Chapter 9: Warm Thoughts
Vic lay in bed that night, thinking of his afternoon with Chastity. His shoulder had gone numb long ago, but he couldn't bring himself to rouse the sleeping beauty on his arm. Her face was so sweetly at ease, but the bell had already rung, signaling the end of the period. He slipped his arm out and sat her upright. She sleepily stretched her arms and with a flutter of her long lashes, opened her eyes, breathing a tiny yawn. Vic kept a well positioned hand on her waist, in case she forgot she was sitting on a ledge. Her face was slightly rosy from the sun, and she smiled warmly at him. Chastity wasn't the only good-looking girl at school, but something about her felt kindred and attracted him. Vic sensed that she too was hiding something from the world, and he wanted to know what it was.
~
"Alright class. Since the term project requires so much research, I've decided to let you work in pairs." The class cheered in excitement, but they were quickly silenced by his addition, "I, of course, will be selecting your partners."
Professor Romerlin surveyed his students, then began calling out names. Chastity held her breath and hoped for a good partner. Group projects could be so challenging, and this term project was worth roughly 200 points. She watched as the rest of her friends were either paired off with each other or another equally friendly classmate. "Miss Tse, you will be paired with…Mr. Chou," Romerlin finally decided. From his side of the lab Jerry smirked knowingly. He was a natural leader for his ability to read others, and he had already suspected that Vic's connection to Chastity was notable.
"Hey Vic," Chastity pulled a chair next to the hushed boy. After the groups were assigned, Romerlin dismissed them to start work in the library and media centers. Chastity and Vic were in one of Willington's many computer labs.
"Chas," he acknowledged her back.
"I'm sorry about the other day, but thanks for being such a gentleman about it," Chastity referred back to the balcony incident. Vic only returned a slight smile.
"Are you busy this weekend?" Vic asked suddenly. This particular sentence, coming from this particular boy, made Chastity's heart beat a little bit faster.
"No, not really. Do you want to meet up to work on this?" Chastity continued, pulling her sweater snuggly around her. The New England winter had fully set in, and the school just wasn't warm enough for her liking.
"I'll see you at 9 on Saturday. My house," Vic told her. Chastity nodded her assent, and she yanked out her agenda to make a note. Vic was writing on his Clie too.
"Hey study heads, what do you say we grab some lunch?" Vanness swung into the lab and poked a head through the doorway. He was always full of energy and cheerful, and Chastity marveled if he was ever glum, about anything.
"Sure, we'll meet you guys in a few minutes," Chastity replied to him. She turned back to face Vic, and he lifted his eyes to meet hers. She wondered if he was going to say anything else to her, but he merely handed her a thick book.
"This is a good reference," he said.
Chastity:
I watched him from the corner of my eye, the way his side swept brown hair lay in strands over his eyes. He'd read a few pages, flipping the paper quietly then running a hand through those loose locks and giving a little sigh. I remember all the times mom has complained a boy with hair that was in his face. It was a big pet peeve of hers, and she often speculated how other mothers could tolerate such a style. It's ironic since I find it to be really adorable, especially if the guy has a great face. Vic has a great face, solid chin, bronzed skin, deep and calm eyes, and a playful smile. He was slouched in the chair, stretching his long legs under the table. Height is such an important quality, and all of these guys are tall. I wonder why none of them has a steady girlfriend, and I haven't been able to ask about Jina. The name comes up now and again, and Vic's face takes on a hint of pain. I wish he could find some faith in me, but I still have to figure out what it is about this melancholy boy that makes my heart ache so. Maybe it's the fragile way his eyes look at me like that night after homecoming or the lamenting tunes of his intense violin playing. Glancing at the rubric we were given earlier in the day, I notice I've fallen behind. How embarrassing to be drooling over my partner.
Vic:
Chastity heaved a little sigh before resuming her work. She had no idea how long she'd been lost in her thoughts of Vic, much less how conspicuous she was about it. Vic was immune to the oogling eyes of girls, having been a handsome boy since youth, but Chastity's eyes searched his face for something deeper than the good looks. He shifted a little under her gaze, but she was oblivious to everything, being completely absorbed by her own mind. He himself did that sometimes. The sweetness of her voice still rang fresh in his mind, but the sharp pain of Jina's departure would never be forgotten. Don't lose your focus, Vic! You still have a job to finish. Jerry will never shut up if anything goes wrong. But why did it have to be Chastity?
~
"O my god Kiki shut up! That is the worst story!" Shelly squealed in delight after hearing some fresh gossip.
"Chas you want some of this?" Vanness waved a bottle of tea and a cream cheese pastry at her.
"Nah, I'm good. You guys hit La Madeleine again?" Chastity assumed they stopped at the bakery on the way to Shelly's. Jerry sauntered into the room and plopped down next to her. He picked up Chastity's agenda from the coffee table and flipped to the calendar pages.
"What are we doing for Thanksgiving next week?" Jerry asked her. Chastity thought this was an odd question considering Thanksgiving was all about family and turkey. She had plans to finish college essays and her term project during break too.
"Eating turkey?" Chastity answered him honestly. Jerry laughed, his eyes twinkling at her almost mockingly.
"I meant, where should we vacation? You intended to stay home?" Jerry tried to clarify himself.
"How about we drive down south for some sun?" Vanness suggested, hoping for some time on a Floridian beach.
"We did that last year at spring break. I want to go somewhere else," Shelly whined, reminded of the drunken stupor everyone fell in last year. She had a place in mind already, but she was waiting for someone else to bring it up.
"So Chastity, where do you want to go?" Kiki asked the new girl in the group. Chastity was accustomed to taking trips with her friends but not on the scale of these Boston kids. There must not be much to do around the city during the holidays, but she found that hard to believe in a city with such history and activity.
"It doesn't really matter, but I think it might be nice to stay up north. I haven't seen many snowy holidays," Chastity admitted, reflecting on her mild winters in California.
"Ski resort then? We can teach Chas how to board and all." Ken spoke up.
"Fabulous. Whistler it is. It's been years since we've been up there. I'll have daddy book the townhouse, and we can fly out Sunday," Shelly squealed in excitement. Everything was moving along so smoothly. Chastity initiated the ski resort idea herself, by expressing a desire to stay around New England. Whistler was a favorite ski resort of the group, and its cozy location in a picturesque town in Canada was a familiar haunt for them. Things were just too perfect, not a glitch in the plan.
[Not thrilling I know, but i'm workin on it. ^_^ thanks for reading and reviewing!]
Vic lay in bed that night, thinking of his afternoon with Chastity. His shoulder had gone numb long ago, but he couldn't bring himself to rouse the sleeping beauty on his arm. Her face was so sweetly at ease, but the bell had already rung, signaling the end of the period. He slipped his arm out and sat her upright. She sleepily stretched her arms and with a flutter of her long lashes, opened her eyes, breathing a tiny yawn. Vic kept a well positioned hand on her waist, in case she forgot she was sitting on a ledge. Her face was slightly rosy from the sun, and she smiled warmly at him. Chastity wasn't the only good-looking girl at school, but something about her felt kindred and attracted him. Vic sensed that she too was hiding something from the world, and he wanted to know what it was.
~
"Alright class. Since the term project requires so much research, I've decided to let you work in pairs." The class cheered in excitement, but they were quickly silenced by his addition, "I, of course, will be selecting your partners."
Professor Romerlin surveyed his students, then began calling out names. Chastity held her breath and hoped for a good partner. Group projects could be so challenging, and this term project was worth roughly 200 points. She watched as the rest of her friends were either paired off with each other or another equally friendly classmate. "Miss Tse, you will be paired with…Mr. Chou," Romerlin finally decided. From his side of the lab Jerry smirked knowingly. He was a natural leader for his ability to read others, and he had already suspected that Vic's connection to Chastity was notable.
"Hey Vic," Chastity pulled a chair next to the hushed boy. After the groups were assigned, Romerlin dismissed them to start work in the library and media centers. Chastity and Vic were in one of Willington's many computer labs.
"Chas," he acknowledged her back.
"I'm sorry about the other day, but thanks for being such a gentleman about it," Chastity referred back to the balcony incident. Vic only returned a slight smile.
"Are you busy this weekend?" Vic asked suddenly. This particular sentence, coming from this particular boy, made Chastity's heart beat a little bit faster.
"No, not really. Do you want to meet up to work on this?" Chastity continued, pulling her sweater snuggly around her. The New England winter had fully set in, and the school just wasn't warm enough for her liking.
"I'll see you at 9 on Saturday. My house," Vic told her. Chastity nodded her assent, and she yanked out her agenda to make a note. Vic was writing on his Clie too.
"Hey study heads, what do you say we grab some lunch?" Vanness swung into the lab and poked a head through the doorway. He was always full of energy and cheerful, and Chastity marveled if he was ever glum, about anything.
"Sure, we'll meet you guys in a few minutes," Chastity replied to him. She turned back to face Vic, and he lifted his eyes to meet hers. She wondered if he was going to say anything else to her, but he merely handed her a thick book.
"This is a good reference," he said.
Chastity:
I watched him from the corner of my eye, the way his side swept brown hair lay in strands over his eyes. He'd read a few pages, flipping the paper quietly then running a hand through those loose locks and giving a little sigh. I remember all the times mom has complained a boy with hair that was in his face. It was a big pet peeve of hers, and she often speculated how other mothers could tolerate such a style. It's ironic since I find it to be really adorable, especially if the guy has a great face. Vic has a great face, solid chin, bronzed skin, deep and calm eyes, and a playful smile. He was slouched in the chair, stretching his long legs under the table. Height is such an important quality, and all of these guys are tall. I wonder why none of them has a steady girlfriend, and I haven't been able to ask about Jina. The name comes up now and again, and Vic's face takes on a hint of pain. I wish he could find some faith in me, but I still have to figure out what it is about this melancholy boy that makes my heart ache so. Maybe it's the fragile way his eyes look at me like that night after homecoming or the lamenting tunes of his intense violin playing. Glancing at the rubric we were given earlier in the day, I notice I've fallen behind. How embarrassing to be drooling over my partner.
Vic:
Chastity heaved a little sigh before resuming her work. She had no idea how long she'd been lost in her thoughts of Vic, much less how conspicuous she was about it. Vic was immune to the oogling eyes of girls, having been a handsome boy since youth, but Chastity's eyes searched his face for something deeper than the good looks. He shifted a little under her gaze, but she was oblivious to everything, being completely absorbed by her own mind. He himself did that sometimes. The sweetness of her voice still rang fresh in his mind, but the sharp pain of Jina's departure would never be forgotten. Don't lose your focus, Vic! You still have a job to finish. Jerry will never shut up if anything goes wrong. But why did it have to be Chastity?
~
"O my god Kiki shut up! That is the worst story!" Shelly squealed in delight after hearing some fresh gossip.
"Chas you want some of this?" Vanness waved a bottle of tea and a cream cheese pastry at her.
"Nah, I'm good. You guys hit La Madeleine again?" Chastity assumed they stopped at the bakery on the way to Shelly's. Jerry sauntered into the room and plopped down next to her. He picked up Chastity's agenda from the coffee table and flipped to the calendar pages.
"What are we doing for Thanksgiving next week?" Jerry asked her. Chastity thought this was an odd question considering Thanksgiving was all about family and turkey. She had plans to finish college essays and her term project during break too.
"Eating turkey?" Chastity answered him honestly. Jerry laughed, his eyes twinkling at her almost mockingly.
"I meant, where should we vacation? You intended to stay home?" Jerry tried to clarify himself.
"How about we drive down south for some sun?" Vanness suggested, hoping for some time on a Floridian beach.
"We did that last year at spring break. I want to go somewhere else," Shelly whined, reminded of the drunken stupor everyone fell in last year. She had a place in mind already, but she was waiting for someone else to bring it up.
"So Chastity, where do you want to go?" Kiki asked the new girl in the group. Chastity was accustomed to taking trips with her friends but not on the scale of these Boston kids. There must not be much to do around the city during the holidays, but she found that hard to believe in a city with such history and activity.
"It doesn't really matter, but I think it might be nice to stay up north. I haven't seen many snowy holidays," Chastity admitted, reflecting on her mild winters in California.
"Ski resort then? We can teach Chas how to board and all." Ken spoke up.
"Fabulous. Whistler it is. It's been years since we've been up there. I'll have daddy book the townhouse, and we can fly out Sunday," Shelly squealed in excitement. Everything was moving along so smoothly. Chastity initiated the ski resort idea herself, by expressing a desire to stay around New England. Whistler was a favorite ski resort of the group, and its cozy location in a picturesque town in Canada was a familiar haunt for them. Things were just too perfect, not a glitch in the plan.
[Not thrilling I know, but i'm workin on it. ^_^ thanks for reading and reviewing!]