With shaky hands she struggles to get the keys from her pocket. With the last two boxes in tow, Lauren Lewis will be officially moved into her new apartment. After leaving the little town of Clovis seven years prior, she has returned with a new light. Goodbye with the baggy tees that hid her skrawny form and her braces that would always need to be tightened. Sure she still had her geeky science persona but she kept it confident now. Yes Lauren Lewis may have been teased and tormented to leave seven years ago but she was back and she was ready to make a name for herself.
Now all she had to do was get the damn keys out of her damn pocket without...
"Shit" she muttered as she nearly dropped her microscope. "Maybe if I just..." As she started to hip check the door she heard giggling from behind her. "Great" she muttered, I have the best luck... Already getting teased on my first day back. Thanks Clovis, the town where Lauren Lewis will always be a joke.
I know the door is close to being open, so I just squeeze my boxes tighter with my one hand and balance them on my thigh so I can try to turn the knob... Ugh so close!
"Here, would you like a hand?"
She's laughing still but she sounds genuine and I can't help but smile because her laugh has got to be the greatest sound I've heard. I can't help but chance a look at her. "Whoa" I whisper breathlessly.
Where did she come from? I knew I should have looked sooner! Deep chocolate brown hair with matching eyes. Those pouty lips, morphing into a mischievous smirk. I feel the blush creep up my neck at the was she's looking at me. Amusement mixed with curiosity? Whatever, I don't care as long as I'm her focus. I cough to try to clear the faint blush and give her a lopsided smile.
I nod towards the keeps stuck in the lock, " if it's not too much trouble? I would greatly appreciate it..."
"Bo Dennis... I live just across from you" She replies with a nod and takes the top box and pushes the door open.
"Thank you!I'm Lauren Lewis and thanks to you, I'm now officially moved in without breaking anything" I say with a laugh. I notice Bo peeking through the box in her hands as she sets it on the table. My medical books were filled in most of these boxes. I see her trying to mouth the words on the cover, her eyebrows pushed together and an adorable pout. "Just a bit of light reading" I say to her and give her a smirk. She blushes slightly and gives me a nervous smile but shrugs it off quickly.
Bo looks at me with this look that I cannot place. Oh she's definitely snooping I laugh inwardly. "Hmm, light reading huh? I can see it." Shes staring now. What is happening? Why am I so nervous around her? I am hot and definitely not a rookie when it comes to women! Get it together!
I run my fingers through my hair and give her a smile," yeah Im trying for that 'hot doctor' look. Is it working"?
I silently pat myself on the back at the way she is staring at me. I don't doubt she is straight, this town isn't very big and its kind of quiet on the lesbian front but it's still fun to flirt. She's flustered but is now smiling showing off the one dimple and her eyes, I swear they're smiling too. Bo is about to respond when her phone starts to ring. She is still staring at me when she grabs her phone. Bo contemplates answering her phone when she looks at the caller ID but gives me a wink before doing so. "Hey babe... What? Umm ok yeah I'll see you then... Yup ok sure" she looks almost shy or embarrassed when she hangs up the phone but offers a smile. "Sorry about that, I have someone waiting for me at my place I should get going." I can't help but tease her further. "Ah the boyfriend", we both know it is. She is way too beautiful not to be seeing someone and my heart sinks a little at that fact. I can't help but hear the sadness in her voice and the dejected look when she saw who was calling.
"Haha yup, very impatient he is. So I should probably get going." I gesture to the door, " let me walk you to the door, you know you did save my microscope and all" I joke hopefully to earn a laugh. To my surprise she does, and gives me a grin, "you know, Lauren I can see us getting along just fine" and leads us to the hallway. I'm not sure why but here I am walking her to her door. It's literally like 5 yards away but I can't stop my feet.
Bo stops and looks my way, face to face, my heart is beating so fast I swear she can sense it. "You know, you're already half way to that hot doctor look, all you need is the degree now" she winks and starts to close the remaining distance to her front door. I'm borderline stalking her as I place my hand on her arm and whisper from behind "Good thing to know, Bo but I should let you know... I got my degree almost a year ago" I smile a walk back towards my door and peek over my shoulder. My hand is tingling from where I touched her flawless skin. "See you around Bo". Check. Mate.
Before I can even open my door I feel hear her start walking my way. I smile and look down, unsure of why she's headed towards me but feel giddy at the same time. "Bo" I heard a deep voice that sounds all too familiar from my childhood. I turn around so quickly I startle Bo and she stumbles back but I'm quick to steady her shoulders. Warmth. That's how I feel when we touch. Before I can even process it I hear his voice again.
"Babe, are you ready?" He's staring at her completely as I'm staring at him. "Umm yes" Bo says quietly staring at me. "Dyson, this is Lauren Lewis. Lauren this is..."
"Dyson Thornwood" I finish for her. My voice is even, but I can feel many emotions bubbling to the surface. Anger. Resentment. Hurt. Disgusted mainly that Bo, this kind, charming woman chose someone like him to be with. He's staring intently at me now, no doubt trying to place me. I stand just a little taller, it's subtle but Bo can see it but I choose to ignore her questioning eyes.
"Lewis..."He states, then that cocky smile. He wraps his arm around his girlfriend and relaxes now. "Loser Lewis from high school?! Haha oh man, what its been like 3,4 years?" He finishes. I keep my cool, ignoring the gnawing feeling from being called that, "7 years actually, glad to see nothing has changed" i force a tight smile," well it was meeting you Bo, Dyson" I nod and take my leave.
I hurry back to my room, I can feel all the memories rush back and I grip the door knob. "Loser Lewis" yup that hurt... Three years of being bullied by that pathetic person and his friends. The door opens quickly when I hear "Eh Hotpants!" And just like that my smile creeps back from the new voice in my vicinity. I turn ignoring the two hushed voices, no doubt talking about what just transpired and look at my childhood friend. "Tamsin" I chuckle and prepare for the inevitable. With arms wide I feel her swoop me up and knock the wind right out of me. She is always so very quick I just submit to them now. Smiling she releases me and takes a few steps back to give me the once over.
Tamsin. What do I say about Tamsin? A few years older, a little taller, a little blonder. She's been my BFF since grade school even after I left early beginning of 11th grade. She's my social butterfly that likes to keep me on my toes. Head detective of the Clovis police department. Party animal. Protective and loyal. Just married the love of her life. Many layers to this one.
A swift punch to my arm shakes me out of my musings. "Hotpants! I had to hear from your mother that you've moved back?! You told me you were just visiting." She's trying to sound angry even though I can see the smile trying to escape. I rub my arm and invite her in away from my past that seems to be lurking now. Before i close my door, I give Bo one last nod. There's no way I can maintain a friendship between us, especially if she's with him. My self esteem could not take it. I just met her but it hurts knowing that but I'm not going backwards. The future is forward and there is no future for Bo and I. With that I sigh and close the door, desperately trying to get her beautiful image and contagious laugh out of my head.