Vacant

Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

            “Let the competition begin!” yelled Jesse. Each competitor was lined up one after the other on the cerulean ramp. Jesse was focused; you could tell that his face was concentrated directly on the ramp, Trevor was trying not to stare at me and Luke well, he was just neutral I guess. He was looking off into the distance, like he was looking for something or someone.

            Jesse was already down the ramp, performing his heart out. He was pulling off some really amazing stunts that he has been working on all this month. I turned my head towards the judges who had absolutely straight faces. Jeez, way to show impressionism. Tyler wrote something down, while Alexis just sat and watched. At the end, Jesse bowed and shot me an “I told you I’m going to win” look. While Jesse did perform a show, I still wasn’t convinced about it. Trevor was up next, and who knows how good he is. Tyler and Alexis finished up their evaluation of Jesse, and moved on to Trevor. With their pencils out, they gave the go ahead look to Trevor. He nodded and skated down.

            He was alright, I didn’t find he preformed as good as Jesse, with lower difficulty tricks, I don’t think he has a chance. Now with Trevor out of the way, it was only Luke left. One part of me wanted him to win because he’s pretty cool, but I still don’t want him to win all because I don’t really know him.

            Luke breathed out a sigh before skating down the ramp. He took a short glimpse out on the horizon, and before I knew it he was already skating down the ramp. I held my breath because I knew that the “winning kiss” was shortly arriving. I firmly bit my lower lip, praying to God that Jesse would win. But as Luke pulled off that same awe-struck trick that took Jesse months to master, I felt my stomach drop into my gut, and my heart skipped a beat. I’m starting to regret letting Jesse lure me into this stupid competition. And the worst part was, nothing was in it for me hence the thirty dollars I would receive if Jesse won.

            As Luke finished off with another flawless artifice, I knew he had grasped the win. Luke’s face was calm and at the same time un-easy. I shared a glimpse with Jesse, and he looked beaten. It was over, everyone knew the winner. Trevor was sad, but still looking confident. I looked down to my shoes, rolling my board back and forth, back and fourth, trying to resemble like I never even saw what Luke just accomplished. Alexis and Tyler both nodded their heads in agreement. The wind picked up, my golden hair swaying with the wind, as well with my face. I started to feel sick to my stomach, but maintained my composure. Besides, I was supposed to be mature about this, and staying cool as a cucumber was the only way to go. And that’s exactly what happens when I become nervous; relating silly similes to reality.

            I look up one final time before heading over to the group who now assembled to the front of the blue ramp. Jesse was looking at me, and by his look I knew it wasn’t good. Alexis and Tyler’s back was facing me, Trevor was squinting through the wind and Luke was looking at his feet- as usual. I think that was a nervous habit of his. I breathed a sigh of warm air, similar to what Luke did at the start of his run. He was a marvelous skateboarder with tremendous talent. I’m surprised that I have never even heard of him. As I came to rejoin the group, I realized that I forgot my helmet. And, as usual it flew off half way across the street. So, I ran to retrieve it, leaving my skateboard behind.

            I came back, not even five seconds later, and the group broke off. Alexis, Trevor and Tyler were heading to their school, while Jesse was heading towards me. There was no sight of Luke. Jesse walked toward me, face stern and defeated..

            “Man, I hate that guy. Beats me every freakin’ time!”

            “So I guess you didn’t win?” was all I could say at that moment. Jesse awarded me a look, and it was obvious that he didn’t.

            “Sorry, but it looks like you better pucker up those lips for mister Luke-y boy eh?” Jesse teased. At that moment, rage was boiling inside of me, but it was only a kiss. A harmful, little kiss…

            “Whatever, I still get thirty bucks in my wallet, so who’s laughing now?” I replied. As Jesse and I walked away from the park, I realized that I forgot my board by the ramp.

            “Oh no, forgot my board. Meet you at school.” I finished. I ran back toward the ramp were the competition was held. As I slowly walked up, my skate board wasn’t on the ground where I left it. I searched behind the ramp, on top of it, and all around the graffiti splattered benches. As I turned around I saw Luke, walking toward me, tow boards in hand. He squinted through the cloud covered sun, and handed me my board. A sparkle of sun shone through his squinting eyes, displaying the real ocean blue in them.

            “Here, I picked it up while you were running off.” He said. His helmet was off, portraying his incredibly short sandy-blond hair. He smiled, showing his perfectly straight pearly whites. “I take it that helmet of yours doesn’t really like you,” he joked.

I offered a shy smile, hoping he would take it that I really did think it was funny.

            “Thanks, and yeah I guess so.” I replied. He laughed lightly, and searched my face. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but taking the fact that he won the competition would lead him to a free kiss would be kind of bittersweet. But in fact he didn’t lean in; he just smiled again and bowed his head to his feet, and shot right back up. Did I make him nervous? Well that was a first. Before the tension got socially awkward, I broke the silence.

            “Well… I guess I’ll see you around,” I said. He nodded in agreement, and I turned to leave. As I turn my feet around, I placed my helmet on my head and held my board with both hands. As soon as I was about five feet away, he called back.

            “Wait, Chloe,” I turned around so I could see what would come next. The wind was starting to become violent again, and the dead leaves whirled in a small tornado on the ground. “About today, about me winning the competition…” he trailed off, wondering if I would say anything. When I didn’t he continued, “Well, I was wondering, since I did win and I normally don’t like to rush into things quickly but…” he trailed again, but not waiting any longer for a reply. “ Would you like to meet me here again, with some friends of mine? We could hang, you know, do some skateboarding tricks…?”

            I thought about it and surprisingly I had no hesitation about agreeing.

            “On one condition…” I said, stepping forward a bit. He did the same, and soon we were close enough to embrace each other. “Teach me some skate tricks?” I smiled a little more this time, but not enough to show my teeth. He grinned, his face becoming close to mine as he spoke, “Of course.” He then stepped back, wishing that this moment would last just a while longer. I turned around, and yelled, “Seven o’clock?” and he replied a little louder this time, “See you there.” We parted ways, and I knew that tomorrow was going to be a special day. And for once in my life, I knew that I could be around someone and make them happy by just being myself.