"Sorry. I'm sorry." I say quietly, hoping that I won't get another reaming from some dumb jock.
"River, it's fine..." A familiar voice replies calmly, before pulling me back to an upright position.
I sigh in relief, glad that it's not another jerk standing in the path of my clumsiness. "I-uh.. I should probably go." I stammer, looking over his shoulder at the empty locker-lined hallway.
"What's the rush?" He asks, grinning, "We're only late for first period."
"Yeah, but it's safer in class than it is out here." I say quietly.
I glance up as he cocks his head to the side questioningly, expression darkening. "What do you mean 'safer'?"
I ignore his question, restating what I said before. "Come on, homeroom is waiting." As I try to shove past him, he reaches out, grabbing my arm again.
Wincing in pain, I turn to him. "You know, since you get why I hate my arms being touched, you could try to stop doing that."
He lets go, looking at his shoes sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I just haven't ever met someone like you before."
Someone like me? I open my mouth to ask what he means by that, but he beats me to the punch.
"Wanna get out of here?" He asks, eyes meeting mine for a split second. He runs his hands nervously through his hair and scuffs the floor with his shoes.
My eyebrows knit together and I give him a quizzical look, "You mean like ditch?" I reply.
He nods and our gazes meet once more, but this time I break the contact; turning my dark blue eyes back to the very interesting teal lockers next to us that are scratched with so much graffiti, it's hard to make out what any of it says.
"I've never ditched before." I state, chewing on my lip anxiously. Is he really serious?
"Well, there's a first time for everything." I can hear the grin in his voice and it causes a small smile to make its way onto my face. Before I have time to think about saying no, he grabs my hand, forcing me to follow along, and leads me out the side doors to the parking lot. Once we reach a small black pickup, he opens the passenger door, ushering me inside before heading around to the driver's side.
"Are you sure about this?" I ask, as he starts the truck.
He nods. "It's all right. Have a little faith."
"River, it's fine..." A familiar voice replies calmly, before pulling me back to an upright position.
I sigh in relief, glad that it's not another jerk standing in the path of my clumsiness. "I-uh.. I should probably go." I stammer, looking over his shoulder at the empty locker-lined hallway.
"What's the rush?" He asks, grinning, "We're only late for first period."
"Yeah, but it's safer in class than it is out here." I say quietly.
I glance up as he cocks his head to the side questioningly, expression darkening. "What do you mean 'safer'?"
I ignore his question, restating what I said before. "Come on, homeroom is waiting." As I try to shove past him, he reaches out, grabbing my arm again.
Wincing in pain, I turn to him. "You know, since you get why I hate my arms being touched, you could try to stop doing that."
He lets go, looking at his shoes sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I just haven't ever met someone like you before."
Someone like me? I open my mouth to ask what he means by that, but he beats me to the punch.
"Wanna get out of here?" He asks, eyes meeting mine for a split second. He runs his hands nervously through his hair and scuffs the floor with his shoes.
My eyebrows knit together and I give him a quizzical look, "You mean like ditch?" I reply.
He nods and our gazes meet once more, but this time I break the contact; turning my dark blue eyes back to the very interesting teal lockers next to us that are scratched with so much graffiti, it's hard to make out what any of it says.
"I've never ditched before." I state, chewing on my lip anxiously. Is he really serious?
"Well, there's a first time for everything." I can hear the grin in his voice and it causes a small smile to make its way onto my face. Before I have time to think about saying no, he grabs my hand, forcing me to follow along, and leads me out the side doors to the parking lot. Once we reach a small black pickup, he opens the passenger door, ushering me inside before heading around to the driver's side.
"Are you sure about this?" I ask, as he starts the truck.
He nods. "It's all right. Have a little faith."
