Summer's Over

Chapter 7

Sigh. . .

She’d been trying to sleep for the past two hours or so and finally gave up. Two things kept nagging at her brain whenever she dozed off, and it was getting tiresome. They were related to her day. She knew she wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight, so she gave in to her troublesome thoughts. . .

×××

She got to school early and found herself sitting alone. She didn’t mind, it felt peaceful. She was lost in some thought when she finally noticed two thick long fingers snapping at her.

“Hellooo, anybody home?” Jasper looked puzzled.

“Huh? Oh sorry.” She shook her head.

“Thinking about someone? Maybe me,” he grinned, joking.

“And I would be doing that because?” she countered.

“Cause I’m awesome," he suggested. Although, he lost his confidence near the end, making it sound more like a question.

Max gave him an easy smile. She had one of her elbows propped up on the desk while the bottom side of her face rested on her uplifted palm. Her other arm rested calmly on the desk. Jasper was sitting in a chair he brought up beside her in an all-too-familiar pose; he was leaning back in his chair while his right ankle rested on his left knee. They both looked exceedingly casual. She turned her head towards him. He had shaggy hair like Damon, she noted. But unlike Damon, he took the unnecessary time to spike it up with gel. Damon on the other hand, didn’t even bother brushing his. He was pretty good looking, she realized. The revelation made her feel uneasy, but she didn’t let it show. For a jock, he wasn’t all that bad, she thought.

“Why are you here?”

“Noticed your guard dog wasn’t around, thought I’d make a move,” he joked without spite. He gave her another disarming smile. “Um, this Thursday,” he paused trying to gather his thoughts, “You wanna go out? It's the day before the game, so would be good to blow off some steam. Y'know?" He went on somewhat nervously, "who knows? Might even be good luck".

“Me, good luck? You’re joking right. Reapers don’t bring good luck, or are you some kind of Satan worshipper?” she said, sounding appalled.

He caught on and grinned, “I'm sure the reaper would be all over me if I was.”

They both chuckled.

Jasper sobered up, “Can I pick you up at seven thirty then?”

She was startled by the sudden intensity, “Um, yeah sure,“ she mumbled, losing her ability to maintain eye contact. She recovered quickly though.

“Try to look conservative,” Max added sardonically.

“I always do”.

“Hey, Damon! You can have your seat back now,” he said while getting up.

Max was startled, she had completely forgotten about Damon. Where had he been this whole time? Had he seen her and Jasper? And most importantly, why was she feeling so guilty?

She watched Damon’s body rise up from a seat in front. He looked as if he was concluding an entertaining conversation with someone, as she narrowed her eyes the girl’s face came into view. It was Margie.

Why Margie? Of all the girls, why her? She was probably the most ill-fitted one for Damon. He shouldn’t even talk to her. They couldn’t have possibly found something in common. Damon had substance; she probably didn’t even know the meaning of the word.

“Hey Max, I asked Jasp if we could double date. He said it was alright with him if you were fine with it, so whaddaya say?” he was looking at her earnestly.

She sighed, “Marge?”

“Yep.”

“Was she holding a gun on you or something?”

“No.”

“Flash you?”

He laughed, but it didn’t sound right. It had a sarcastic edge to it. Perplexed, she tilted her head side-ways. He looked upset, staring his thoughts down. Damon rarely got mad, and when he did, he’d always tell her why.

“What’s the matter?”

He didn't register her voice.

“Damon... Dude, listen to me already!”

Mr. Anderson walked in.

Damon’s head snapped up robotically and all his attention was focused on the lecture.

Max on the other hand, was totally mystified. All she could think about was Damon’s prior reaction, when Mr. Andy walked in. It kept nagging at her and wouldn’t leave her alone.

At the end of the lecture Damon meticulously got up, asked her if the double date was on, and left. He looked so aloof leaving the classroom; he scarcely acknowledged anyone’s existence.

XXX

He absolutely did not, without a flicker of a doubt in his mind, want to be on a double date with Max and Jasper.

Screw him.

It had become a kind of mantra for him since that morning Jasper came up to him, slapping his back and telling him he had a date with Max. It sounded like light-hearted banter, but he got the underlying meaning. He's going to steal her away, but Damon wasn’t about to let that happen.

So he took one for the team and asked Margie out. Team, yeah right. 

He was on his own now. So he tied the stupid tie Max bought him for their first date.

Max and he had gone out once; it was a few days after they met at the hospital. He didn’t have time to dwell on that now though. He looked at himself in the mirror.

He was dressed in a casual black suit jacket, with a black collared shirt and black jeans.  

“Damon, you cool devil,” he joked halfheartedly.

 “You look sexy”. 

He turned, it was his mom. He gave her a full-blown childlike smile. 

“Who’s the chick?”

“Marge,” he stated apathetically.

“Well atleast she’s not that short tempered red head,” she said scornfully.

He sighed. She stared intently at him for awhile and then walked away.