an: disclaimed. thanks again(:
Massie dreaded the days following the dance. She stayed with Connor at the hospital, aiding him with eating and other daily essentials. She spent her time sobbing on Derrick, and he spent his time comforting her. It pained him to see her like that; to see her have to carry all that baggage around. He was afraid that one day she wouldn't be able to take it and she'd do something drastic. Again, he spent his Monday at her house, having slept in the guest bedroom that Mrs. Block provided. He stepped into her room quietly and snuck his way to her bed.
She was a lump there, just laying there like a burrito. He sighed and climbed in next to her. He began stroking her hair and singing quietly.
"I'm standing on a bridge, I'm waiting in the dark, I thought that you'd be here by now. There's nothing but the rain, no footsteps in the ground, I'm listening, but there's no sound. Isn't anyone trying to find me? Won't somebody come take me home? It's a damn, cold night, tryin' to figure out this life. Won't you take me by the hand? Take me somewhere new, I don't know who you are, but I, I'm with you."
Massie stirred in her sleep and she turned to him. Her eyelids lifted slowly and she croaked, "Derrick?"
He nodded and ran his hand through her hair. "I'm here," he softly whispered.
She had grown accustomed to hearing his voice, feeling his hands, smelling his scent. She wanted it all from him, and she got it all. There was only something that was missing; she hadn't any contact with Claire since their fight. She continuosly texted Kristen who kept her up-to-date with school life and other things. Josh and Cam came to visit every now and then, consistently bringing her chocolates and flowers and chicken noodle soup. A sharp, stabbing pain pursued her chest. She groaned under her breath, careful not to let Derrick hear her pain. Unfortunately, his ears could hear from miles away.
He stroked her hair and mumbled comforting words into her hearing range. "It's going to be okay, Mass, I know it'll be. I promise, I won't let this end horribly for you. I'm going to be there. Trust me."
Massie's breath came out ragged and sharp. "Derrick," she mumbled.
"Mm?"
"Go to school," she whispered. Even the mere thought of him going to a place where girls constantly flirted with him filled her with pain.
Derrick shook his head. "Massie, no. I can't do that. I'll be lonely," he teased.
Massie grinned and buried her face into his chest. She inhaled deeply, savoring it. If he left, he was going to be gone for eight, maybe nine hours. She'd need to remember his scent. "You need to go to school," she mumbled into his chest.
He chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, I don't need to."
Massie nodded. "You need to, Derrick, you haven't been to school in forever. It's been a week already."
Derrick shrugged carelessly. "The day I go to school, you're going, too."
Massie pushed him away and grimaced. "Go to school, Derrick, I don't want you to get in trouble with your dad."
"It's fine, as long as I don't keep doing this. But I'd do it all for you, Massie," he breathed.
Thankful for the darkness, she crimsoned. "And on that note, you'd go to school. Come back later with my homework, okay?" She patted his shoulder and turned to face the other side. She bunched up into a ball and hugged her knees to her chest. A moment of silence passed by and no signal that Derrick was leaving came. She closed her eyes for a couple of seconds and the next time she opened them, it was ten in the morning and Derrick was nowhere to be found.
_whereitallbegins _
"But she's fine, right?" Kristen asked Derrick, watching him check his phone for the nth time that day. Crowds of people milled about in the cafeteria, their chatting frivolous and their loudness irking. Derrick rolled his eyes at a girl who shrieked about her hair getting frizzy. He looked up and nodded. "Yeah, she's fine," he assured her. He again checked his phone only to see that he had no text messages. "Where's Claire nowadays?"
Cam sighed sullenly and nodded towards the direction of the Pretty Committee. "She hangs with them now. She's apparently too cool for us."
Kristen frowned and patted his shoulder. "You know, you shouldn't let her get to you. I mean, I love Claire, but if she doesn't see how amazing you are as a person, Cam, then she just doesn't deserve you. You should let her go and find someone else. Seriously." She pointed to a girl with dark hair and maroon-framed glasses, conversing with four other girls. "That's Nikki Dalton and rumor is she has a huge crush on you. Try and date her, she seems nice."
Josh nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "But dude, be smooth, 'kay? I hear that she's not allowed to have a boyfriend... So, I don't know how you're supposed to deal with that."
Cam shook his head and stood up. "Whatever guys. I'll see y'all later. I need to head to the library. And maybe I'll check up on Mass, too." He smirked and Derrick threw him a bagel.
"Shut up, dude," he said, receiving a chortle from Josh.
"Yeah, man, or maybe you could date Massie, yo! I mean, she's hot, but y'know, not my type," Josh chuckled.
Kristen rolled her eyes and slapped his arm. "Massie's my best friend, don't make fun of her!"
Josh gave her a confused look. "I wasn't making fun of her!" he laughed, those dimples of his deepening.
Kristen rolled her eyes again and went back to her book.
Derrick chuckled and shook his head, returning to his phone. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that you two were dating."
Josh shook his head quickly. "No, no, no, Kris is just my best girl friend."
Kristen nodded, "Likewise."
Derrick and Kristen burst out laughing while Josh rolled his eyes. "Very, very funny, Kris, super funny."
Kristen took a sip of her Mountain Dew and looked at Derrick. "So I'm going to be doing some drills for soccer today, didja want to join me?"
Derrick looked at her oddly and then at Josh. "But don't you two usually...?"
Josh shook his head. "Nah, I play lah-cross, remember? And Kristen sucks at soccer. I mean, she's so flabby!" He grabbed her arm and shook it. Kristen's eyes widened and she slapped his hand away. "Not funny, Josh, not funny!"
Derrick laughed and then nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'd love to join you, thanks. I'm kind of out of shape, anyway."
Kristen nodded and smiled to herself, pleased that he agreed.
_whereitallbegins_
"Unfair!" Kristen yelled at Derrick. She ran to catch up after him as he kicked the ball skillfully, the ball rolling along the grass smoothly. "You're a professional, Derrick, don't be such a jerk!"
Derrick, who was breathing heavily, chuckled under his breath. With all his might, he kicked the ball into the net and it glided through the air, slicing the atmosphere at almost 32 miles per hour. Derrick beamed proudly as it hit the net at the exact angle he was hoping it would go. He fell to the ground and threw his arm across his eyes.
Kristen came up next to him, sliding and thumping hard on the ground. Her chest went up and down with the rapid breaths she took. She turned her head to Derrick and grimaced. "That's 4-2. I guess you win," she admitted.
Derrick guffawed and clapped his hands together. "I knew that I would!"
Kristen rolled her eyes and punched his arm. "Cheater; you actually play soccer, doofus."
Derrick rolled over onto his side to face her and chuckled. "Yeah, but you sort of play, too, dude. I mean, seriously, you're, like, almost the best girl soccer player aside from Mia Hamm, of course."
Kristen rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You are so wrong in life, Derrick. She's the best soccer player that's a girl. Ever. I could never beat her." She shook her head in doubt and sighed. This was what she wanted; to be with Derrick. But the feeling didn't content her as much as it did when she was with Josh. She chuckled to herself as she remembered a conversation she and Josh had shared yesterday when he went over to her house.
Derrick looked at funny. "Why are you laughing?"
"Because you have a funny-looking nose."
Derrick's jaw dropped and he shook his head. "So you admit it that I have a funny-looking nose, eh?" He thrust himself forward and dug his fingers deep into her sides, tickling her.
Kristen jerked forward and then back, guffawing. "Stop-stop, Derr-st-st-st-Derrick!" Her breathing hitched sharply and she continued laughing, her face turning red and her deep voice elevated to a higher pitch.
"Derr-Derr-Derr, stop it!" Kristen chortled.
Derrick chuckled and stopped tickling her. She slowed her breathing and lay there, watching him. He stared into her deep blue eyes and without thinking, moved in towards her. She moved in at the same time, their lips colliding and meshing together. It was a clumsy move; their noses bumped into each other's. But Kristen didn't care. She liked it. She finally got him. She didn't care if he was Claire's or Massie's or that redhead's. He was kissing her and that was what mattered the most.
_whereitallbegins_
Massie checked her phone; it was nearing 5:30. Derrick texted her during lunch saying he was going to be home at exactly 4:00. She sighed and hugged her knees to her chest, watching the outside from her alcove. Her chin rested on her knees and a tear rolled down her cheek. She moved her face along her arm, wiping her cheeks dry. Something stung her eye, other than her tears, and she blinked it away. She swiped under her eye and looked at her index finger. It was an eyelash. Massie grew up believing in making wishes to fallen eyelashes. She blew it away and closed her eyes.
I wish Derrick loved me back.
an: I WISH DERRICK HARRINGTON EVEN KNEW ME. :O
review?
:),
dez's loser friend xP