Why Are Crushes So Hard?

Part 1

I stared out the window remembering the day I met Thunder and Nicki. I was about 7 years old and my brother Noah and I had just ran away from another foster home. Like the previous homes, our foster "parents" treated us like servants, whipping us when we did something wrong. We were running down a street when a tall man loomed out of the darkness. He pulled out a gun and told us to turn around and start walking. He said that he would tell us where to go. After about half hour of walking, we reached an old, white truck. The man pulled down the ramp and shoved us in. I landed on a solid object hurting my shoulder. Suddenly ,hands grabbed my arms. I twisted around kicking whoever was grabbing me. A low, deep voice stopped me. "When you're finished attacking me, could you get off me?" I turned around and saw a guy my own age in black looking at me quizzically. "Then could you please let go of me?" I shot back. He narrowed his eyes but released his hold on me. I moved closer to Noah and then realized there was another girl in the corner, also around my age. "Who are you?" She asked. "I could ask you the same thing." my brother replied. The girl shrugged and said, "My name is Nicki and that's my brother Thunder," pointing at the dark boy. "I'm Noah and this is my sister Lily. Where are you from?" "Nowhere. We are orphans so we are always going from foster house to foster house." Nicki replied. "Same." Suddenly, the truck lurched sideways and the door in the back flew open. Thunder and Nicki immediately jumped to their feet and ran out. They looked back at us and Nicki said, "You coming?" I looked at Noah and we both jumped out and ran to join our new friends.

The door slammed, shaking me out of my memories. Thunder came in supporting Noah. "What happened?" asked Nicki, putting her book down. "Please say you didn't purposely pick a fight." Thunder glanced up and gave her one of his death stares and she looked away from her brother. "I'll get the First Aid kit, be right back." I said. I ran to the closet where we kept our miscellaneous stuff. As I walked back, to the living room, I heard Noah groan in pain. "What happened?" I asked again. Thunder walked up to me and I felt butterflies in my stomach. Ever since I met him I had a HUGE crush on him. He bent over to whisper in my ear, "Thugs." I walked over to Nicki and she began cleaning up Noah while I walked back to Thunder. "Sit down." I told him. I began cleaning the cuts on his face. "This might hurt." I gently began rubbing the non infection stuff on his face. His suddenly jerked back. "Bloody hell, Lily!" "Well maybe if you hadn't gotten into a fight you would be fine!" He narrowed his eyes at me and curled his fists by his sides. "Careful." he said. I silently cursed myself for pushing him. "Lily?" Nicki called. "Can you help me please?" I walked over. Noah's wounds were worse than I thought. The right side of his face was black and blue and he was supporting a large, ugly bruise on his left cheek. Nicki gently dabbed the non-infection paste on her boyfriend's face.
"How are we going to explain this to Lightning?" she groaned. "Explain what?" A tall girl with short, curly blond hair came in. "Rainbow, can you heal him?" I asked. She was one of the few people I knew who could heal another living creature. All of us had special powers, Lightning and Thunder have lightning, Star and Noah have fire, Nicki has earth, and Rainbow and I have water. "Sure." she replied. She walked over to Noah and placed her hands above his face. Slowly, the bruises and cuts on his face dissapered. "What happened?" she asked. "Nothing that concerns you." Thunder replied smoothly. Rainbow raised an eyebrow, but didn't press us. Just then, a tall, skinney girl with straight blonde hair walked through the door. She froze when she saw the First Aid kit laying on the ground. "What happened?" Star asked. "They got into a fight." I said before one of them could deny it. "Don't tell Lightning". Star raised her eyebrows quizzically. "On purpose, or in self-defense?" she asked. Thunder rose and stretched exposing his hard, flat stomach. "Both". The door opened a third time and a tall girl with dark brown hair stepped in. Nicki tried to hide the First Aid kit, but it was too late. "What happened?" Lightning asked. I opened my mouth to answer, but was cut off by a look from Nicki. Lightning walked over to us and began to examine us for bruises. "Nothing happened, Lightning". said Noah. "Really?" she said looking at us all skeptically. We all nodded out in response. "Fine. Thunder and Lily, you are on dinner patrol." I groaned inwardly. Every moment I spent with Thunder I felt really awkward because I didn't want to be around him in case I accidentally let it slip that I had a crush on him. I walked into the kitchen and looked at the calendar. Tonight was opposite night: Breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast. I reached into the pantry and grabbed the pancake and waffle mix. "Waffles or pancakes?" I asked Thunder. He looked at me and shrugged. "Don't care." I gave him a look, "You're so helpful." He just grinned at me and went to go get the frying pan. We made dinner in silence both of us wrapped in out own thoughts. Finally, we were done. "Dinner!" I shouted. Immediately, Noah came running in. "Finally. I thought you would never call." We all sat down at the table and starting eating. "So, what really happened?" Lightning asked. "With what?" Noah replied. "Come on Noah. You think that I think that nothing happened? Look at Thunder's face." It still had a small black and blue mark on his jaw. "Nothing happened, Lightning." Nicki and I both said at the same time, exasperatingly. "Liars. Just tell-". "Damn it Lightning!" Thunder suddenly shouted making us all jump. " We told you nothing happened! Let it go!" "Fine." She , Star, and Rainbow got up and left. "Changing topics." Nicki said. "How would you guys feel if Noah and I went on vacation?" "How long?" I asked. "About a week." "I'm fine." said Thunder. "Lily?" I was torn. I wanted time alone with Thunder, but I also didn't want the whole week to be awkward in case I accidentally let it slip that I had a crush on Thunder. Then again, Nicki and Noah usually don't get time alone. I sighed. "Ok." Nicki and Noah's lit up. "Thanks guys." "When are you leaving?" Thunder asked. They looked at each other then said, "Tomorrow". "Ok". "Come on." Noah said "Let's clean up." We all cleared the table then went upstairs. Nicki and I went to our room and got ready for bed. "Lily are you really okay with Noah and me going on vacation?" "I don't know." I replied. "Then why did you say yes?" she asked. "Because you and Noah need some alone time and you guys have been needing it for a while." I said. "Thanks Lily. You're the best." "No problem." I responded. Within minutes I heard her snoring away. I tossed and turned, but I couldn't fall asleep. I thought about the upcoming week. How was I going to get through the week? Finally, after much thought and worrying I finally slipped into a troubled sleep.

The next morning, I helped Nicki bring her bags downstairs. " Good lord women! How much stuff do you need for one week?" I exclaimed. " Oh shut up Lily. Some of us actually like to dress up. " I grinned. The guys were already downstairs talking. "Ready!" Nicki said. Noah looked at her then at her bags. "You do know that we are only away for a week right?" "Yeah." He looked at me and I shrugged. "Your girlfriend." We all said our goodbyes then Nicki and Noah got into the car and drove away. I sighed. Great. One long week with my crush and no best friend.