While You Closed Your Eyes

Chapter 2

Authors note: The Dylan from the track meet and Leah's brother Dylan are NOT the same person. I'll elaborate on them later.

***

"Who did this?" I ask teary eyed.

"It won't really matter," Dylan replies turning onto our street.

Practice was canceled, so neither of us have anywhere specific to be today.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because..." Dylan says slowing a bit. "Plenty of people have posted it."

My heart drops.

"Of course," I say sadly.

As soon as Dylan parks the car on the driveway, I get out, get a snack from the kitchen, and go to the deck. I have to call Peter.

"He didn't deserve any of that," I mumble dialing Peter's number.

He answers on the second ring.

"Hello?" Peter responds.

"Peter!" I say. "You need to come over."

"Why should I?"

"Because..." I quietly say into the phone. "We need to talk."

"Fine," Peter answers. "I'll be over in five."

**********

"That's not exactly what I was planning on..." Peter says and clenches his teeth.

I look up from my lap teary-eyed while Peter has stepped out onto the deck.

It's a bright sunny afternoon and practice today would've been amazing.

"Yeah, I don't know," I say with a clearly fake smile.

"So what's up?" Peter asks sitting next to me on the bench.

"It was totally wrong of me to do that," I confess.

"Are you honestly saying that or are you saying that because of Emma's video?" Peter asks.

"Emma's video?" I ask taken back.

"Whoops. Honestly, it's obvious," Peter says and sits down next to me.

"Look," I say. "Are we still on for tomorrow?"

Peter sighs and looks me in the eye. "Do you want to?"

I nod.

"Then I'll pick you up at seven," Peter says then adds, "after practice."

"Practice ends at 5:30," I tell him with a laugh and wipe my eyes free from tears.

"To give you time?" Peter suggests.

I laugh.

"Get out if here, you freak," I say and smile. I briefly plant a kiss on his cheek and skitter inside, leaving him outside on my deck with only him and his thoughts.

**********

I wake to my alarm, making sure I'm up for Friday's day. Yipee. Please note my sarcasm.

I dress, grab a bite to eat, then race out the door and get in Dylan's car. He's already waiting on me.

"What do you think people will say?" I ask shortly after we began the ride.

"Why does it matter?" Dylan asks not taking his eyes off the road.

"I don't know..." I say softly.

"Don't let any of it bother you," Dylan says. "But next time, don't start little cat fights in the courtyard."

This brings a laugh to my face and my fears escape my mind.

Dylan pulls onto the lot and parks in a lot. I exit and shut the door and make my way to the school. One day. That's it. That's all I have to make it through.

"Hey, Leah," a voice coos. "I think I know where Peter is if you wanted to talk with him..."

Yep. Here it begins.

"No, that's okay, my boyfriend and I have already talked," I answer with a smirk.

I quickly get my book from my locker and go straight to my first hour class. I just need to get through this.

***

Lunch comes and goes and so do the comments. No one seems bothered that I ignore them. Even Emma gets a crack at it, but I walk straight past her to the locker room to change for track practice.

"2 lap warmup!" Coach yells. Like a stamped, the team is off.

Sprinters waste their energy right off and start huffing and soon walk/slow down within the first 200 meters.

Mid-Distance runners stay somewhere in the middle of it all, and Long Distance Runners are everywhere in between, saving energy, then bursting, and repeat.

The practice goes on, tiring me and making me glad it's Friday. Most of me can't wait until 7. Part of me is scared.

**

"I'll be back tomorrow," I tell mom.

She's still not convinced I should go.

"I just don't know if I can trust his driving skills," mom says.

"We'll be fine," I say and go out to the porch to wait for Peter, pulling out my suitcase behind me.

I sit on the stairs whose paint is chipping away with age. Next summer.

I pull out my phone at the notice of a text.

Emma: have fun on your date, bitch! :)

I roll my eyes.

Me: Thanks, I will! :)

And I shove it into the front pocket of my suitcase.

A car engine grows louder and I see Peter's car turn onto my street. I stand and take a few steps away from the porch. Once his car is stopped in front of my house, I walk down across the grass and reach for the car door, but Peter opens it for me and loads my things.

"Hey," I say with a smile. I open the passenger door, climb in, and buckle, Peter does the same.

"Ready for a 5k?" Peter asks with partial excitement.

I laugh. "I think yes."

"No clue why you chose it," he says as he shifts the car to drive and starts our four hour journey to Kansas City.