Right This Way

Chapter 2: Austin

Dedicated to the wonderful @CONSTELLATIONS_  thanks for everything and YOU STILL OWE ME TWO DOLLARS!!!!!!!!!

Austin

Can’t stop thinking about the weekend.  I feel like if I try real hard I’ll be able to feel the salt spray of the ocean and smell – that smell, that ocean smell.   The water wasn’t warm enough for swimmers just yet - which was great for us – more beach to surf.  Besides a wet suit was all one needed to combat the slight chill the water offered.  And once you found the perfect wave, it was total concentration – there was not room for thought of how cold one might feel.

And this weekend the waves were amazing I can’t wait to catch up with the crew – especially Chase -  at lunch and share videos.  While we all have posted our best ones online – It is always a blast to review the footage and relive the moments – while of course taking jabs at one another.

Thought interrupted - “Repita despues de mi”, said Senor DiSalvo.  I think that means repeat after me – yeah says the teacher who is clearly more Italian than Spanish, but I seem to be the only one who notices this detail  Then, as if on cue and the whole class were part of a cult – as if they did not have a choice - all at once they began saying “Esta Susana en casa?” blah, blah, blah.

Apparently before I am able to enjoy the weekend videos of me and my pals doing what we do best, I will have to endure Spanish & History.

“Sl, esta con un amigo”, repeated the class.  Yeah, this will be real useful in life.

I wonder how you say waves in Spanish?

“Las olas.”  I look up.  This came from the girl that sits next to me, Sam – short for Samantha.  Her story is sad.  Her parents named her a character from their favorite sit com in the 70’s about a witch – but that’s not the sad part.  She had a family tragedy.  Her brother was killed two years ago – I don’t know the whole story, but I can almost always see the remnants of pain in her eyes.

“Pardon me?” I look over at her.

She said, “the waves in Spanish” she smiles.

“Oh, um,” in all my infinite wisdom, I reply, “did I ask that out loud?”

She replies “yes”.

“Emmmmmmmmmbarrasing” is all I can come up with.

She giggles.

It is good to see her smile.

Sam is pretty, not beautiful, but pretty.  With jet black hair and brown eyes, she is not my type, but I do like being friends with her.  Actually I am not sure you could call us friends.  Acquaintances? Maybe that was a better word.

“Donde esta in la sala?”, the class roars.

Yeah, I am really gonna put this to good use.  Who cares where Susanna estas?

“No, in la cocina”.

Well I guess the class in general does.

The bell rings – amen – the longest hour ever has passed and I begin to get up.

“You didn’t write down the homework”, Sam says.

“Oh, um yeah – about that – can I get it from you later?”, I ask.

She smiles.  “Sure. I’ll see you in English after lunch.”

She is a sweet girl.  We have several classes together.  She’s a great pal.

I bolt for the door and almost make it out before Senor what’s-his-face calls, “Austin, I’ll be expecting some more participation from you next class”.

Whatever.  “Sure thing!”, I say as genuinely as I can.

The halls are crowded.  Kids switching classes.  Lots of laughter.  Lots of ‘high fives’.  My friends - few and far between - are awesome.

“Catch you at lunch”, calls my bruh Chase.

As I turn around I am about to run into Halan, Chase’s twin brother.  Halan is a good enough guy, but his whole popularity thing makes me sick.  I have never seen two dudes that look alike, but couldn’t be more different.  I guess being the basketball star will do that to ya.  While Chase is my bud – I can’t even imagine hanging out with Halan.  

In his typical fashion, he has a girl with him, whom I do not recognize.

“Hey Halan” I say.  “Well hello, Austin” Halan says as if we just encountered each other in a courtyard at Harvard and he was about to make a grand announcement.  “I would like to take a moment to introduce you to Cayden.  Cayden just moved here from the Midwest.  Cayden, this is Austin.  Austin is good friend of my brother”.

The girl’s arms are full of books and papers so I don’t try to shake her hand – not that I normally would, but Halan has this way of making you feel like he has just introduced you to the senator, and it was a big favor he has done for you.

“Hey”, is all I can muster before I sprint off to History – as if I can’t wait to get there.  I’m not good with people – no sense in pretending I am.

Halan and Chase don’t get along at all.   Their differences are many.  I am far more like a brother to Chase than Halan.  Halan and his clan are just annoying.  Don’t get me wrong – we coexist just fine, but that’s about it.  Halan has this presence about him that screams – “I am a stud and it would be your joy to know me”.  It’s really not his popularity that annoys me – it is the way he carries himself – like God has presented him, this wonderful gift to the world (we call him and his pals Ivy-Leaguers – they will get into the top schools).  Plus he always has a beautiful girl with him.

Oh yeah – the girl he was with – was she beautiful?  I hadn’t noticed.  I thought more about this as I selected my seat in History and sat down.  I was so put off by Halan’s charm, I hadn’t noticed.  Or did I?  She was tall – I recall that, as to meet her eyes I barely had to look down.  Her eyes.  They were amazing.  Big blue-green eyes – like the colors were mixed but yet one, maybe like in a watercolor.  Wait, did they linger a mere moment longer than necessary after our introduction?  No, I must be imagining this – she may be new to the school, but it was certain that if she wasn’t already, she soon would be one of Halan’s groopies.