Book 1: Beyond Me and You

Heart Racing

As we pull up to the school my heart begins to race and my breathe increases. My eyes dart all over the place, searching everyone face for a specific one. 

"Can we go around one more time?" I ask Dean for the third time this morning. 

"Lark-"

"One. More. Time. Dean" I demand this time. He sighs as he goes to make another circle around the school. Dean has no idea why I'm so nervous to go to school, but I think he doesn't want to risk ruining how well we've been getting along. 

The drive around the school felt shorter and shorter every time. It was losing its helpful effect and now I felt even more nervous than before. Dean pulls up into the parking lot and parks the car before I can ask him to make another circle around the school. 

"We're already late, so don't even think about it." Dean gets out of the car and opens the passenger door for me. I sit there without any intention of moving but he grabs my arm and pulls me out of the car. "Larkin. Seriously, it's just school. It'll be over before you know it"

He walks away from me and I follow behind him. "That's easy for you to say" I say under my breath thinking he couldn't hear me. 

"What?" he asks without turning back. "If you're gonna say something, say it loud enough for me to hear"

"Whatever!" I yell before he pulls open the door to the front entrance. The security guard hands each of us a tardy slip and I just toss it in a random pocket in my backpack. 

I stand outside of my Spanish class, hesitating on whether I'm ready to go inside or not. Pacing back in forth, I consider just going home and calling it a day, but when the door swings open I have no choice but to going inside. 

"You're late" the teacher says as I hand them the tardy slip. 

"I'm sorry" I say politely. I walk to my seat and scan the room for a certain person. But he wasn't there. 

I go to my film studies class and find myself sitting by myself at my desk. Nathan wasn't in that class either. The day goes by and before I know it, it's time for lunch. I walk into the lunchroom to see Vivian waiting for me at a table. As soon as I sit down she scoots closer towards me. 

"So did you tell him?"

"What?"

"Nathan. Didn't you talk to him?" she asks with hopeful eyes. But as soon as she sees my dull reaction she knows the answer to her own question. "Lark. You were suppose to talk to him"

"I know. But he wasn't here today so I guess I'll just try another day" 

Walking to every class by myself felt lonely. I was so use to having Nathan with me at all times, I couldn't help but feel..empty? The rest of the day was just as quiet as the beginning of the day. I barely spoke to anyone unless spoken to and before I knew it, it was time to go home. Or so I thought. 

"Larkin I need your help" Tyler says as he slams my locker door shut. 

"Thanks Tyler. I definitely didn't need to get anything out of my locker" I say sarcastically as I put the combination in again. "What do you want?" 

"I want to start a new fundraiser. Maybe we can have a bake sale!" he says enthusiastically. 

"I hope you're not expecting me to bake" 

"Well..." his voice trails off as he looks at me with hopeful eyes. I know Tyler, and this year is gonna be different than before. 

"No. Go find someone else to bake"

"But Larkin!" he whines. 

"Bye Tyler" I wave my hand in the air without looking back at him. 

The cold January air hits my face as soon as I open the door. I'm met by two people leaning against a car. Dean and Vivian. 

"Hi" I say as I walk up to them. 

"Let's go" Dean says as he get into the car. Vivian goes to sit in the back but I beat her to it, making her sit in the front with Dean. 

"There's a back to school party on Friday." Vivian says as we drive down the road. 

"Seriously, people be having a party for any little thing. 'Oh I just blinked, let me throw a I just blinked party" I joke, making them both laugh. 

The three of us sit in the living room watching Friends on Netflix. Every now and then we'd all burst out laughing. It was all fun and games until we hear a knock on the door. 

"I'll get it" I say as I get up from the couch and open the door. 

"Lark" Nathan says as he stands in front of me. The wind has tousled his hair but he still looks as good as ever. I grab my jacket that's hanging by the door and close it behind me. We both go to sit on the swing in on the patio.

"Hi" I say quietly but loud enough for him to hear me. He smiles at me in response and I can feel my heart begin to race once again. "Nathan. About what you said the other day."

"Look if you want we can pretend I never said it" he turns his body to face me. 

"No" I blurt out. He stares at me in disbelief. "I don't want that. Look. Nathan, I like you too. The reason I didn't say anything was because I was scared of losing you.." I look down at my hands folded on my lap, but Nathan gently lifts my chin so that I'm staring into his emerald green eyes. 

"You won't lose me"

"Ugh" I blurt out as I cover my red face with my hands. 

"Come here" he says as he pulls me into a hug. I can feel his warmth getting rid of the cold winter air. "You're mine now." Hearing him call me his made my heart race, but this time it was exciting and its a feeling I wish would last forever. He pulls me into a passionate kiss. At first I was shocked but I soon melt into his embrace and I deepen the kiss. The space between us is nonexistent but the sound of the door opening causes us to pull away from each other. 

"I'm so sorry" Vivian says as she immediately closes the door. I can feel the heat rush to my cheeks in embarrassment of being caught. 

"Go. I'll pick you up before school" he says before he gives me one last kiss. I watch as he gets into his car and drives down the road until his car can no longer be seen. I quietly open the door and hang up my coat, making sure not to make a sound. 

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here" Vivian says as he leans against the stair railing. 

"What are you doing?"

"Dean got a phone call from Carol so he went upstairs. I was bored but after what I saw out there, I think things are finally going to get interesting around here" she says with a crazy smile on her face. 

"Please don't make that face or else I'm gonna have nightmares"

"Which one?! This one?" She says as she keeps that crazy smile on her face. Yup, I'm definitely having nightmares. "What happened?!" She asks as she follows me into the kitchen. 

"Well. We're-" I begin to say but Vivian's piercing screams cuts me off. It was so loud and abrupt I almost dropped the ice cream I was taking out of the freezer. 

"You're finally together!!!" she yells in excitement. 

"Shhh" I say as I cover her mouth before she can scream again. 

The sound of footsteps running down the stairs is all we hear before Dean comes bursting through the kitchen door. 

"What happened?! Is everyone okay?!!!" he asks all concerned as he looks around the kitchen. 

"Everything is fine" I say as I try to hold back my laughter.