Rhapsody

Chapter 4/Savvy

Park's hair is still wet when we climb into his jeep and pull down the driveway. It feels really good to be in his car, just the two of us. I watch as he puts his key in the ignition. I'm dying to ask him a question, so I get right to the point.

"So...are you going to tell me why you're suddenly referring to me as your girlfriend?"

He looks over at me, and for once his smirk looks more natural, like he's finally in his comfort zone. "What, you didn't like it?"

I glare at him, but I know that he knows I do like it, even if it's a lie.

For now.

I realize that this is a very dangerous conversation, but I'm trying not to think about that fact. "It's not that I don't like it...it's just that it...isn't, um, true."

He pulls down the driveway and onto the road. "Relax, it was just a little joke, okay?"

"Yeah," is all I seem to be able to say.

And, really, that's all I was to him. A joke.

I tried to ignore it...along with all the other things. It was the little things that I loved about him, like the way his steady blue eyes stay on the road as he drives, somewhat fast. The way his hand muses through his untamed dark hair.

We don't speak for a long moment...

Until Park asks, "Are you up for the Hernandez' taco bar?"

"Sure." I feel fatigued all of the studden, and I lean my temple against the window. I watch the hills roll by, the neon lights of town appearing a short ways away. We pass a faded vintage billboard that reads: Cloudsdale, ranked no. #11 town in the US!

Park looks over at me, and it's all I can do to not look back, knowing that the affection I craved from him would not be there in his striking blue gaze. "Gee, I'm sorry, Savvy, I didn't know it'd make you so angry."

"I never said I was angry... I just..." I bite my lower lip, not trusting myself to say more.

"Look at me," Park says. It hurts to look at you sometimes, I think to myself.

When I finally do meet his eyes, I'm surprised to find that the teasing is gone from his eyes. Instead, he looks sincere...a look I haven't seen on him much. It's not affection, but it's something close.

"I know you well enough to know that you're angry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to screw this up, I swear."

I can't help but smile at his sudden tenderness towards me. "It's okay."

"Can we just go get tacos, please?" He turns his eyes back to the road.

"Well, I can't argue against a hungry teenage boy," I laugh.

He points at me with raised eyebrows. "Teenager, almost adult," he corrects, though I know he's only teasing.