Catch Me

Chapter Sixteen: Are You Nuts?

Chapter Sixteen: Are You Nuts?  

Haleigh sat in her geometry class the next day, trying her best to focus on what Professor O'Malley was teaching. However, she kept catching her thoughts slipping to one very cute, mysterious, protective, bass player. She couldn't get Zander's face out of her head. She couldn't wait until the next time they saw each other, and she wasn't sure why. She kept thinking of the protectiveness he showed toward her when Justin had dislocated Haleigh's shoulder. But most of all she couldn't stop thinking about the kiss they had shared after. His soft, warm lips pressing firmly against hers in a heated passion. She wondered if he would kiss her again when they hung out later this week.

"Ms. Beckett." Haleigh was pulled out of her daydream as Professor O'Malley called her last name, trying to get her attention. He was standing in front of her with his hands on his hips. She didn't say anything as she waited for O'Malley to continue. Silence filled the room briefly. Toby cleared his throat beside her as O'Malley turned and made his way to the front of the class room. "Do you have the answer Miss Beckett?" Toby cleared his throat and nudged Haleigh's side, gesturing toward his notebook that Haleigh assumed had the answer written down somewhere. She took a quick glance.

"The radius of the circle is six centimeters, sir." Haleigh told her professor confidently.

"Thank you Mr. Finnegan." O'Malley sighed as he began to pace in front of his chalkboard. "You're wrong by the way."

"What? How?" Toby scrambled to review his work.

"Ms. Beckett, it is in your best interest if you payed attention." Haleigh could feel herself blush as Professor O'Malley continued on with his lecture. She sighed deeply as she prayed for the end of the day to come quickly.

****

It was around six o'clock that evening and Haleigh was in her dorm room. She had just finished her homework. Sam was sitting in silence on her bed as she thumbed through the latest issue of Cosmo. The two still hadn't spoken much since Saturday afternoon, which was driving Haleigh insane. She desperately wanted to tell Sam about the encounter she had had with Zander on Sunday. She wanted to tell Sam that she had been right, and that she was sorry, but she couldn't find a way that didn't make her sound like a preschooler. Haleigh's phone buzzed on her bedside table. She picked it up and read the screen.

Zander: How was your day?

Haleigh: Awful..

Between not talking to Sam and getting caught daydreaming in geometry, Haleigh couldn't wait for the day to end. It would be officially over when her head hit that pillow and she drifted off to sleep. She was even contemplating going to bed early so that she could officially put this day behind her.

Zander: I'm sorry you had a bad day.

Zander: Wanna go grab some pizza or something?

Excitement rushed through Haleigh's veins.

Haleigh: Sure.

She didn't want to come off as too desperate or excited.

Zander: Cool, I'll pick you up in like twenty?

Haleigh: Okay.

Via text she sounded cool and collected, but Haleigh was anything but. Her heart was racing as she thought about what she was going to wear. She hopped out of bed, eager to find something cute to wear. She pulled on a dark blue sweater crop top and a pair of light blue skinny jeans. She pulled her hair into a messy, but cute bun, and applied a coat of mascara before slipping into her converse and leather jacket.

"Where are you going?" Sam's curiosity got the best of her. Haleigh jumped at the sound of her roommate's voice. It had been almost two whole days since their room wasn't completely silent.

"To grab something to eat with a friend." Haleigh didn't want to mention to Sam who this friend was. She knew Sam would gloat and excitedly tell her that she had been right all along.

"Thanks for the invite." Sam rolled her eyes and continued to flip through her magazine. Haleigh flinched at this remark. She knew she had to tell Sam.

"I'm going to get pizza with Zander." Haleigh admitted as she took a seat at the foot of Sam's bed. She watched as Sam's eyebrows raised and she closed her magazine.

"Seriously?"

Haleigh nodded scared of what Sam might say next.

"So you're telling me you took my advice and talked to him?" Sam wondered pressing her index finger to her temple and massaging it slowly. Haleigh shrugged her shoulders in response. "Well then what the heck are we fighting about?"

"I'm sorry..." Haleigh offered. Her voice was quiet.

"Go, get outta here." Sam nudged Haleigh with her foot. "Don't keep him waiting." The roommates smiled at each other and Haleigh stood from the bed and exited the room, making her way downstairs to wait for Zander.

The sun had already set in the sky, and night was taking over. This meant that the temperature was dropping at a steady pace. Haleigh wished she had grabbed a hat and scarf. She took a seat on the top step of her building and pulled her jacket tightly around her mid section as she continued to wait for Zander. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled out her phone to read the screen.

Shane: Hey loser, what're you doing??

Haleigh: ...Going on a date. I think...

Shane: WHAT? TELL ME EVERYTHING!

Haleigh: Can't right now. I'll call you later.

Shane: I FUCKING HATE YOU.

Haleigh rolled her eyes at her best friend and sighed. Zander was late, he had said twenty minutes, it had been thirty. She was beginning to think he was never going to show when a motorcycle engine revved from the parking lot. She glanced over toward the building's parking lot. Zander was sitting on the back of a Harley-Davidson Street bike. Was he crazy? She stood from where she sat on the stone step, and made her way toward the student parking lot.

Zander cut the engine as soon as he saw Haleigh approaching.

"Are you nuts?" Haleigh wondered as she finally made her way over to Zander.

"What?" Zander smirked as he took off his helmet.

"I'm not riding on that." Haleigh protested. She had been around bikes her whole life. Haleigh's dad had begun working on and fixing local bikes out of their garage for some extra cash when Haleigh was around five years old. Haleigh never minded helping tune one up, however, she had always refused to ride on one.

"You don't want pizza?" Zander was mocking Haleigh in a playful way. "Come on, I'll go slow." He smiled at Haleigh and held out a spare helmet for her. Haleigh sighed and placed the helmet on her head.