Out of the Blue

Chapter 15

One week later...

For the first time in a while, I think it is safe to say that things were getting better. Even though my mother was still being a pain by not being there at all, everything else was going splendid. My grades were raising from A minuses to A pluses, I kept roasting Dustin in chess club, and the best of all.......Alicia Hillis and I were growing even closer.

In the last week since she showed up at my place, we've been hanging out more in and out of school, along with Dustin. Regardless if it's before school, at lunch, at my place, or near the lake. In all honesty, I have sometimes forgotten about that mean girl that she used to be not too long ago, because she is one of the nicest people I've ever met.....when she wants to be that is.

And that is how we were now. We all were sitting at the lake where the fall carnival was located. Dustin was sitting on my left side, while Alicia was sitting on my right side as we looked at the reflection of the afternoon sky on the rippling surface of the water.

"This is the stuff." Dustin said, laying on his back with his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

"A quiet moment by the lake is a perfect way to alleviate the stress school has put onto us." I responded, grinning at my oldest friend.

"In all honesty, I have to consider myself an idiot for not thinking of this before." Alicia said, looking in my direction with a grin. "This is an amazing way to wind down and relax."

I nodded my head as I glanced back towards the water in reflection. One thing that kept coming up in my mind was what occured the last time we were here. I wondered what happened with Alicia when the water splashed onto her legs, and why she was so unwilling to talk about it. The urge to ask her has come up once or twice.......okay more than that, but still I always push it to the side.

One day though....I'm gonna ask.

"Austin?" Alicia's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, startling me in the process.

"Huh, what? Yes?" I asked.

"I said would you be willing to come to my place today?" she asked.

To say that I was stunned, would be an understatement. Of all the things that Alicia and I have done over the last week, not once has she invited me to come to her place.....As well as meet her family.

"Y-you......want me to come to your place?" I asked, curing my self for stuttering. Alicia nodded her head with a reassuring smile. Almost as if she can just sense my discomfort.

Or more likely she just head the stuttering and figured I was nervous. Ah well, I guess I wasn't the only one who picked up traits about the other over the last week.

"I mean, if you're up for it. If not then-" she started to say. Without thinking, the words suddenly escaped my mouth.

"Yes!" Alicia blinked in surprise at my sudden outburst. I cleared my through, and drowned out the quiet snickering of Dustin from my other side. "I mean yes, sure. I'll come." I said in a more casual tone. Alicia smiled again at me.

"Great." she commented.

"Can I come?" Dustin suddenly asked. I quirked a brow at how nosy he was getting. "What? I got nothing else to do today." he said, noticing my questioning look.

"Maybe next time Dustin." Alicia said, though I could tell she was getting a tad bit agitated with Dustin. At least she's not slapping him....again. Dustin gave a scoff and turned towards the water.

At the moment, I was torn. I was feeling bad for my oldest friend as he was told that Alicia didn't really want him around at her place. Though I was also feeling happy and somewhat relieved that Alicia wanted me to go to her place.