Forever

Chapter Four

One left turn led Dana into a neighborhood that was lined with modern and sleek homes. The front yards of their residents showed each personality, from how they decorated their front porches to how low they cut the grass. Kids played together in the streets with their bikes and scooters. Flowers began to turn inwards as the fall weather took over even the most kept yards. It was easy to see why Chandler carried himself with such leisure. He was a young man who never had to worry about intruders or a meal on the table. Dana took her time cruising to take it all in.

His house number came into view and she slowly parked behind his sleek, black Ford Mustang. She couldn't afford to damage a single object even if it was a garden gnome. She released the air built up in her lungs and opened her car door to be met with Chandler who was walking down the stone path in his front yard. Dana smiled when he waved at her with a grin. Even being ten minutes early, Chandler had more than enough time to change into a long sleeve red shirt and khaki cargo shorts.

Should she have felt gross wearing her same clothes?

"Glad you made it. We're kind of on the corner and many people get lost." He waved her towards the house as she stayed steady on his trail. "My parents aren't home."

Her mind began to wander. No parental authority. Just her and her crush. Should she be worried?

Her feet skipped beneath her as he opened the large wooden front door to his home. The entrance opened to a small foyer which had stairs directly in front of it. Off to the right was a hall to another part of the home, but Chandler took the stairs so Dana followed. The moment they reached the top of the steps, she could see the living room to her right and the kitchen island to her left. Slowly but surely, she realized his home had a reverse layout.

"Usually the kitchen is on the bottom floor," she joked. He turned to chuckle at her moments before her eyes landed on the floor to ceiling windows that cascaded natural light on to the back of the Grand piano. "Oh woah." The carpets were plush, couches comfortable, original artwork lined the walls along with family portraits. The house was a spot on representation of success and Dana felt as if she was in the middle of it.

Chandler lifted the top off of the coffee table to pull out his laptop and journal. Dana took slow steps as he closed the lid and placed his belongings on top. "Are you scared?" His face seemed concerned which wasn't unexpected by the way she acted around him. "No one is going to come out and snatch you."

That was strangely the least of her concern. Other outrageous thoughts popped into her mind. Like, what else was he going to open that usually doesn't open.

"Sorry. I just... you know... never been here before." She sat down, almost on him, out of pure nervousness. He, on the other hand, got comfortable by resting against the back of the couch and kicking his feet up onto the coffee table. She watched him unlock his laptop and open up the assignment that he swore would end his GPA. "You haven't finished that?"

He raked his fingers through his short wavy hair and sighed. "I don't even want to get started." He looked over and up at her since she was sitting straight up in the air. "You look uncomfortable. These couches are almost three grand. Relax. They're meant to be similar to your bed."

When he looked away, she relaxed her shoulders a bit more, still scared to get too comfortable. "Do you have an idea on what you want to write about? I chose Mary."

"Why are we getting evangelical in public school America? Did she ever wonder how others feel who don't partake in the religion?" He arched his back in a deep stretch. "But, what do I know?" Dana gulped when he looked over at her with a small smile. A piece of his hair flopped into place which is usually styled back. That's when she noticed that he showered. "What do you think about it?"

No words came to mind. As Dana wasn't the most religious in her family and neither were her parents. She believed in a God but couldn't pin point which one. "I'm-"

"Be careful. I'm Jewish." She closed her mouth as her palms began to sweat. "Nah, I'm joking. Rachel is though." He then sat up and placed his computer on the coffee table. "You thirsty? Why don't I get us something to drink." He didn't wait for an answer as he headed to the kitchen on the other side. Dana nervously squeezed her knees and lifted her shoulders to her ears. "What's your GPA by the way?" He called out from the other room.

This was something Dana knew by heart. She monitored it every time the reports came in the mail. "Three point eight. After this half it should be pretty close to a four."

"That's great!" He turned the corner with two clear glasses in his hand. Three cubes in each with water filled to the top. "Well, I guess we need to get started. Don't want to keep you here too late."

From then on Dana and Chandler worked effectively at crafting together an essay that was less Dana's style and more Chandler's marking. Using his previous grades as a guide, they knew he could get at least a low B with the effort they used. Even though Dana was remarkably good at writing essays, she allowed her mind to drift elsewhere from time to time.

Mainly, she thought about his nose which crinkled when he laughed. His cheeks were free from any blemish or birth marks. His eyes were deep brown and they traveled up and down the paper searching for errors. His smile was soft and often formed dimples when he showed it off. He turned his broad shoulders to face her with a look of satisfaction.

"It's perfect!" He exclaimed. "Thank you!"

Dana let out a sigh of relief when she noticed he was more focused on his paper than he was on wondering why she stared at him so intently. "Glad I can help."

"Wow. I really appreciate it. Maybe I can return the favor one day. My specialty is math."

So was hers. "I have a few math problems that I get stuck on from time to time. That would be great. Two heads are better than one."

He then yawned and looked over at the gold handed analog clock on the wall above the TV. "Wow, it's almost nine! You better get home." She watched him jump up into a stretch. His slightly muscular arms stretched into the air. "Thanks again. I'll walk you out."

Dana, a woman who wanted to stay for a little while longer, gathered her things and followed his lead to the front door. She didn't say a word that would give away her disappointment in how fast their session went. She just turned around to face him on his front porch. He stared at her with heavy eyes and she stared back at him with a nervous grin.

"If you need anything... I'm glad to help." He rested his forearms on the frame of the door and leaned closer to her face. She gulped when he smiled. "Good night."

"Get home safe," he smirked.