Thanks for sticking with it, here's chapter 2!
"Wakey wakey Dev-Dev! First day of school!" I sashayed into our room the next morning after slipping out quietly to pee. My grand entrance on Monday mornings is somewhat of a tradition. Devin groaned into her pillow. "What was that my dear?" I asked cheerily, knowing very well what she had grumbled.
"Fuck you." She lifted her head for this one, her Boston accent coming out strong. I giggled and turned to fling the blankets off of Sadie, who had the other bottom bunk. Shannon and Emily were already in the showers down the hall. My showers happen at night so I was all set to get dressed. I sat at the edge of Sadie's bed, facing my dresser drawers contemplating what to wear. I'm by no means a girly-girl-dress-every-day type, but something was making me want to look better than usual today. And that something may or may not have had gorgeous blue eyes and been named Charlie... In the end my tomboy self won out, and I fished a bra, a faded purple crop top, and a pair of shorts overalls out of the drawers. I swept my long dark hair into a very uneven braid and called it for the morning. Teeth still had to be brushed and books gathered, but other than that I was feeling very good about my early start. Usually I'm the one lagging 15 minutes behind everyone else, rolling out of bed at the last minute and barely making it to class.
"Why are you up so early?" Devin sat up in her bed, rubbing her bleary eyes and yawing. I just smiled.
"No reason. Can't I be responsible for once?" I pulled on my American flag print keds for no particular reason. Devin blinked, her eyes moving from the shoes to my smile, to the shoes, and back up to my face, which now held a brilliant crimson blush.
"Oh. Please tell me this isn't about that freshman hockey player." She shook her head at my disappointedly. I blushed deeper and ducked under my bed to search for my math book.
"Why on earth would you even say that? I mean, I have a boyfriend, and he's a Senior hockey player. Why would I be interested in a silly little Freshman?" I emerged clutching my math and history books to my chest. They quickly joined a few notebooks and my science lab binder in my book bag. "Um, well, I'ma head to breakfast, see you in class!" I waved awkwardly before I dashed out the door.
Breakfast was a solitary affair. I munched on an apple and some oatmeal and people watched for thirty minutes before the PA system crackled to life announcing an assembly in the auditorium at 8:15. I cheered inside because that meant no Calculus today, but I wilted a moment later when I realized that the assembly must be about the new hockey team. A chance for the students to welcome them. Honestly I would have really like to see Charlie, but my nose crinkled at the prospect of getting ridiculed by Devin and the others about my crush.
"Keep up with those nasty faces and your face is gonna stick like that Montero." A deep voice interrupted my internal battle, and when I looked up I was greeted with the pretty face of my boyfriend Jamie. His perma-bed-head blond hair stuck up at all angles and his grey eyes made my stomach jump. I smiled.
"It already did, Mesker. Or did you think I was your mom when you saw the picture?"
"Haha. Good one. Throwing around the momma jokes this early in the morning huh..." He trailed off as he leaned closer. His breath mingled with mine for half a second, then he kissed me and I melted. He pulled away, sighing contentedly as he plunked himself down in the seat beside me. James Mesker was a first line defensemen for the Eden Hall Warriors Varsity hockey team. He was also incredibly good looking. We had known each other since 3rd grade, and had always been friends, but last year we started hanging out more. Once there was kissing involved I guess people just started saying we were dating. I don't exactly like the words 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend', or really dating for that matter. If two people are together, then they're together.
"So," he said, pulling my bowl of oatmeal towards him and helping himself. "How are you?" I tried to glare.
"I wasn't finished with that." But his little smile and deep sweet voice were just too much. My glare ended up a caring glance, and my words softened into a coo. Damn him. "I'm actually really good. You notice I'm up and at 7:40? Yep. Today's gonna be a good day. How are you, my dear sweetie-pie-sugar-honey-bunny?" I pinched his reddening cheeks. He rolled his eyes and shrugged me off.
"Practice got moved to right after class today, instead of 4. The JV coach called in a favor or something with the dean so his little ducks can get the best time slot on the ice." Jamie pulled a face. "I can't wait for the Varsity/JV game in a few weeks so we can show them what real hockey looks like."
"I dunno, I mean aren't they like, really good? They were Team USA right?"
"Yeah, but for a total kiddie tournament." I shrugged.
"Well, they looked way older than I expected them to." Jamie looked up from his oatmeal, surprised.
"You've seen them already?"
"I went to the board ceremony yesterday after practice." I considered my options here... oh what the hell, just go for it Amber. "Some of them were pretty cute. There was this one, Conway I think his name was, man, I would so jump his bones if I had the chance." I watched in amusement as the vein in Jamie's temple throbbed slightly. His eyebrow quirked as he tried not to betray any emotion.
"Oh yeah? What'd he look like?"
"Like I'm going to tell you, you jealous bastard. I'm not signing the kids death warrant." He huffed and went back to my oatmeal. I finished my apple, tossed the core into the oatmeal bowl and stood up. I shouldered my heavy back pack before leaning down to whisper, "I'm just kidding Jamie," and kiss away the throbbing temple vein. "I'll see you in Government, yeah?" I said as I straightened. He looked up, placated, but confused.
"You're not coming to the assembly?" he asked. I shook my head.
"I'm just not really feeling all that political shit the Dean'll want to feed us. Later." I smiled and went on my way. I did skip out on assembly that morning, but not because of the Dean. I holed up in the 2nd floor girls bathroom for 45 minutes because I had a crush on a freshman I hadn't even met, and just thinking about being in the same room as him was getting me hot. Oh mannnn. This got awkward real quick.