Sugar

(1) School (1)

Fall in Georgia can be fickle. Somedays, you get scorching hot weather that you just have to wear shorts in. Other days is full of sweaters and jeans. But then you get the kind of days where it's the tundra in the morning then the bottom of a freaking volcano in the afternoon. Today, is one of those days.

I run out to my car quickly before I could freeze my butt off, my hands stuffed in the pockets of my hoodie. Normally, my dad turns on mine and my mom's car for us, but he just woke up, leaving me to jump into a freezing cold car. I rub my hands together before turning the key in the ignition. Nine Inch Nails's 'Hurt' blasts through my radio. Cringing, I quickly turn down the volume and pull out of my driveway. I don't even like this song. Do people like it? Oh, well.

Cartersville morning traffic is... Well, hellish. Backed up, bumper-to-bumper, traffic jammed-whatever you like to call it. That's why I always leave at seven-fifteen to make it to school on time. That, and I like to beat Stephanie Cole to my parking spot that I paid for. Stupid sophomore.

The light finally turned green, and I press on the gas when the car in front of me finally moves. "Come on, grandpa, the light's green and the road is clear!" I mutter as I contemplated whether or not to honk on my horn. No, that would be rude. I know that when I get honked at (or think I do), I get pissed off and purposely start to drive slower. My dad says that it's more dangerous to do that, but I still do that.

Cartersville High's parking lot is normally filled with either really nice cars or really crappy cars. There are no in-betweens. A lot of people like to hang out in the parking lot before school as opposed to going into the cafeteria. Personally, I just think that it causes more traffic and delays me from getting to my parking spot.

From my window, I can see Caden and Ebony Hall, the power siblings of school. They're just hanging out with their friends on the back of Caden's pick-up. I rolled my eyes. Absolute worse thing to see in the morning. It doesn't help that my parking spot is just across from his. It does help that Calhoun's is right next to mine.

"Hey, beautiful," Cal says as I climb out of my car. He's wearing the My Chemical Romance hoodie I got him for Christmas. He cried about it (still upset over the... incident) before thanking me. It's his favorite now. "How's my girl?" I smile and kiss him. "Still pissed over the morning traffic."

"When are you not pissed over morning traffic?" Skylar asks as she took a sip of her coffee. She spit it right out after. "Remind me to never get Pumpkin Spice again. Ever." Giggling lightly and tugging on her braid, I say, "And yet, you're still drinking it."

"I got to have something to keep me awake during Nye's class."

Cal nudges my cheek with his nose lightly before whispering, "So I was thinking we could do a moving night tonight at my place. Rent a couple movies, pop some popcorn, and cuddle. We haven't been able to see each other much lately since cross-country started up." His breath on my neck almost made me give in. Almost. I shake my head and back up from him, my finger wagging at him. "Nuh-uh, mister! I got to bake cupcakes today and tomorrow before the party tomorrow night. Don't think that I know what you were trying to do!"

He grins and scratches his head. His dark brown hair fell lightly into his eyes. I love his hair. I love his eyes. I love him. The grin stretches up to the edges of his eyes. "Aw, come on, PJ! Don't leave me all alone tonight! It's the only day I'll have off until next Saturday!" Cal works for his dad at his auto shop. Between work and sports, we barely get to see each other. That doesn't influence my decision, though. I shake my head.

"Give him a break, PJ!" Sky says. "You only get to see him in the morning and during lunch." She leans towards me. "Y'all could get a little freaky." She says it as if it would change my mind. It almost does. Almost.