A Sliver of Infinite

chapter 3

Just as I was thinking I'd never accomplish anything tonight after the earlier event with Dane still on my mind, my phone rang, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I've been waiting all night for you to call me with your news, but I guess I need to drag it out of you! You're going to the bonfire with Colt!" Gabby declares into the receiver with way too much excitement for my liking.

"I'm going to the bonfire with you!" I reply, matching her excitement in a sarcastic tone.

"Uh, what? I thought he asked...didn't he ask you today? To go with him?"

"Umm...kinda told him we already had plans and I'd meet him there?" I squeak out, waiting for her wrath.

"Oh no. No you didn't! You realize that there are like thirty girls just wishing he'd only glance at them in the hall, just once!? Like literally, drooling puddles on the floor. Are you crazy!?" she yells into the phone.

"Eh." I shrug, not really caring about any of that at all.

"Eh!? Did you just eh me!? Oh man, I can't deal with you." I can literally hear her shaking her head at me. "You've lost it. He's a father's dream, a mother's dream too if you wanna go there," she says bluntly.

"Gross! Gabs, really?" I scoff.

"Really."

"Look," I start, "I can't seem to understand why he's suddenly pursuing me of all people, plus, I've tried to imagine it and it's just not working."

"Well, make it work!" she snaps. "Seriously, I'm driving us there so you're forced to confront this. I'm gonna make you spend time with him."

"You wouldn't," I threaten.

"I would, and I will. C'mon Dakota, just step out of your comfort zone and give the guy a shot," she says with sincerity. "You might find that you like him."

I let out a deep sigh. It wasn't my comfort zone I was stepping out of, I just legitimately didn't feel anything towards the guy. Like at all. But, maybe, I just didn't know him well enough. The dude was great on paper, there was no denying that. He came from a very hard working family, something I felt we had in common, and we were both working towards goals of attending a great college; me, busting my ass to get there, him, riding by on his last name.

Still, something in my heart just held me back from ever really giving us that chance. His attention was never something I needed to feel complete like other girls in high school. Girls did flock to him, he was handsome in a way that's standard, but that look just didn't do it for me. I liked the raw, piercing through your soul kind of handsome. The sexy, mysterious kind. Plus, if I was being honest, I wanted more than I knew he could ever give me.

The rest of the week flew by. The typical drama of "she likes him but he likes her" kept everyone going as it always did. Gabby always fed into the gossip wars and was animated while talking about it with me. I could care less about the fact that Marc was secretly seeing Katie on the weekends even though he was dating Tori, but I humored her. Assignments being turned in and new ones being written down, it was finally coming to the end of another week.

Before I knew it, it was the last class before the weekend, my English Literature class with none other than the ass himself, Dane. As I walked into class, I saw Sam Whiler sitting in the desk up front that I knew to be mine. Mentally getting irritated, I walked right past him with a scowl that could break glass. He looks back at me quickly, a scared expression taking over his face, then looks away fast.

Maybe the scowl was a bit too much, but seriously, he knew that was where I always sat. Why would he?

As luck would have it, the only available spot is, yet again, the one in back by Dane. I try my hardest to internalize my eye roll, but it surfaces anyway. Unfortunately for me, Mr. Dickhead himself caught wind of it. Dane's eyes are on me now while he watches comically as I slump into the seat, annoyed as ever.

"I'm starting to think you like slummin' it back here with the other degenerates." His deep voice purrs next to me.

I turn my head slightly, glaring at him harder than two feet of ice on a city street in the middle of a Midwest winter.

"Careful now, Kodi," he whispers with a sly grin, a sparkle in his mischievous eyes as he leans in towards me. "You wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong idea about us, now would you?"

Why did he have to be so dangerously charming all of a sudden? I hated it. It was easy to hate him when he didn't make my insides churn. Easy to hate him when he was ignoring the fact that I existed. I could tell he was loving it though, mocking me and having full control of the situation, knowing I had nowhere to go.

I try not to look at him, but can't help but to glance over as the class begins. He's wearing those ripped up, black jeans that fit his tall figure to perfection. A dark olive green sweatshirt that clings to his body, hiding the overgrown, coal-tinged hair peeking out through the top of the hood, paired with those infamous combat style black boots he routinely wore. Effortless style that people can only try and pull off by buying expensive, overly priced ripped material, yet somehow, his naturally torn holes and dirty laced up boots worked well for him.

He runs his fingers through the thickness of hair sticking out of the hoodie and brushes some of the longer pieces off of his forehead. Chewing the tip of his pencil, as if he'd ever actually use it, I notice he's not even pretending to pay attention. His full, pink lips surround the tip of the pencil as he chews it. The act alone draws me in and I can't help but to stare, wondering if they are as soft as they look.

His eyes dart towards me, catching me gazing, causing my eyes to quickly look back to the front of the classroom. From the corner of my eye, a cocky grin slides across his face as he chuckles at my embarrassment. I roll my eyes, placing my elbow on the table with my hand on my forehead, attempting to block him from my line of sight entirely as I try to refocus on hearing the teacher.

As the class finally comes to an end, I wrap up my notes and start meticulously packing up my bag. Most of the students have already filed through the door into the hallway. As I'm heading towards the door, my bag slung over my shoulder on my back, I am jolted backwards by my bag straps.

"Wait," Dane says forcefully, turning me towards him.

He pauses as if to say something, then closes his mouth as his brow furrows. Looking as if he's having a hard time trying to say whatever it is that's on his mind, I shoot him a look of annoyed confusion and turn to keep walking.

"Kodi, stop!" he yells at my back.

"What, Dane?! What negative thing do you feel the need to tell me today?" I face him again, aggression in my voice.

"Are you really going to the bonfire with Colt tonight?" he asks, his voice softening while rubbing the back of his neck in what appears to be discomfort.

The new look on him, totally catching me off guard. I was not expecting this. How did he even know about the bonfire? How does he know I'm going? How did he know Colt asked me, and more importantly, why does he care?

"Um, yeah, I am," I lie, wondering why he needs to know.

 "Why would you do that?"

 "Why would I do what?"

"Why would you go to that, with him? You know what's going to happen right?"

Is he kidding right now? Is he really giving me a high school pep talk about the dangers of underaged drinking and partying? The nerve of him.

"Um, I'm going to go to a social event...to be social...with people?" I reply with sarcasm.

"I'm just surprised, is all." he says, his eyes narrow as if studying something he can see inside my head.

"Well, don't be. It's not like we know each other." I snap, getting angry that he thinks he can assume anything about me anymore.

He looks at me with a solemn face. Upset? Disappointed? I'm not sure what he's conveying at the moment and I kind of don't care.

"Well," he starts while nervously putting his hands in the pockets of his black ripped jeans, "Just be careful. As square of a guy he is, you just can't really trust his intentions."

It wasn't like him to be nervous around me. Angry? Yes, but nervous? Never. Also, since when did he care about the people I was involved with? Trust his intentions? He was by far nicer to me than Dane had been for years.

"Um, yeah, I'll be fine, but thanks." I reply, somewhat snarky.

He stares down at me for an extended moment with a look of longing, then licks his lips, running a hand through his hair, and pushes past me before another word is said. I sigh in frustration, brushing it off as fast as it happened.

As I reach the door following him out, I take in Gabby, waiting for me in the hall with a questionable look.

"What did Mr. Moody Ass want from you? Looked like he was about to suck your blood with his demonic self. I mean, don't get me wrong, he's totally hot in that Edward Cullen, I want to devour you but you'd end up dead kind of way."

"Gabs!" I gasp, laughing. "You're ridiculous."

"Yeah, yeah, now let's go and get sexy for this shindig."

"Let's." I say, heading to the parking lot with my arm around her shoulders.

I am ready to dive into something different. Maybe going to this party tonight will help me find a piece of myself that wasn't just books, homework, and volunteering. I am ready to open up a bit and let loose. It's not like I'm abandoning my responsibilities, I always have everything under control. However, maybe Gabby was right. Maybe I need to try and live a little as she says. Well, no better time than the present, I guess. Tonight's the night to make that happen.