Strike-Out

Secret Shower Kiss

Chapter 2

The smell of the grill lingers in the air. Burnt hot dogs, steaks and ribs were all a part of my mother's beginning-of-summer cookouts. My dad is in the kitchen making various types of salads. Yesterday, we were debating on whether or not to even have the cookout.

Or better yet, to believe the whether station when they said that the temperature would jump from 30 degrees to 70.

But sure enough, it did. The bipolar weather system of Ohio, as my dad, and everyone else who spend two days here will say.

I am inside the kitchen, shoving a wiener down my throat, [no pun intended] when someone knocks on the front door.

I assume it is one of my brothers nerd friends, so I call out, "Justin, one of the nerds are here." I rush to the door. "Maybe he needs to borrow one of your-" Before I can spit out any more of my smart remark, I open the door to find anyone but a nerd.

Isaiah "Pitcher" Lee.

As surprising as it is, he is the pitcher of my brother's baseball team. Who knows absolutely nothing of my existence.

As far as I know.

I am expecting him to look at me with those sparkling grey eyes and say, "Hi, I'm Isaiah Lee." Like in the movies.

Then, of course, he would tell me how surprised he was that we had never met and tell me how beautiful I was.

We hold awkward eye contact. My mouth is unable to speak, and apparently, neither is his. He pushes his way past me before I have a chance to say anything. In my mind I am slapping myself, but in reality I didn't because then I would just look like a retard.

If I'm not already.

I wait a couple seconds before I creep back up to the doors that lead to the back deck. I watch Isaiah profoundly as I slide the door open, Justin says something to Isaiah, which makes him laugh.

Isaiah's laugh.

I froze for so long in my imagination, that I begin to draw attention. I didn't realize that I was staring at Isaiah. My whole family, including Isaiah, begin to stare back at me. I snap out of it and keep my cool.

I give the best normal smile I can. My mom smiles back. Justin turns to look at Isaiah, who is still staring at me. I nonchalantly smile at him and nod, which technically says: "Hey I see you now look away." But I know that isn't the truth. He can stare at me as long as he wants. He apparently gets the hint when I nodded and looks away.

"Dude, you're not into my sister are you?" Justin asks. He tries to whisper but it isn't very quiet, and besides that, I am good at reading lips. I want to shut the door and run to my room before he answers. I can't stand being rejected.

But I am too curious.

Isaiah looks at me and winks. He also smiles, which makes me melt inside. All of the caterpillars waiting so eagerly to break from their cocoons had done so, and set beautiful butterflies to fly in my stomach.

I never really put much thought into Isaiah. Sure, he is popular, and a senior with my brother, but he is far out of my reach. Whenever I went for someone like him I looked desperate. I'm not unpopular, but I'm not popular either. Eva [my best friend] and I are just kinda neutral. We don't make any attempts to become popular. We have each other, and for us, that is enough.

My parents are busy talking on a picnic bench in our backyard and Justin is scrolling on his phone. Everyone knows when he is on his phone, he is in the "zone".

"Bro," Isaiah nudges Justin, "Wheres the soda?"

"In the fridge."

"Alright." I know Isaiah is coming my way, but I don't bother to move. He smiles widely as he stumbles up to me. He pushes passed me as he did when he first arrived, but this time it is more intentional and playful. I roll my eyes, though no one sees me. Isaiah is digging thru the fridge. I see my chance. I squeeze between the fridge door and him and nudge him out of the way. He stumbles into the counter. I whip a can of Mountain Dew from the top shelf and turn around.