Tales of a Crush

Run, Kat, Run

May 2.    6:45pm

  TGIF! This week has been so annoying. Teachers need to stop trying to cram everything they can into the last month of the year.

  I'm headed to my locker than to the study hall. There is a parent meeting for my class Springfield trip.(Illinois' capital) I don't need to be in the meeting; none of the students do.
  I unlock my locker and grab the lipgloss I left when school ended. I was rushing because I need to get home and deal with the last of my preparations for my graduation party.

  As I close it, two hands land on either side of my locker, blocking me in. I turn around to find the last person I expected, or hoped for. Darren. His smirk grew as he saw my face. His blond hair flopping in his face as he leans in to KISS ME!
  I put my hand up and push his face back, "What the hell are you doing?!" "I think it's obvious, Kat. C'mon. Just chill," he replies leaning in again.
  This time I slap him so his head snaps away, "Yeah, no thanks."
"Why?"
"Let's see...I don't want to." I try to push past him but he won't move.
"That isn't a good answer."
"Fine. I don't like you like this. I actually don't like you at all. I tolerate you at most. Now if you'll excuse me." I said seriously getting annoyed and crossing my arms. I mean looking up at him makes me less intimidating, but I know how to mess with him.
"Naw. I think you're fine right here. Now, tell me, why are you lying?"

Okay that's it. I drop down and duck under his legs and take off down the hall. I do not feel like being raped or whatever that was leading to.
  I hear him chase after me but I know this school like the back of my hand and I'm smaller and faster. I'm not making the mistake of slowing down or looking back. I can still hear him so I know he's there.
  The front office is closed but that's the direction I'm running in. I need to change direction but where? The lower grade hall is perfect. It connects to the big hallway connecting most of the smaller ones.
  I push my self to go a little faster and cut the corner tight as hell so I'll be running less distance in total. It is a minuscule amount of difference but it is the difference of being tired sooner or later; I choose later.
  As I keep running I hear his heavy breathing over mine. He runs for short sprints, not long durations like me. I just need to get back to the group of students that came back with their parents. Gabby and Kenna are there.

  I fly around the corner and the group sees me flying towards them and then Darren chasing me. I don't slow down until I skid to a stop right in front Gabby, Kenna, Jackson, and Noah.
  I keep backing up, breathing heavy. "Woah Kitty. Chill what's going on? Why were you running?" Noah asks looking between Darren and me as I stare at Darren, sill breathing heavy and moving back wards. "He corned me.....kept trying to....kiss me...so I took off."
  "What?!? I asked you out and then you slapped me and took off." "I slapped you because you wouldn't stop when I said no the first time. You didn't ask me anything besides why I didn't want you to kiss me. I told you I tolerate you at best and then you asked me why I was lying, so I ducked you and bolted."
  "Darren, What the hell?!? Why would you do...that?!?" Noah yelled. We all  shushed him because the parents were the study hall two doors down. "Really Noah? You're gonna believe her over me? You've known me since we were in diapers! You too Jackson?" Darren said glancing between Jackson and Noah.
  Jackson moved to stand in front of Kenna and Gabby. Noah pulled me to his side and slightly behind him. They nodded in unison. "I expected this from Jackson, but you Noah? Wow. Just fucking wow." He says walking away toward the boys bathroom.

  I let go a sigh of relief and hunch over against the nearest wall, hand on my knees. I never realized I was holding my breath even though I could barely breath.
  "You good KitKat?" Jackson, my cousin, asks handing me the black ponytail holder that was keeping his shoulder length hair in a man-bun. "Yeah Jolly Rancher, I'm good." I stand up and pull most of my hair into a high ponytail. My fringe hangs in my face a little.
  "Okay so, what the hell happened just now?" Kenna asked giving me an expectant look. "Long story short, I was at my locker grabbing the lipgloss I told you guys I left. He blocks me up against the wall and tries to kiss me. I push his face away and he tries again. I slap him, duck under his legs, and bolted. I ran from the office to the lower grade hall to here," I reply seeing Noah and Jackson visibly tense up.
  "From now on I want you to be with your girls, Noah, or me when you have to go somewhere alone in this school. That cool with you, Noah?" Jackson states without asking me my opinion. "Yeah, that's fine." I pipe up,"Do I get a choice in this at all?" "Not if that choice allows something like what just happened to happen again." I just roll my eyes and raise my hands In defeat.

  After a few minutes the conversation switches to something stupid when  parents start flooding into the hallway. As I move to walk over to my dad, Noah grabs my hand, "Kitty, you sure you're good?" "It's sweet for you to worry but I'm good," I reply, sounding way more confident then actually am. I feel like a screaming mess. His massive hand completely envelopes mine, but it's a comfortable fit. His thumb is grazing the back of my hand slowly. He hasn't let go of my hand yet and I'm loving it. Okay I need to chill....*screams internally*.
  "Do you want to exchange numbers? I mean I am part of your security detail." I nod in response. He lets go of my hand sadly and pulls his phone from his pocket, as do I. He put his number in under Security Detail 🔫  but I change it to Noah🔫😊. I put my name in as Kitty🤓.
  "Well, Kitty, a few of us are going to see a movie on Sunday. Normal people would go Saturday, but I have stuff to do. You wanna go?" "Who else is going?" "Alexa, Kenna, Gabby, Jackson, and me," he replies. "Really Alexa?" "What's wrong with Alexa?" Besides the fact that she hates my guts, she likes you because I like you. "Personal stuff between her and me." "Okay...but are you gonna come?" "Fuck it. Okay, I'm in. Text me when. My dad is currently staring daggers into the back of your head, and I have to go." "Okay Kitty bye." He says as he pulls me into a quick hug.

I do everything I can to not scream and bring my smile into a normally range. I walk toward my dad, "Who was that boy? Why did you exchange numbers? Why were you two holding hands and hugging? You know the rules. No boyfriend until you're 15."
We begin walking toward the doors, "I know daddy. That was Noah, he's a good friend of mine. A group of us are going to see a movie on Sunday and he's going to text me the time. We weren't holding hands per say. He wanted to ask me something before I left, and he hugged me because he is a friend of mine. Speaking of movie, can I go please?" I pout. "Fine. As long as I meet his parents first."
I laugh, "Mom already knows his mom. You know Ms. Morrison, from mom's water polo group? That his mom. Hazel, on my volleyball team, is her daughter and Noah's sister." "Really? Oh well then. You can go. No funny business though." I kiss his cheek and get into his car, "Thank you daddy."

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SAMMI.NIX 💚