An Endless Serenade

Chapter Thirty-Six

After Nationals, it seemed like I'd become a celebrity over night. Newspaper journalists were calling me, television stations were asking for interviews. I did my best to accept as many as possible, but I was pretty busy finishing up high school. Typical end-of-the-year projects were thrown at me left and right. And between that, figuring out the schedule and the dates of the tour, and actually practicing duets with Paul, I had my hands full.

So when Paul came bursting into my room at nine in the morning on the last day of classes, I just about cried.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I cried, throwing my blankets off of me, not even caring that I was only in a tiny pair of black underwear.

Paul immediately adverted his eyes. "Why don't you sleep with pants?"

       

"I'm so late! I had stuff due first period Crap!"

       

       

       

"Calm down, Allie!"

I paused in mid-motion, turning to give him the sternest glare I could. "I'm late for my last day of high school ever. Be quiet!"

He looked shocked for a moment but then he chuckled. "Isn't there something more important today than just your last day of classes?"

"Taco Tuesday? Wait it's not Tuesday. It's Friday..." I stared at him. "I don't know?"

"Ahh, Allie, all this work is making your brain fry," he said, sighing lightly. "Looks like I'm the first one to say it though— happy birthday!"

"Birth— that's right! It's my birthday!" How could I have forgotten? I was a legal adult now! I could buy scratch tickets! I could buy cigarettes! I didn't want to, but I could!

I smirked at Paul. "So I guess we're legal now, huh?"

"Well we weren't technically illegal before," he replied, suddenly looking bashful.

"Okay touch my body now," I said, spreading out my arms.

For a second I honestly thought Paul's eyes were going to pop out of their sockets. His face darkened and he grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at my face. "Just get dressed! You're late for school!"

"Hey! Careful of your wrist!"

He brushed me off. "Stop worrying about it. It's fine."

"But..."

"Aren't you late?" he hedged.

"Ah! That reminds me— why didn't you wake me up?"

"I thought you were skipping on purpose," he said.

I snorted. "Me? Skip? ...Yeah, I guess I probably would have if I didn't have so many things to hand in. But what about you? Shouldn't you be at school?"

He paused by the door, blowing his short hair out of his face. "I called in sick so I could be with you today."

"Awww—"