The Senior and The Junior

Chapter Eighteen: Rumors

Dylan

It's silent. Chris is always running his trap but he is unusually quiet for some odd reason. Is it because of what happened earlier? He did it. I didn't ask him to comfort me but he did. The feelings seemed mutual between the two of us. I don't know maybe I made things awkward. I should just tell him to turn back around and take me home. "Hey so-" I begin to make my request before Chris turns on the radio breaking the silence present in the atmosphere. I look over at Chris who stares intently at the road, a bright light reflecting off of his sun kissed skin and blinding me. Clearing my voice, I begin to talk.

"So where exactly are we going.."

"You'll see." He replies but does acknowledge me. "Should I be worried?" I try to lighten the mood with a joke. "I'm not going to kidnap you dude." He lets out a slight chuckle.

"Okay so.. I guess I could ask you some questions." I reach over towards the backseat and reach for my backpack. Unzipping, I grab my notebook and pencil. Before I can open up the notebook up to a fresh page, Chris suddenly snatches it from my hand. "Hey!" I exclaim in surprise. "You shouldn't be reading that. You're driving!" I reach over him in a sad attempt to retrieve my precious notebook. My boney little arms are no match for his meaty arms. "Relax.. we're at a red light." He looks up from the notebook and beckons over towards the stoplight. He buries his face in the notebook, flipping through the pages he says "Wow.. only two pages. When's the deadline again?" as he skims his fingers along the neatly sentences.

"You'll smudge it!" I once again attempt to retrieve it. Shooting me a weird look he raises his brow. "Ok.. I know. I've been lacking. There's just been a lot on my mind recently." This is indeed true. With all of the pressure from Eugene and with the rekindling of this friendship or relationship.. whatever it is with Jonathan and then Chris. And then waterpolo. It's all too much at once. "So tell me kid. What's been on your mind?" He finally acknowledges me, looking to his left and into my eyes. His rich green and hazel eyes melt under the falling sun. The light running it's fingers through his dirty blonde locks. "Uh.. no." I snap back into reality. "What? Why not?" He looks taken back for a moment.

"What's been on YOUR mind? Do you care to tell me why you were sitting outside on the steps of the church while service was starting." I cross my arms and shift my body to the left to face him. "Well.." he says as scratches the back of his neck. "Nope I asked you first. Nice try." He stubbornly smirks. "Oh wait let me guess." He shoots up in excitement as if a lightbulb had just appeared on the top of his head. The car comes slowly comes to a halt as we near a stop sign. "Is it Jonathan.." he playfully nudges me with his eyes still focused on the road. "Jonathan? What no.. we're just friends. That's all." I chuckle at such an accusation. "You're funny." I continue to laugh and shake my head in amusement. "Really.. you should see the way he looks at you. But if you say so.." He sighs and shrugs his shoulders. For a moment not a single sound can escape my mouth. I freeze and my eyes widen. Wait. No. There's no way. Pointing his finger in my face, he laughs.

"That's what I thought."

"See I'm always right."

"No you idiot.. that's not what it is. It's just shocking that you would even think Jonathan is into guys."

"Well. I'm not one for spreading rumors but there is one that has been surfacing around school recently."

"And what is that?"

"Do I really need to say it?"

"What that he's gay?"

"Bingo."

"I wouldn't know. And it's high school. Rumors spread around all the time, that doesn't necessarily mean they're all true."

"Oh come on kid.. you can't tell me there isn't a single part of that big brain of yours that believes he's not completely into girls."

"There isn't because I know he's straight. You don't know him like I do."

"Oh yeah and how do you know him?"

"Think about it. The guy can barely hold onto a girlfriend."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do I need to say it.."

"Ok how would you feel if there were rumors going around school that you WERE gay?"

I turn over to look at Chris and his face drops.

"Exactly you wouldn't like it."

"You worried it'll bruise your big ego?"

"Okay.. okay. You have a point. Let's move on."
Chris immediately drops the subject and shifts his focus completely back onto the road. That's weird. That's unlike Chris. He's always looking to pick an argument and doesn't strike me as the type to back down so easily. Maybe I took it too far. The silence from before resurfaces into the car and that awkwardness from before returns, even stronger than before. "Hey.. Chris I'm-" I begin to speak before he abruptly blurts out "Look we're almost here."

The car drives past hundreds of pine trees on a deserted road.

"Look, where almost there."

I look out of the window and at the sign that reads "Lake Evergreen."

I'd be so wrapped up in my conversation neither Chris I didn't even realize we had gone past the borders of Roseville.

"Lake Evergreen? This is your spot? This is everyone's spot."

"Sh.." he brings his finger up to my lips.

"You'll see."