That Year

That Year Part 3

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When Leo hears his named called as the new Student Body President, the auditorium erupts into a roar of ear-deafening applause. I smile and join in congratulating Leo on his victory. He embraces me before walking onto the stage as the new Student Body President. Leo takes in the moment, looking out into the vast array of students cheering for me. He smiles waiting for the applause to settle down.

“Today is an historic day. The future members of this school, whom will be sitting in the very seats you sit it in today, the very hallways you walk today, will look back at this day. As this is the day we said no. No to the corrupt affecting our lives! No to ignoring the mistreatment of our fellow students! Yes, ladies and gentleman I’m referring to the mistreatment of transfer and foreign student who came to this school for a chance to make something of themselves and to better themselves. We have let this occur at our school for way too long. Blame you, I do not for fear could drive us to forget and care about others for the safety of ours. As your Student Body President I assure you those days are now over, there is no need to fear because today we are one. Thank you and god bless.”

Bruce leaves out the back exit, no longer the Student Body President. Leo set out what he wanted to accomplish. The school has put their faith in him, not in the corrupt.

Leo and I walk down the abandoned section of the school transfer and foreign students used to occupy during the school day. “Why don’t you want to clean this part of the school,” I ask. “It reminds me that my real task is not done,” Leo replies.

I sit in my third period class on a Friday, anxious for the weekend to begin. I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket, so I take my phone out of my pocket quickly to see who texted me. I get out of my chair to head to the bathroom to look at the message Kayla had sent me, so Principal Burns doesn’t catch me. Once in the bathroom I look the message on my phone.  It reads “Hey babe what are you doing later.” “Nothing planned, you,” I text back. I get a quick response, “Come to my house tonight, parents not home until Sunday.” “Okay,” I send back. Again a quick response, “Can’t wait, love you.” Loves me? What exactly was going on here? I don’t know how to respond, so I don’t. Besides I’ll see her soon.

I don’t know what to expect when I go to Kayla’s, but I decide to go. I text her to let her know I’m at her house.

“Hey,” Kayla says opening the door to let me. “Hey, how has it been since you know,” I ask as I step into the house. “I try not to think about it,” she answers as she hugs me. “Not everything was so bad that night,” she finishes as she locks eyes with mine. “You have amazing eyes,” she says as she leans in to kiss me.

I sit in her living room couch waiting for her as she gets beer from her refrigerator in the other room. She enters the living room. “I hope Yeller Light is fine.” “It is,” I respond. This is different from the last time I was over. I have one beer, she has one, and we are talking, scratching the surface of whom we really are. Although it feels like the beginning of my relationship with Victoria, that is not a bad thing. I like that I’m connecting with another person, getting to know them. When Kayla first came up to me and talked to me on my first day of high school I didn’t believe I had a chance despite the fact I used to be with Victoria, but now I don’t even think about it.

After an hour or two of drinking and getting to know each other, we decide to watch a movie on Netflix. She cuddles with me in a blanket as we watch a comedy. Half way through the movie, I come to a realization of where I am. A beautiful girl that isn’t Victoria, that I didn’t know three months ago cuddled against me. I look at her, and I feel bad for my past self believing that there was nothing out there without Victoria. I loved Victoria, but I’m beginning to fall for Kayla.