Westwood School

Sproutlings

Magnolia:

If you've ever seen Mamma Mia do you know that scene where they are singing voulez-vous and the bachelor party crashes Sophie's bachelorette party? And the room is spinning in chaotic energy and she collapses to the floor?

Take that, make it country, and no collapsing 'cause mamma didn't raise no pussy (haha I'm kidding but yeah I don't faint), and you have about the level of chaos that I was feeling when I saw rowen staring there.

I couldn't help but rake my gaze up and down him, taking him all in. He stood there looking disheveled in a hot way (if that made sense). His tan skin was glistening under the strobe lights and shadows. His messy, unruly, curly dark hair fell across his forehead in a devilishly handsome way. The sharp planes of his face, the pout of his lips, the arch of his cupid's bow, the angel of his jaw bone, the arch of his brow, all made him look like an avenging angel.

But, nothing stood out to me more than those mesmerizing, green eyes. Even from the distance, I was utterly lost in them, and they way they could go from golden-green to the color of seafoam in an instant, to pine to olive and then back again. If everyone in the world had his eyes, I think I wouldn't be able to walk out of my house without losing my mind.

Was I losing my mind?

With that thought, I snapped myself out of my trance. I left like an ice bucket had been thrown over me. I suddenly became very aware of the lyrics blasting through the tightly packed bar.

"Here comes my baby

Draggin' my heart behind

He's drivin' me crazy

Who says love is blind?

He's got a wanderin' eye and a travelin' mind

Big ideas and a little behind

Out with a different woman every night

But I remember when he was mine!"

It was like that feeling when you're jumping off a cliff into the water. The moment our eyes met, I was falling, falling and falling. I was weightless and time seemed to be irrelevant. But, you must hit the water, and sometimes with a not so graceful belly flop.

But it didn't matter, because there was something so addicting to that adrenaline rush. Rowen was that adrenaline rush, and I was addicted.

"Hey 'lia, are you ok?" Ruby asked using the pet name no one else used except her. In my mind, it didn't really fit me like Nola did, but Ruby didn't care and she insisted I had a "Normal" name. Which, I thought was utter bullshit. But, since it was her, I didn't mind. I'd known her long enough it didn't matter.

To be fair, I called her "Rue" or "B" and she fucking hated it. But, what else are besties for than to torment each other?

"Um, he's here," I muttered, not sure how I managed to sound like a normal person.

"Who?"

"Him," I said, nodding my head in his direction.

For a moment, her blue eyes flashed with understanding."Were?" she looked around obviously. I rolled my eyes.

"Over there, but please don't make it obvious you're looking," I knew I needed to add that last part, but unsurprisingly she whipped her head in the direction I was pointing so fast I'm surprised she didn't get whiplash.

I knew she had spotted him when her eyes didn't leave a certain spot. She let out a low whistle, and I wasn't sure if I should ignore it, be jealous or proud.

I think I was mostly proud. Even though he wasn't my man. I had a hot boyfriend at one point so I bet I can do it again.

"Goddamn! He looks familiar..." Ruby started off.

I rolled my eyes once more, "Maybe from, oh I don't know, every youtube- tea spilling middle schooler out there posting about us?"

Now it was ruby's turn to roll her eyes. She glanced at me, and then glanced at him, as if assessing us, I stood there awkwardly for a moment, unsure of what she was planning.

"You're gonna go talk to him," She said confidently, tossing her dirty blonde hair.

"I- what! No?" I sputtered, utterly baffled.

"Fine, If you're not gonna go talk to the lover boy over there, I'm going to."

I stared in awe as she downed the rest of her cocktail and made her way towards him. Towards Rowen.

This was also the moment where I realized Ruby had had 5 too many drinks while I was utterly sober.

I watched in horror as Ruby grabbed Rowen, and started dragging him towards me. I could tell by the look in his eye and the remainder of my common sense that this was a wild conquincidence. The cosmos was just pushing us together. This was only fate's doing, and at that moment I wasn't sure if fate was kind or cruel.

The music continued, but all I could see was the distance slowly closing between the two of us. I could feel the obvious pull and the heavy tension as we locked eyes. I didn't even notice Ruby who went off to get another drink as I stared intensely into his eyes.

"Hey," was all I could muster.

"You look..." He said, his eyes telling it all as his voice trailed off, as if he was distracted by my looks.

I felt awkward standing in the middle of a crowd of drunken fools dancing together. I opened my month and the words flew out faster than intended.

"Do you wanna dance?"

Shock was clearly evident all across his face, but he nodded dumbly as I slowly took his hand and led him to the dance floor. I felt a bit like a middle schooler because I was acutely aware of every inch of skin between the two of us that touched.

As we danced... It was a blur. I didn't notice how much time passed, I didn't notice the songs playing, all I noticed was the feeling of his skin against mine.

I didn't know how badly I craved his touch, now good this felt, to have our hips brush against each other as they swung in time. The feeling of his hand grazing the exposed skin on my back. We danced and danced, our bodies having conversations we were too tired to have.

I honestly couldn't tell you how long we were dancing before a hand reached out and pulled the two of us apart.

I glanced over at a wildly drunk Ruby, drink in hand.

"Did you know you are both named after trees? When you have sproutlings and you need to name them after trees as well."

I stared at her blankly, confused after coming out of a Rowen induced haze. After a moment to process what the hell she said, I signed.

"I need to get you home."

I felt the presence of a hand on my back and a familiar voice said lowly, "I called an Uber, I want you to get home in one piece."

I nodded dumbly, still not fully aware of what was going on as I was led out the door. There was something about a hot boy, the exhilaration and sweat from dancing, the gleam of strobe lights and blasting music that really capacitated someone's senses. You didn't even need to drink to feel high. 

Hi! I did as I promised and updated fairly quickly. This book has been an interesting journey but I'm not done yet! comment and tell me any thoughts you have? would you be interested in a series or what? Thanks! Comment! vote!