homework. Correction: to try to figure out my homework. I remembered that I have Jeremie's number, so I have been texting him, asking for help on all sorts of questions. With most of them, though, he's just ended up texting me the answer. Oh well, at least I'm getting my homework done.

It's two now, I think that I should start getting ready. Me and Elijah have planned to go to see the latest movie together, Incision, at three, and then after that we are going to go out to eat (yes I'm going to eat, even though I don't want to), then get ready for the dance, and then leave at about eight or nine. I'm so excited yet nervous, which is silly because me and Elijah have been doing this stuff all of the time for a couple of years now. I guess that's what happens when your feelings change.

I change into my black skinny jeans, throw on my colorful flower printed shirt, and put on my black "leather" jacket over top. After zipping up my boots (yes, its finally getting cooler now in November), I look at myself in the mirror. With my makeup done, finished with my outfit I look pretty good. I smile to myself. Just what I had planned.

***

I pull up in front of Eli's house, put the car in park, get out, and walk up to his door. I'm wringing my hands, I need to stop doing that. There is no need for me to feel nervous. I shove one into a pocket and use the other to knock. I hear people on the other side calling to each other, it sounds like Eli's mom and his little brother Triston, and then I hear feet come closer, pausing only a moment to unlock the door and then swing it open. 

Eli's mom (Trisha) lights up when she see's me. "Sam! I'm so glad you're here! Elijah will be down in just a minute." It seems that she is talking unnecessarily loud, but I follow her and shut the door behind me as she leads me in.

We walk into the living room, and she bends down to retrieve something by the TV. It looks like a photo book. She gestures for me to sit down after she has made herself all comfortable, and I follow suit. She open's up to a page and then starts laughing. "Now you see this right here?" She starts talking to me. "This is Elijah when he was two years old. We were at the beach and he just kept on putting sand down his diaper. Ha! And then it was just so full of sand-see?- and we-"

"Okay, that's enough mom." Elijah steps into view and snatches the book from her grasp.

"Well if you were a little bit faster then maybe this wouldn't of happened. But she liked it."

The smile on my face is an undeniable fact that, yes, I did indeed like that.

I see something that looks like a slight flush pass across Eli's face, but I can't be quite certain for how dark he is.

"So, are we ready to go?" I ask. Now I finally have a chance to get a good look at him. He is wearing dark jeans, a white v-neck t-shirt, and his black leather jacket. It's really amazing that we didn't plan it with the jackets because we are matching in that way. He has what appears to be a suit draped over his arm.

"Yeah." He smiles at me.

"You bet he is." Trisha say's as we walk to the door. He opens it for me and we step outside into the brisk November air, and he quickly shuts it behind him.

"Man, my mom is embarrassing." He say's as I unlock the car doors.

"Well aren't most moms born that way?" I tease.

"Good point."

I open the trunk and he drops his clothes in. I shut it and then we go to the front of the doors, open them, get in, and then drive off to the theater.

***

"Two for Incision." I say into the mike.

"That will be $13.50." The man on the other side of the glass replies. I hand him my money and he gives me the tickets and my change. Elijah is standing right behind me and I can feel his stomach press against my shoulders.

We walk into the building and go to the concessions. I pull out more money and then Eli grabs my hand and puts my money back in my wallet. I look up at him confused.

"I don't feel comfortable with you paying for everything." He say's. "Let me at least pay for this."

"Okay." I smile, and he go's and order's a large popcorn, two nacho's, and two drinks, one medium, and the other a large (for him); a Mountain Dew for me, and a Diet Coke for him.

When he come's back I quickly take some of the load off of him.

"You know that I'm not going to be able to eat that much."

"I know." He smiles. "You can give the rest to me when you get full. I will make room." He stretches and rubs his belly.

"I don't understand how you can fit so much food into yourself." I laugh.

"I'm a guy, I'm growing, its how it works." We carry our food to the theater, me carrying my drink and nacho's, and Eli carrying his drink, the nacho's, and the large tub of popcorn.

We find lucky seats in the middle back just as the previews start. We sit down putting our drinks in the cup-holders, and our snacks on the ground by our feet. I take a sip of my Mountain Dew and then suddenly feel Elijah's arm circle around my shoulder's. But instead of feeling shocked, this time I draw closer to him, nestling my head on his chest and shoulder. His hand gently presses my arm, and then his fingers start tracing along my shoulder. It sends tingles everywhere he touches even though I am wearing a jacket.

The cool leather feels nice against my face and I can tell that he has put something on. Cologne? No, he smells too fresh for that. Like laundry fresh out of the dryer. Yes, that's it.

He kisses the top of my head and smooths my hair out with the hand that is not around me. Mmmm, this feels nice.

All of the sudden the movie is starting. I didn't realize that I had missed the previews. I'll see if I will be able to focus on what is happening.

***

The basic thing that I can recall from the movie is that some guy who was a doctor, or something, was really crazy and when he would do his surgeries he would kill them and then, something. I can't remember, it really wasn't that great. But I can distinctly remember the way that Eli rubbed my shoulder as I leaned against him. 

We are almost to my car and I am reaching into my bag for my key's. Eli's arm is still around me, and he doesn't let go until we have to get into the car.

"Did you like the movie?" Eli ask's as my hand turns the key in the ignition.

"Um, yeah. Lot's of crazy doctor's and stuff."

He laugh's. "I know that you didn't like it. Don't worry, you don't have to act like you did because it WAS a stupid movie."

"Oh good." I sigh. "For a second there I thought you actually enjoyed it."

He laugh's again. "NO." Then he get's a little quieter. "I'm really glad we're doing this, you and I."

I smile at him. "I'm glad too."

He lean's forward, and I lean forward and now he's kissing me, soft and sweet. He places one hand to the side of my face, the other at my waist, and he pulls me toward him. I awkwardly slide over the consul and into his lap. His arms are around me, and my hands are pressing against his chest. I feel his abdomen twitch underneath his shirt, the hard six-pack feeling nice under my fingertips. His lips trail off mine and down my jaw to my neck.

"I think." I say in between breaths. "That we should go." I take a sharp intake of breath when his tongue touches. "I mean it's barely sunset and we're in a theater parking-lot. People could easily see us."

He pulls back, a smile playing his lips. Then he pull's me down and whispers in my ear. "Then let's go where no one can see us."

I slowly move back to my seat, heat rising up my cheeks. "But what about dinner? It's almost six. Aren't you hungry?"

He eye's me steadily. "I am hungry, but we have extra food from the theater."

My mouth spreads to a grin. What is going on?

"Okay." I say, and I pull out, heading to the peak of the mountain that is the make-out point.

***

Once we get there and pull into a spot, I barely have time to put the car in park and turn the engine off before Eli has his hands on me again. 

We make our way to the back without me even realizing, Eli on top of me, kissing me. I welcome his kiss and then his tongue grazes my lips, and I open them willingly. Our tongues dance with each other as one of his hands holds the back of my head, while the other feels down my arm, then my waist, then up a little to land a spot on my boob. I know that I should probably push him away now, but it just feels so good and right that I don't want to. He pulls back from kissing me and looks down at me, our faces inches apart. I stare into his dark brown eyes that look black in the lack of light.

"You are so beautiful." He say's and brushes some of my hair back. I don't have any words, I can't respond. He has never said that to me before. I try to make words come to my throat, reply in some way, but luckily I am saved the trouble as his fingers brush some strands of hair from my neck and he bends back down to kiss it, shivers running down my spine as he does so. This feels much better than when Daniel kissed me. This feels right, as if all of this were meant to happen. His hand doesn't move from my breast, and feel the weight of it there, is a slight odd comfort. His lips trail back to mine, and we are back to kissing.

Paying Attening

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT



So since that little episode with Mrs. (sorry, Ms.) Smith yesterday, I have felt like maybe I should try being a better student and actually try doing my homework a little more; not only because I need to because its my senior year and I want to graduate, but because I actually feel seriously back for her.

Now I am at Alicia's "working" on my homework with her. Yeah, I guess that old habits don't just dissapear overnight.

"So how have you and Elijah been?" Alicia asks, a small smile playing on her mouth.

I look back up at her, heat rising up my cheeks. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean." She smirks. "I heard that you asked him to Sadie's, and he pretty much asked you to ask him. I've seen you too together. You like him." A laughing smile spreads on her face.

"Yeah, a little bit." I say shyly.

"Oh come on. I would say that it is more than a little bit."

"Yeah, maybe." I smile.

"So since the theme is 'Roaring 20's,' what are you planning to wear?"

"Um, I don't know. I haven't really thought about it that much." I admit.

"What?  The dance is this Saturday and you don't know what you're going to wear?"

"No." I say feeling embarrassed now. Usually I like to plan my outfits out and wear cute clothes, but I guess that I have just been being distracted lately.

"Okay." She announces. "Put down that homework that you haven't even started. We've got some shopping to do."

"Where are we going?"

"Where else can you find any number of clothes for a cheap price if you know how to shop? We're going to the thrift store of course! Come on, grab your purse."

I do as she says, and we are quickly out the door, in my car, and on our way to Saver's.

***

"What about this?" I say, holding up a royal blue dress with ruffles at the bottom.

"We're looking for something that could have been worn in the twenties, not the eighties."

"Well I don't know what to look for." I say exasperated.

"Don't worry, I think that we'll find something here."

"You think?"

"Yes, I think. Its a common thing for people to do. But I'm just saying that hopefully we'll find something here."

Well that's comforting. I sigh and we continue our pursuit for the dress, keeping a few in mind that could work if we can't find any, but still searching. My hand is brushing past several of the dresses when suddenly I feel something of a smooth but slightly bumpy texture. I push the dresses apart, and there pushed to the very back of the rack is a gorgeous white dress. It has what appears to be a sewn in pattern of little flowers, and intricate lines criss-crossing each other. From the hips down the dress strings out to hang down at, what I'm suspecting, the knees. It's a flapper dress, I actually found a flapper dress, and in a thrift store! These are rare, and I found one here!

"Lici, come here! I found it!"

She stops what she's doing and jogs toward me. She looks at the dress that I am looking at, and a giant smile envelopes her whole face. She picks it off the rack and hands it to me.

"What if its too small." I say, suddenly remembering my weight.

"It wont be. Besides, you're tiny anyways. Here, I want you to try it on and see how it looks on you."

We choose a fitting room, and I take off my clothes and slowly take the beautiful dress off the hanger and put it over my head. I think that it feels a little tight, but maybe that's how its supposed to feel. I sigh, open the door, and walk out to see Alicia's expression.

Her mouth is open in a wide 'o', and she is just staring at me with complete shock.

"Well?" I say. "How do I look?"

"You just have to see for yourself." She grabs my arm and drags me to the full length mirror just a few feet ahead. I look.... well all I can say is that I look beautiful. The dress hangs perfectly on me, fitting at my hips and waist in just the right ways, my legs baring themselves from the knee down, to wear the under part of the dress hits.

"Wow."

"I'll say." Alicia say's. She lets out a whistle. "You are not going to only be getting the attention of Eli, but the attention of all the other guys there."

"Well I don't know about that." I say. "But I do have to admit that I look pretty great in this."

***

Even though I got the dress at Saver's, it was still about fifty bucks, but compared to boutiques, it's pretty cheap. I spent most of my babysitting money on it, along with white heels, a white pearl necklace, and long elbow length classy gloves. Lici said that all of these extra things were important to finish the ensemble. My legs look really good in the heels, although they make me about three inches taller, but that shouldn't make too much of a difference because I am only five-five, and Elijah is six-five, a whole foot taller than me, so I feel like I am able to wear these.

"I wish that my out-fit were as good as yours." Lici sighs once we get back to her house, bags in hand. In the end I spent about seventy-five dollars on the outfit. So worth it.

"Lici, we both know that you look amazing in anything, so I bet that YOU are going to be the one who has all of the other girls dates turning their heads to look at you."

She just smiles at me, but doesn't say anything else.

I look down at my math homework that should be done by now. "I should head home so that I can actually get started on my homework."

"Good plan." She laughs.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya."

I walk out the door and shut it behind me, my bags in one hand, and my keys and homework being juggled in another. I walk to my car, unlock the doors, throw my stuff in the back and get in, beginning my decent home.

***

Thursday morning and I STILL don't have Ms. Smith's homework done. I am just sitting at one of the benches in the commons staring down at the problems. I know that I felt like I needed to be a better student, but bad habits are just too hard to break, especially when you don't understand what the crap you are supposed to do.

"Need help?" A deep voice startles me. I look up and its Jeremie. He sits down next to me and I feel his leg press against mine.

"Oh no, I just like to fail the class just for the heck of it."

He laughs. "Here, let me see." He picks up my math book and notebook and studies the equations. "Okay, see this one that say's solve for x? So what you're going to do is take 2 and minus it by itself, then cross-multiply...." He looks up at me. "Are you getting it?"

"Not a bit."

"Here, just copy off of me."

"But I've already done that to you before, and I don't really like to."

"It's okay." He's fishing in his backpack, head down. "I really don't mind. Plus, it would be terrible if you were to fail second term."

"Well I barely passed last term, so I think that that is an improvement-"

"Just do it." He hands me his homework. "And I would make it quick. We only have about five minutes till the bell rings."

"Okay, okay." I quickly jot down several answers before the bell rings to tell us that it is time to head to class.

"I think that thirteen answers is enough, don't you?" I say,

"If you only want a D, then yes." Jeremie replies as we walk up the stairs. "But if you copy the rest down than you will most likely get an A."

"Yeah, but I don't exactly want Mrs. Smith to get on my case about being smarter than I really am, and hiding my hidden talents, and all that stuff that I DON'T have with math."

"Yeah, I get your point. But it is Ms. Tyler now, just remember."

"Oh yeah, I guess that I'm just so used to saying Mrs. Smith I just don't even think about it anymore."

He looks down at me. "It was nice what you did for her when you just... let her freak out. She seemed happier when she walked back into our class."

"Yeah, she did."

We walk into class and the first thing I see is Ms. Tyler is wearing a pinstripe gray pencil skirt with a red button-down silk shirt on. Her hair is down, hanging past her shoulders slight curls twisting at the bottom. She has some makeup on, her eye makeup subtle yet dramatic, and her cheeks a rosy pink. She has on a little bit of red lipstick giving her a sophisticated look without being boring. She actually looks beautiful.

Everyone is staring at her with a look of amazement. Could this possibly be our math teacher who has always been uptight and annoying? She is almost unrecognizable.

 Jeremie and I take our seats, still staring at her.

"Okay class," she begins. "I thought that maybe we could do something a little different today. I am going to put you all in groups-"

Groups, oh great I hate doing group work.

"-and I want you to all come up with a story line, and then when we are done we will put them all together to see if we can make up our own story problem and see if it works. Okay, go."

Well this could be ammusing.