The girl from New York

16| Confuzzled

I paced back and forth impatiently, waiting for Claire to pick up. I just need somebody to talk to. Running a hand through my soft hair, I closed my eyes to remember the kiss. I shrugged.

"Mm, jello?" Claire asked in a silly voice. I scoffed and hopped onto my bed.

"Ugh, please don't remind me of food." I pleaded. Just outside my door, supper was in progress. Not being hungry, I had politely excused myself from it. My stomach can't handle even the thought of food.

"Weirdo. So, how did the study date go?" Claire asked hopefully, obviously prying for details.

"The studying went well, we got a lot done. But after we took a break, oh gosh— everything just flipped." I informed her exasperatedly.

"Ooh! What happened?"

"Well, my stomach started growling so Alex said we should make some food. And I kind of..."

Claire finished for me. "Can't cook."

"Yeah. So he made fun of me briefly before making me sit down. Then he made a comment on how us girls get away with everything and how he wondered how we did it. A stupid idea had popped in my head, and I really wish I just ignored it." I groaned, not wanting to continue.

"Go on, go on!" Claire pushed, clapping into the phone.

"So I got up and started to like, tease him and everything, but he thought I was going for it and I can't even begin to think about what happened next!" I squealed in a quiet voice, pushing my palm onto my forehead. "Long story short, we freaking kissed."

"Woah, woah, woah! Wait a minute, back up. You kissed back?"

"No shit, Sherlock Holmes. What did you expect me to do, stand there awkwardly? I mean, it's not like I really did it on purpose, it just kind of... happened."

"Language, Brooklyn!" My mother would have scolded me if she heard the conversation. Apparently, she would always used our full names when were in any short of trouble. I would be Brooklyn; John would be Johnathan; Dad, who's real name Ben, would have been Benjamin. If she ever scolded herself, she would be Megan instead of Meg, which was dad said she always went by.

"Brook! You kissed Alex?! Talking to him is one thing, being partners is another, but kissing him? You'll be lucky if only about twenty people know about by tomorrow!" She exclaimed, something plastic clattering in the background.

"Shh, somebody might hear you." I hissed covering my demolish phone's screen with my small hand like it would muffle Claire's bubbly voice. It didn't help, I know, but my family is outside the door were still laughing and chatting, so I assume they hadn't heard.

"I'm bored, you know, it is possible for me to sneak into your house and steal you for the night?" Claire said boredly. I nervously fiddled with my hands, watching the door.

"I share a room with Aiden, maybe I can go ask them real quickly?" I asked, already feeling the figurative halo forming over my head.

"Too late, I'm on my way right now. Unlock your window. Girl, you need to learn how to have fun." Claire chastised in a friendly way. I sighed and stood up to unlock my window.

Minutes later, she sneakily climbed through my window and helped me arrange a pillow to make it look like it was me, asleep. I didn't really want to leave, just because I feared the punishment, I would surely get when -If- I got home. What if they did something crazy like calling the cops on me?

"Calm down, you goody two shoes. It' snot like we're going to be drinking and driving or anything stupid like that. "Claire said as I tried to talk her out of it. I ended up losing the weak argument, which was obvious because I was the one being dragged out the window into the lightly humid night.

Crickets chirped musically in the background as I followed Claire closely as she led me down the street and on the sidewalk to Sandy Springs. I let out a shaky breath as I watched the shadows flicker ominously on the empty parking lot next to us.

She had me sit down in the dry mulch under a child's slide. I haven't ever been to this park before tonight, so everything here is so new and weird to me. She crouched down across from me and placed her phone as a sort of flashlight in between us.

"So are you and Alex going to be a thing or what?" Claire asked me seriously. I grimaced at the thought and shook my head violently.

"No, no, no. Never ever." I said quickly and honestly, stumbling over my simple words. she rolled her eyes as if she didn't believe me.

"If this is all we're going to talk about, I'll just be leaving." I added, preparing to get up and walk away. the fear clenching in my stomach was the one thing holding me back at the moment.

Claire opened her mouth to object, but in the silence we finally realized we weren't alone. From the dark basketball courts was  the thumping of a basketball against a backboard and a distant, but familiar voice mumbling inaudible words. Curiosity, got the best of me as I rose to see who was here in the park with us. At least, I think it was solo basketball.

She followed me silently as we stalked slowly towards the basketball courts. I tried desperately to be less clumsy, so we wouldn't get caught, and it was oddly successful. We watched as a dark, tall, muscular figure relatively shot a basketball at the hoop and missing every time, repeating a sentence about breaking a promise over and over again.

I bit my lips and pulled out my phone, turning on the camera. I focused it on the figure and slowly zoomed in, so I could see who it was. Was I seeing things?

"Oh my God." Claire whispered as she looked over my shoulder. So maybe I wasn't seeing things. I let out a small squeak and dropped my phone as the figure stopped and looked over in our general direction. I quickly grabbed Claire and pulled her down with me, to hide behind the bench.

Why did it have to be him of all people?

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Sorry for the late update, been busy with exams. I'll try to update the next chapter next Wednesday:)
Anyways, hoped you enjoyed this.

"How the hell did you get the tomato soup to explode all over the stove?"

-Alex