Disclaimer: They are not mine I just really wish they were.

Chapter 8

Just as I thought Eric was going to kiss me, my bother announces through the door that if we want a ride to school then we needed to get a move on cause he was leaving. Eric jerked back from me dropping both my hands as though they were made of fire. He got off the swing and ran into the house. I sat there stunned for a minute before I remembered that Jason was going to leave and if I was not in that truck when he took off, I would be walking to school. I went back inside, pausing in the kitchen to talk to Gran. "Gran, I invited Godric Hyde over for supper cause I am helping him with his routine for the dance team tryouts. I hope that is ok with you." I said as I grabbed my bag.

"Honey it is fine with me. What do you think he would like for dinner?" Gran asked as she put the dishes in the drying rack.

"He likes whatever, but he is allergic to seafood and shellfish. Oh, and I use the hamburger last night to tatter tot casserole. After that, I haven't a clue. I got to get going before they leave without me. Bye Gran love you." I ran out the door and to the truck. "Jason could you wait a minute I forgot to get my cello. I will be really quick."

"Hurry, I don't want to have to park in the back lot." He hollered out the window.

"Forgot my cello, still love you," I said as I ran into the kitchen and up the stairs. I pick up the case and put it on my back taking off back down the stairs. "Bye!" I shouted running out the door. Jason had the tailgate down waiting for me to slip my cello into the bed. I put it in, shut the gate and ran to get in the cab. I pulled open the door to realize that I was going to have to sit in between Jason and Eric. To do that I was gonna need to climb over Eric's lap to get to the middle. I climbed in and wiggled over his legs to get to the middle seat. The expressions on his face changed just as quickly as it took me to get over him. "Alright, I'm here, let's go."

"That was some funny shit watching you climb over him. I think you broke him Sook." Jason said with a laugh starting the truck.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" I asked concernedly looking over at Eric.

"No, I'm fine." He said looking out the window. The ride to school was awkward and mostly quiet. Jason was laughing the entire way. I had no idea what I did wrong till I looked over at Eric to notice he had put his bag over his lap. I took me a few minutes to realize why he was so quiet and looked pained. I felt awful. I sat with my head down the rest of the ride. When we got to school Eric shot out of the cab without looking back or saying goodbye. I hopped out taking my bag and closing the door. Jason still chuckling lifted my cello out and handed it to me.

"I will see you later sis." As he sauntered off to the doors. I put my cello on my back and walked into the building. I went straight to the band room to drop off my cello. When I go to the door, I heard Mrs. Hyde's voice.

"Maxine, I want to make sure that you know that Godric needs to be first chair this year. I know you want him to stay as much as I do. I think that if he is then he will be more likely to want to stay. It will also look better to Juilliard if he has that distinction. I also think that he needs a stand partner that will push him to be better. You know my feelings about the Hamby girl. If you want, Go..." Her voice trailed off as I climbed the stairs to put my cello in the storage room. I knew that it was none of my business so I got out of there as quickly as I could. I then walked to my homeroom class. I saw John in the hall on my way and stopped to thank him again for taking Godric home.

"It was no problem babe. So, I was wondering if you were going to the game on Friday. Well I mean of course you're going but if you had someone to sit with there. Cause my mom and Frannie are going and you could sit with them." John said with a blush. Frannie was John's little sister and she was about as mean as John was tall. She was two years younger than me and hated me for reasons I have yet to learn.

"I don't really know yet, but I think I will be sitting with the dance team that is if I make it on to the team. I will make sure that I say hello to them. It is really sweet of you to think of me like that." I replied giving his hand a squeeze as we walked.

"Oh well, I think you will make it you are such a good dancer. They would be fools not to take you." He added as we approached the door to my homeroom. I gave him a hug before I went in to take a seat. I had spaced off in homeroom as Mr. Brigant read off the announcements. The morning seemed to fly by and before I knew it I was walking to the Art room. I went over to the table I had sat at the day before and put my bag down to get out my sketch pad. I also got out my drawing tools. I laid out my charcoals and sharpener. I then flipped to the piece that I had been working on the day before. Our assignment was to draw something or someone important to us using one of the five ways to shade Ms. Maria-Star Cooper showed us. Ms. Cooper was a recent graduate and preferred to be called by her first name. This was only her second year, her first as a full-fledged teacher. She felt that it was a way for her students to connect with her better. I was adamant that I was gonna call her Ms. Cooper out of respect. I was doing a portrait of Gran. It was based on all the times I have seen her in her garden. I had her on her knees tending to her rose bush, pruning shears in hand.

"I like the composition you have going on there. It looks like you captured her nicely." I spun around at the sound of his voice and just about knocked him off his feet.

"Oh, Godric I am sorry you just startled me. I was in my own world right then and thank you I think that I did Gran some justice. What are you doing in here I didn't think you had Art this period?" I asked clutching my chest to calm down.

"I did not mean to sneak up on you. My schedule was finalized this morning so now I have my studio time this period. I am not really in the class this period more I am doing another independent study for Art and this was the time that they could move me to." He answered sitting on the stole next to mine.

"What are you working on during your studio time then?" I inquired turning back to my drawing.

"Well I am supposed to be doing a portrait, but I don't have anyone to sit for me. I was coming in here to ask Maria if I could borrow one of her students during work time. Would you mind coming to sit for it if she is ok with me borrowing you?" He countered with a shy smile.

"I guess but wouldn't you rather have one of the other girls sit for you. They would have a better presence on the paper." I replied shyly looking down at my hands.

"No, I want you. I mean that I would like you to sit for me not one of the others." He exclaimed.

Ms. Cooper walked in then and smiled at our table. She came to stand next to Godric placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you planning on crashing my class or are you in here for a reason Godric?"

"I wanted to know if I could borrow Sookie here to sit for the portrait assignment I am doing. I can wait till you are done with your instruction for the class to take her. I mean if that is ok with you?" He asked.

"That is a lovely idea. I was planning on having them finish what they were doing yesterday. So if you two wanted to go now then that is fine with me. I see you are almost done with your shading project Sookie. I think you could finish it for homework. Go on shoo before I make you stay and show the class what you have been up to." She said all but throwing us out of the room. I gathered my stuff and stowed it in my bag. I followed Godric to one of the small studio rooms across the hall from the classroom.

"I would like you to sit facing the window as if you were playing your cello. Please." He added as an afterthought.

"I feel weird sitting like that without my cello," I said blushing.

"Just sit on the edge of the chair like you would and look down. Can you take your hair down for me?" He requested taking out his pad and drawing utensils. I took down my hair and shook it out. He came to stand in front of me and moved some of my hair behind my left ear. He went back to his perch and began to draw. I sat there feeling awkward for about twenty-five minutes. I wanted to talk or to look at him. I lifted my eyes and watched him through my lashes. "I know it is hard to sit like that, but could you put your eyes back down? I was working on the shapes on your face and I need your eyes down for it to look right. If you can sit looking down for another let's say fifteen minutes, we can take a break. So please Sookie look down again." He caught me looking. I started to blush like you would not believe. "If you could keep that blush going though that would be great." He said trying not to laugh.

"Hey, you're the one that made me blush so shut it." I scowled at him.

"I am sorry Sookie please it is only going to take me a little bit longer." He pleaded. I went back to staring at the floor and relaxed my face. I zoned out thinking back to this morning. I was sure that Eric was going to kiss me. I wonder what that would have been like. Did he really like me or was it just a response to the kindness that I showed him in his moment of need? I don't even know if he will want to talk to me after I embraced him this morning. I was lost in thought so long that I missed Godric calling my name. "Sookie are you listening? Sookie I was saying we can take a break now. I was even thinking that cause the period is almost over we could just be done for today. Thank you for sitting for me."

"Yeah ah, no problem I think I will go to history now. I will see you later, oh and I finished the dance last night. I think you will be surprised how easy it is. Anyway, I will see you later, Bye." I hurried out the room and down the hall towards the stairs. Out of the two history teachers, I got Mr. Cataliades. He was a stout man with a receding hairline. He also had a wicked sense of humor. I had known Mr. C most of my life as he was friends with my grandfather Fintan.

Mr. Cataliades was at the chalkboard writing up the notes for class. Mr. C tended to get off track when lecturing so, he had the notes on the board for us to write down before, we get lost in what he is saying. We were starting with the exploration and colonization of the Americas. He spotted me as I entered the room. "How are you doing today Sookie? Are you ready the race to carve up the cost today?"

"I am ok, and I thought it was more of a "We stuck a flag in it, it's ours." sort of thing," I answered slyly.

"Semantics, how is your Gran doing?" He waved his hand.

"She is doing great. I better take my seat." I walked over to a chair and sat down. Amelia and Holly came in and sat with me. The class went by quickly with Mr. C going off on a tangent about Ferdinand and Isabella and how great their marriage was. We walked down to the lunchroom. I got my tray and picked up a salad and some milk. We went to sit with the boys. I sat between Hoyt and John cause I was not sure how Eric would react to me sitting next to him. The guys were their usual rowdy selves. Eric only spoke when asked a direct question. He did not look at me once during lunch until I said, "Jason I forgot um Godric is riding home with us so we can work on stuff."

"Oh, are you still helping him with dancing like a girl?" Eric interjected snidely.

"No! You know that I am choreographing a dance for him for dance team tryouts. If you would stop acting like a dick you will see I am just helping a friend, but you can't get over your macho asshattery to see that. I will see you later Jason." I all but ran from the table. I got to the hall and took a breath. I kept right on walking. I was so close to crying or hitting something. Why did he have to be so mean, I just don't understand him? He could be so sweet and venerable when he wanted. I thought about how fun he was when he was helping me pick a name yesterday. He also looked so broken this morning when we sat on the swing. If I would have just stuck to my guns and ignored him then I would not have to feel so confused. I took another deep breath. I was just going to have to put on my big girl pants and deal. I would be sharing a bathroom with him for the foreseeable future. I decided to go to chemistry early. I needed to talk to Mr. Merlotte about who I wanted to work with anyway.

Mr. Merlotte was at his desk eating a sandwich. "Hi, Mr. Merlotte do you care if I come in early? I don't want to interrupt your lunch."

"No, by all means, have a seat. Did you come to a conclusion on who you want as your lab partner?" He asked whipping his mouth on a napkin.

"I have I would like to work with Hoyt Fortenberry. He is a friend of my brothers and I know that he will do his share of the work." I replied.

"All right I will mark that down. Now if you don't have anything else you want to talk about, I would like to finish my lunch go ahead and take a seat." He went back to eating his lunch. I walked over to the lab table I sat at the day before. I waited for the rest of the class to come in. I got out my notebook and watched a piece of paper slip out of it to the floor. I got off the stool and bet to pick up the paper. It was the nameplate that I made for Swedish class. I was so frustrated with Eric that I ripped it in half and threw it in the trash. I may have put on my big girl pants but that did not mean I had to be mature about it. I did not want to use the name he picked for me. So, I got out the list of names and looked through the list. I decided that I would just use Susanna. It was my name and I was going to use it. I looked at the clock I had about fifteen minutes to make a new nameplate. I used the same idea that I had for the first one. When I was finished, I slipped it back into my notebook. Hoyt came in about four minutes till class started.

"Sookie are you ok, are you hungry? You kind of blew up at Eric at lunch and didn't finish eating your lunch. I brought you some apple slices in case you were." He handed me a bag of apple slices.

"Thanks, Hoyt I will eat them later class is gonna start soon." I thanked him and put the slices in my bag. Chemistry went by just like the rest of the day too quick for me to remember. I was packing up my stuff to go to Mrs. Fant's class. I was hoping that Eric would not be there when I got to the room.