Infinite

We are the Champions: Part 3

Houston, Texas, in the Clarke Home, on Saturday, September 14th, 2030 at 2:30 pm

Rachel

I wake up to the sound of the car pulling into our driveway. The sun is still shining high in the sky and I can hear the neighborhood kids playing basketball down the street. I can't believe I slept the entire way home.

I also can't believe that Lucas kissed me. The last time he kissed me was over eight months ago. I feel a warm hand on my arm, and turn to see Lucas watching me.

"Wake up, sleepy head," he teases. "You got dirt all over the door," I look down and see brown and amber smears where my head was resting.

"Oh no," I say horrified. "It's from my hair. I need to go and take a shower right now!" I squeal as I remember how dirty I am. It makes me squirm in my skin. Lucas laughs at me and takes his hand away.

"Let's head inside, then," he hops out of the car and starts walking towards our home. The deep blue color is even more beautiful in the sunlight.

I grab the muddy sweatshirt out of the car and grimace at all of the mess I have to clean up later. I close the door and turn to follow Lucas. He unlocks the door and is about to go inside when I notice the dirty amber footprints leading up the steps to the front door.

"Wait!" I call out to him. "Please leave your shoes on the porch!" he turns around and jokingly rolls his eyes at me. He takes off his shoes and sets them down by the steps. "Thank you!" I say as I remove my own muddy shoes.

As we get inside I can feel some of my anxiety over how dirty I am fade away. I breathe in the scent of apples and cinnamon and glance around our clean home. I have five siblings, so our home growing up was always very messy. It was never dirty, but it was unorganized and cluttered. My parents didn't have much money when I was a kid, so I always feel so fortunate when I walk into our home.

"I'll let you go first," Lucas' deep voice pulls me out of my memory. I start to imagine him taking a shower, but quickly stop myself.

"Okay, I'll try to be speedy," I reply awkwardly as I jump up onto the landing at the bottom of the stairs.

"I think you need to spend a while there," Lucas calls out as he waves his hand in front of his nose. I gasp and slap his arm playfully.

"I don't stink, I'm just dirty!" Lucas laughs at me as he dramatically rubs his arm. "Besides, I'm only this disgusting because you shoved me into a gross pit full of wet dirt and clay," I say pointedly at him. He laughs even harder as he starts to guide me upstairs. His hand on my back sends a shiver down my spine. My mind begins to drift as I think about how his hands would feel against my skin.

"Hey, I had to. I saved your life," he runs up the stairs past me as if we are racing and heads down the hall towards the guest room. My heart sinks a little; I don't want him sleeping in another room, but I also haven't asked him to come back to our bed. I have to tell him what I want.

I pop into our bathroom, comforted by the beautiful emerald color on the walls. I turn and finally look at myself in the mirror. My hair is bunched up on my right side from how I was sleeping in the car. It's full of matts that are clumped with dirt and little rocks. I have smears of clay across my entire face.

"Oh my god!" I shout. I hear Lucas running down the hallway.

"What is it?" he asks, worried. He comes into the bathroom quickly and looks in the mirror with me. "Oh, come on. It's not that bad," he says as he pats the poofy part of my hair. Some rocks and dirt fall out onto the counter.

"I look like the barbie doll that Sophie left outside in the rain in third grade," Lucas lets out a loud belly laugh as he tries to wipe up the mess on the counter.