One In A Million

xliii

     "You want a Tic-Tac?" the boy about my age on the plane asked.

I shook my head, preparing to put my earbud in. "No, thanks."

He shook the container, and that irritating sound echoed through the silent cabin. "You sure?"

I was upset enough, and I didn't want to deal with an immature boy. I shook my head again, avoiding eye contact. "No, thanks."

"Well, take one anyway, your breath stinks." he grabbed my wrist and dumped three white candies onto my forcefully opened hand.

My nose scrunched, and I shoved all three into my mouth. Thankfully, he shut up the rest of the way. Well, most of the way. The last fifteen minutes, he decided to strike up a conversation.

"Where are you headed?" he asked, adjusting the ball cap on his head.

I sighed, setting my book down and facing him. "Presley, Maine. Why must you know?"

He perked up, turning towards me. "I'm going there, too!"

I nodded, sarcastic enthusiasm oozing from my smile. "And why are you on First Class? Rich daddy or something?"

"Music prodigy," he replied snarkily, but he didn't pull it off well. He seemed really nice, but I wasn't in the mood.

"Yeah, so am I, big whoop. What does that have to do with you going to Maine?" I replied unenthusiastic-ly.

"Art School Of Maine. They just started accepting all ranges of art. Be it music, drawing, painting, writing. All of it. Downside, now it's an all boys school." he rambled, hiking his foot onto his seat to tie his shoe.

The name didn't even ring a bell until I meditated on it. "Art School Of Maine? My friend goes there! I'm going there, too!"

"Not for school, you're no-"

"Shut-up, yes I know! I'm going to see him for a few days until I'm jetted to California!" I slapped the strangers arm repeatedly, feeling a new sense of happiness as I thought of Leo again.

The boy looked at me strangely, then a flash of recognition entered his expression when he fully turned to see me.  "You're that singer chick! Oh, it makes sense now! Hi, I'm Weston, by the way."

I stuck my hand out and he shook it. "Lillian; nice to meet you."

"I didn't know your name was Lillian," he cocked his head to the side. "I thought you had a strange stage name."

"Well, if you saw the David Letterman show, you would know my full name. Lillian James Kaylee Stomp. My stage name is L. J. Stomp. But I'm really starting to hate that name." I replied. We listened to the intercom and buckled our seatbelts again as we prepared to land in Maine.

"Personally, I think you should change it. Lillian is way better." Weston said after another three minutes.

I remained silent, thinking about how I would go about that task. And, when we got off the plane, I caught him by his sleeve. "Thanks, for that. I think I will."

____

The cab ride wasn't that long, it was locating Leo that took a solid ten minutes. I had my suitcase at my side, bumping against the tan sidewalk cracks as it rolled. I earned strange stares from the boys attending, which made sense from Weston's ramble on how all girls were kicked out.

Finally, I found the rec-center. A building with glass walls and teenage boys. I pulled the door open and let my suitcase fall in a heap beside the first couch I saw. I straightened my stance and took on my big-girl voice. "Has anyone seen Leo Thames?" I yelled, catching the attention of very few boys.

From inside an open door, a voice I wouldn't have known as Leo's bellowed. And out ran a very mature version of my friend. His usually floppy hair was spiked up with a mound of pomade, the black stud in his left ear was so masculine-ly sparkly, his black Rolex watch stuck to the bottom of his wrist,  his red skinny jeans were now black, his Maine Arts sweatshirt had the strongest scent of Dior Homme Eau. I wasn't used to seeing this Leo, and he apparently felt the same about me.

Before he could crush me in a hug, he came to a halt, his smile dropping. His head cocked to the side. "James?"

I smiled slightly, nervous of his reaction. "Hi, Leo."

He took another step foreword, his head cocked to the other side. He lifted my brown hair up, staring at it as it dropped. "You're not James."

I nodded, pursing my lips as the thought of why I dyed my hair came back. "It's the changed version of me."

He nodded, noticing the tears pooling at my water line and engulfing me in a hug. At this moment he was much taller than me. "Oh, baby," he whispered, even his speech had matured. He moved us away from the door, allowing me to sit on his lap.

I buried my face in his neck, smiling slightly at his smell. None of the boys in Vincent's band wore cologne, nor did Vincent himself.

Leo rubbed my back. "I'm sorry about your mom and dad, baby. I really am."

I nodded. "I know you are. Thank you." I sat up straighter, crossing my legs. I played with the hem of my lace dress, not looking into his eyes, though he still searched for the connection. "And thank you for letting me stay the night. I need to be with you before I go to California . . . Never have I hated that state so much in my life." I breathed.

Leo wrapped an arm around my waist, disrupting the navy green coat covering it. "Honey," All the nicknames. "it's no problem. I'm sure my room mate will adore you. And, if he doesn't, I'll kick him out for the night, yeah?"

I laughed, nodding. "Yeah."

After that, he sat farther back on the couch, and I laid my legs sideways on his lap. We talked about how school was, and the grades he had gotten. We talked about my soccer and the coach, my lack of recent concerts and the boys. We talked about him buffing up at the schools gym, and how he was glad that the snooty female teachers were gone.

When the room teacher sent everyone to their dorms, I followed Leo hand-in-hand (not in a laced manner, just like how you would hold your parents hand), talking in hushed whispers. I took my heels off, he took his Reeboks off, and we lined the edge of the pond. No one caught us, because all the street lights were turned off. We talked again about anything that came to mind, and each word he said was, no matter how poetic it is, treasured and stored somewhere in my brain.

Listening to little Leo talk was obnoxious. Of course, he was my best friend, but he talked a lot. Now, listening to his deepened voice, slow and poetic, I didn't want to miss a single word.

"How about we get back to my room, okay? Wouldn't want you falling asleep on my shoulder." He chuckled, releasing my hand and supporting my almost-limp body as we left the pond and went to his dorm.

A/N: Again, they will not be dating. I just wanted a sweetness in their relationship. Also, I changed Leo's character. From the boy from Marvin Marvin, to Jack Griffo.

P.S. This story will be coming to an end within (at least) 10-15 chapters. You have more to look foreword to, but I'm just warning you.

P.S.S. Please remember to VOTE, COMMENT, and FOLLOW