The Experiment (Draft)

Breathe

Owen:

Over a long awkward breakfast, Lucas and I made up. But the thing is, I don't really think that I like Lydia. Well, when I'm not kissing her I don't but I felt something this morning, and I sure hope she did too. This is weird. I don't even know why Luke is mad. It's not like they are dating. So what, they kissed? That's no big deal.

We decide to take our two hours after lunch, and decided to watch a movie in the rec room. Lydia wanted to watch "The Longest Ride", some Nicholas Sparks movie, but Luke and I wanted to watch an action.

"Come on guys! I can't stand the constant gunfire and stuff with some stupid cheesy love story."

"Hey, 'Transformers 3' doesn't have a cheesy love story!" I argue.

"Oh yeah, the blonde model runs around with the 'hero' always in the background until she sacrifices herself for her boyfriend in the last battle scene. It's not like I haven't seen that anywhere." Lydia says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, I can't do another 'he sacrifices his career/hobby for her' chick flick again." Luke says, plopping on the couch.

We decide on the Disney movie, 'Hercules'.  Lid settles into Luke's chest, I put my head on her lap. When the singing parts come on, I can feel her singing, there is almost no vibration, it's so clear. She just sits there and runs her fingers through my hair, lulling me to sleep.

*****

When I wake, Luke is gone, and I hear music coming from his room; it's just Lid and I. She must have fallen asleep a while ago, a little pool of drool forming on the leather couch by her mouth. I can feel her deep breathing through her stomach, years of choir trained her to never breathe into her chest. I wish I could read her mind, to be able see how she really feels. Everybody knows that she was still in love with Lucas, even though she fervently denied it. But he never even liked her as far as anybody knew. So why all the sudden interest in her? I guess the same reason I have had the sudden interest in her, we found out that the outburst of energy that is Lydia Macy Peters has more to her than meets the eye.

And as I lay here with this fiery, drooling redhead, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.