AN: Sorry this is so late! Quick author note this time, so here it goes. Kay, dedication goes to MoonLightShadowBeams, a cool friend of mine who's really nice! This chapter's song is… Tonight by FM Static. All right, here's chapter 5! Enjoy! ~Rinny 3!
Chapter 5
"Good job, everyone. You're done for the day," Marshall tells us. My face lights up at the praise and a smile conquers my cheeks. While Tawni and the boys leave, Zora stays with me to give a simple thank you. After the words leave our lips, Zora heads in the opposite direction, probably off to pull a prank for hide in a vent somewhere. Such a strange girl, I think to myself while walking to the cafeteria. I arrive in surprise, seeing only a few people at tables, one happening to be Mr. Chad Dylan Cooper. Thank you, fate. I groan under my breath for two reasons. One, he's Chad Dylan Cooper, as he reminds me often. Second, he isn't in a good mood. He's lost in some mysterious world of thought. His expression looks complex as if his skull transparent, so the gears that turn busily were now visible.
The lunch lady takes his money with a glare for the fact that his attention isn't on her. But a dim smile appears as he states, "Keep the change." His voice robotic; his mind set on automatic. He sits down and being curious, I jog over to join him at the table. I sit down without his notice, watching him pull a pencil from his jacket. His fingers wrap around it loosely, his hand moves to his napkin. Barely looking at the object in his palm, he starts drawing.
I can merely see his hand and the quick-moving lead, so I lean down to see his drawing. Chad's head flips up to see me with an innocent smile. Instantly he snatches the drawing, waking up from his thoughts. I look down to the hand still holding the pencil, noticing something peculiar.
"Where'd you get that?" I question him, my eyes darting back and forth from his eyes to the familiar bracelet. Wrapped around his wrist was a thin black cord with knots. On the top was a small silver charm, put in place with knots. On the metallic piece was a 'C' carved in by hand, which made the curves in the letter sloppy. Chad hides the jewelry with a light blush spread across his face.
"None of your business, Random," he spoke softly, as if trying to hide his hurt feelings. He leaves his food without a single bite taken out. I sigh in frustration, his words repeating in my mind like a solemn echo. More pieces of the jigsaw coming together, I think. I look to his tray to see that he left his napkin, the pencil lying on top. I pick up the napkin, smoothing it out with my palm. I bring it to eye level and a small gasp escapes my thin lips. In the light pencil marks was a messily sketched heart, shaded in the right places. And in the center of the beautifully drawn shape was an 'A' which I could only guess could stand for Allison.
June 26, 2003
"I can't believe you, Chad!" I gasped, giving him a playful slap on his arm. A cheeky smile crossed his expression.
"Just open it," he declared, that famous smile still present. I rolled my eyes.
"Pushy pushy," I spoke softly, peeling the ribbon from the tiny box.
"I hope it's a puppy," I told him. He cracked up.
"Allison, that box is literally five inches on either side, a puppy could never-" I cut him off before he could drag science into this.
"Chad," I began, glaring through my eyelashes. He smirked, guessing my next words. "It was a joke. Chill." And with that, I looked back to the gift in my palm, removing the light cover. I looked to Chad for a moment, then back to the box. Inside, under loose tissue paper was a heart shaped pendant with a light 'A' carved into the center. I almost started laughing. Chad saw this and frowned.
"You don't wear silver or something? Should I have gotten gold? Let me take it back, I'll-" Again cutting him off, I smiled. His hands reached for the container, as I pulled it closer towards me.
"No, it's beautiful. I love it's just, it's so funny how," I began, cutting myself off, changing the script in my mind. "Just look at your gift." And with another faint smirk, he grabbed my small box from the ground as we sat around, celebrating our anniversary. I looked up as he struggled with the tape on the edges of the gift. I saw the few cards from family and friends, all reading "Happy
Friendiversary!" (AN: Anyone know where that word comes from?) I smiled, looking back to Chad who managed to pull the top from the box.
He looked to the treasure inside and smiled large.
"Oh. That is kind of strange, I guess," he spoke, pulling the black cord bracelet from the box. I tilted my head, looking at the charm with disappointment.
"What's wrong?" Chad noticed. I sighed.
"Well, yours doesn't have a letter on it like mine." He chuckled at my recognition.
"Why don't we just add one then?" he asked me. My eyes widened.
"We can do that?" He laughed again at my ignorance.
"Of course! Be right back." In a couple minutes after leaving the room, he returned with a sharp, handheld knife. He sat down again, handing the knife to me.
"Why me? I can barely cut a cucumber!" I proclaimed. He snickered, knowing the statement was true.
"Because. I want to know you did it," he said truthfully. I was instantly touched, so I took the knife and the bracelet. Carving the unbelievably hard letter, Chad smiled. He leaned to look closer, our hands touching as he moved. Both of us looked up to each other for a moment, then grew red, but neither of us moved away. Why? We didn't want to. After the curved letter was now imprinted into the metallic charm, he slipped it around his wrist, then helping me slide the chain around my neck, pausing his fingers to move my hair out of the way.
When we both had our new accessories on, we smiled. Both of us involuntarily leaning forward without awareness. When we finally realized, we were inches apart and our cheeks were blushed again. I leaned in more, not thinking straight. But Chad jumped at the moment and pulled his arms around me. Only to grasp me in the warm embrace of a hug. I hugged him back, hoping he didn't realize my heart breaking beneath my skin.