Chapter 5: Field Trip
Zoey and I arrived at school that morning prepared for our field trip. As I sat in the truck, I leaned back and started to think. Now I'm dreaming about Riley? I honestly didn't know what to make of that.
"I see you have on that thinking face. What is it about?" Zoey asked.
"I'm just trying to figure things out." I said. She then grabbed her purse and exited the truck.
"Come on, we have to go." she said and shut the door. I sighed and got out too. I leaned against my truck and watched as she went over to her friends, Hannah, Jenna, Mo, and Dave. She was like the queen bee in her group. As I looked across the street I thought about yesterday. I remembered everything perfectly. I went out into the road, grabbed my paper and then saw the truck coming for me. I closed my eyes and then when I opened them, he was there. There is definitely something going down there.
"Hi." Marisol said in a sing-song voice.
"Hey." I said.
"So I was wondering, since it's you know, a few months away; I was wondering if you had a date to the Junior Prom?" she asked and then blushed. Wow, she has it bad. I was just about to reply when I saw Riley staring at me. It was as if he were trying to tell me to say no or listen in on the conversation. As if he could hear it from that far. We had like this intense stare down. It was obviously a long one because Marisol asked again.
"So what do you think? Do you have a date to prom?"
"I uh, see I don't like dancing. I'm disaster on the dance floor. Besides I have to go away that weekend. My dad's in Colorado." I said. I saw her face fall.
"Oh, well, can't you go another weekend?" she asked hopeful.
"Sorry, but those tickets are non-refundable." I said with a warm smile. Her face began to drop even more. I quickly thought of something.
"Why don't you ask K.C.? He seems to have the hots for you." I said as we looked towards K.C. He smiled and waved.
"Yeah, maybe you're right. And he is kind of cute." she said.
"Alright kids, let's go." Miss. O said.
"Well, let's get a move on." I said.
Meanwhile, at the Natural History museum, we looked at all kinds of interesting pieces. I personally love art and reading. It's just something about reading that intrigues me. I feel like I'm actually there. I was looking at the Mona Lisa when Zoey appeared beside me.
"Oh my god, Riley hasn't stopped looking at you since we left school." she said.
"How'd you know he was looking at me at school?" I asked.
"Not important, I think he likes you or wants to eat you. I can't really tell." she said.
"Well I don't really want to know. But thanks for having my back." I said.
"Anytime bro, so I heard that Marisol asked you to the Prom. You gonna go?" she asked.
"Uh no. You know I can't dance. You saw what happened at Dad and Layla's wedding." I said as I stared at the Mona Lisa.
"I honestly don't know what you see in art. Who's this lady?" she asked.
"Seriously? You don't know the Mona Lisa?" I asked.
"Nope."
"Ugh."
"It looks like someone farted and she cocked a smile at the last minute." Zoey said then chuckled. I couldn't help but laugh at her dimwittedness. When I turned around Riley was walking over to me.
"Um, can we talk?" he asked. Zoey took the hint and walked off.
"Sure." I said we began to look at some other paintings.
"So what's in Colorado?" he asked. How the…?
"How'd you know about that?" I asked.
"That's not the answer I asked for." he said.
"Well you never give me any of the ones I want either." I snapped. "And besides, you barely acknowledged me in school anyways."
"Well hi, I'm Riley Stavros. Now answer my question." I raised my eyebrow. "Please?" he asked with a smile. We began to descend the stairs with the rest of the class to the second floor.
"Not until you tell me how you were able to push me out of the way in the nick of time." I said.
"Okay, it was by the grace of God. He works in mysterious ways you know. And I guess it wasn't your time." he said. Sure like that was convincing.
"Bull. But alright, one of my step-mom's shows is there…" I suddenly missed a step and he grabbed my arm.
"Could you try not to put yourself in danger so much!" he snapped. I snatched my arm away from him in anger. "Look, I'm sorry for being an ass. But I really think that it's easier this way and…"
"Hey Zane, K.C. asked me to prom." Marisol said. I looked at Riley and he walked away. Damn it! So close.
"That's awesome. I knew he would." I said.
When the trip was over we headed out to the bus. I met up with Imogen and Owen. We talked about how interesting the arts were. Imogen and I had gotten real close over the past few weeks.
"So yeah, Connor and I are getting mighty close." she said. Owen rolled his eyes.
"Yeah right, maybe you should just ask him already." he said.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yeah, why not. You're a beautiful and intriguing person. He has to say yes." I said. She smiled the biggest smile ever. I waved to her and Owen before walking over to my bus. On my way over to the bus I ran into Riley, again.
"Zane, we can't be friends." he said. I was so confused by this guy.
"Okay let's get one thing straight, we're not friends nor do we know each other that well. And you know what; you should've come to this decision a lot sooner. I mean hey, you could've just let me be hit. Then you wouldn't have to deal with me anymore." I said.
"You think I don't want to deal with you?" he asked.
"I can see that you don't. But what I'm trying to figure out is why?" I said and looked at the ground.
"You know nothing!" he snapped. Just then Langston and Chloe arrived.
"Hey Zane, you riding this bus too?" Chloe asked all smiles.
"Nope." Riley said before I could reply. He then entered the bus with Chloe and Langston on his tail.
"Ignore his rude behavior." Langston said with a warm smile. I couldn't help but return it.
When I got home that day, I entered the basement and watched my mom fold clothes. I remember how I used to do this when I was little. It brought back so many memories.
"What's up sport?" she asked.
"Dad called again. And I blame you." I said with a smile.
"Okay, but you are his only son, just like Zoey is his only daughter. He's very protective of you guys." she said while folding up a shirt. "But hey, he's happy and so am I." I couldn't help but notice the change in her demeanor.
"Why do I get the feeling that we're not talking about dad anymore." I said.
"Layla seems like she's a lovely woman. I hope she's been nice to you and your sister." She said with a serious look completely ignoring what I previously said.
"Yeah she is." I said nervously. I didn't really like talking about Layla to my mom considering the fact that my mom might still have feelings for my dad.
"Good. Now go upstairs and get ready for dinner." she said. I did as I was told and headed upstairs.
At school the next day, I walked into the cafeteria and saw him. I couldn't help but stare at them. They would always get food, but never really ate it, hmm. I walked over to my table and sat down.
"Okay so we should like totally go to the lake tomorrow." Owen said.
"The lake?" I asked.
"Yeah, we're going tomorrow." Imogen said.
"You should too. It'll give us a chance to all hang out." Katie said.
"Yeah." Owen said with a bit of hope in his voice.
"Sure why not." I said and got up top get something to eat. I decided that I wanted a fruit salad. I was just about to put the finishing touches on the salad when I was startled by a familiar voice. I knocked over my apple and with no problem at all, it bounced off of Riley's shoe and landed in his hand.
"I see someone likes to play with their food." he said with a crooked smile. "Zane."
"Thanks." I said taking the apple. "Are you bi-polar? One minute you're all nice and then next you're this… I don't even know what to call it. It's taking me for a whirl." I said.
"Look, when I said that we can't be friends, I didn't mean that I wouldn't like to be." he said.
"I'm lost." I said.
"What I'm trying to say is that, if you knew better you'd avoid me at all costs." he said.
"Okay, then let's pretend I'm dumb. Are you gonna tell me what's going on?" I asked.
"Sorry, can't do that. It would be nicer to hear what you're thinking." he said.
"Okay, I've thought of things like the aliens or I don't know bionics." I said.
"Isn't that like stuff off of TV?" he asked. I nodded my head. "Look, this is real. What if I wasn't what you thought I was?"
"Oh? I can see through you. You put up walls to keep people from getting in. You're like a bank vault. Heavily guarded." I said. He looked hurt for a few moments.
"Maybe you're right." he said.
"Why don't you come to the lake with us? I mean you look like you could use the fun." I said.
"I don't know. I'm not really big on fun." he said. Definitely my type.
"Well, try. If you can't come I'll understand." I said. He smiled and then walked off. This just might be a date after all.