Page 3 of Autumn Skies & Pumpkin Pies

A chuckle rings through my ears and I peek one eye open. Rocker stands in front of me, my pen in his hand and a smirk on his lips. His totally kissable lips. Whoa! Where did that come from? “I’m not complaining. I believe this is what you were after.” I nod my head as I take the pen from his hand. Our skin grazes one another, and butterflies form in my stomach. Rocker smirks as he starts to pass me, but he leans down and whispers into my ear at the last minute. “You know if you wanted to touch my ass, though, all you had to do was ask. See you around.”

Mortified, I stand there looking at the damn pen until I hear his friends greet him in the hallway. I grab my backpack and rush towards lunch, because I need some sense of normalcy right now. Chemistry class was supposed to be my easy one, along with English, but Rocker is a distraction. A very cute and sweet distraction, but something I should definitely ignore. I meet up with Teaganne who announces that we will be sitting with Keefer and the rest of the high school’s elite, Rocker included. So much for ignoring him now.

FOUR

Rocker

This first week of school has flown by. I’m kind of worried that this will be the pace for the entire school year. I’m not ready to say goodbye to this place. As I get ready for school, I think about this week in Chemistry class. Warbee has started to open up a little more each day. I’ve also discovered that she has perfect handwriting and epic note taking skills. Her favorite color is green. She always smells like the bakery and that despite being small in stature, she’s full of life. Warbee could rule this world if she wanted to. I’ve noticed other things, too, like how she bites on her lower lip while taking notes. The way her glasses slowly descend her nose until she pushes them back up into place. When she’s not taking notes, she doodles swirls and flowers all around the border of the piece of paper.

We don’t talk that much since we only get a few minutes before and after class, but starting next week we’ll have actual lab days. I’m looking forward to those, but I doubt she’ll be concerned with anything aside from the assignment. I need to see Warbee outside of the classroom. I’m drawn to her and I need to figure it out before it messes up my game. Warbee is so serious during class, and she rarely talks to anyone aside from Teaganne or Keefer during lunch. She’s impossible to read. When Keefer had announced on the first day of school that he was going to sit with Teaganne and Warbee at a different table, I think I shocked everyone with my response, myself included. Our table was invitation only and as silly as that sounds, it’s true. My high school isn’t so different from any other high school. They all have cliques and a food chain, so to speak. Jocks are at the top. Why? I don’t know. It’s silly when you consider it’s the brainiacs like Warbee who will end up running almost everything in the future. I had insisted that Keefer have Teaganne and Warbee join us at our table.

I didn’t miss the glare that Beth had shot in my direction. Beth and I sort of dated last year. In my mind, it was never serious but apparently it was in her’s. She was the captain of the cheerleading squad and one of the most judgmental mean girls I had ever met. I met her glare, as a warning to leave Teaganne and Warbee alone. I was excited thinking that I would be able to finally see and talk to Warbee outside of the classroom. I didn’t want to seem too eager, so I played it cool the first day with the intention to talk to her the following day. It didn’t happen. Warbee is just as serious and quiet at lunch as she is in class. Although, Teaganne and her tend to laugh a lot.

I’m hoping to talk to her today in class. I’m going to haul ass to try and get to class early. The minute the third period bell rings, I’m out of my seat and in the hallway. I give a new meaning to power walk. When I practically jog into class, I’m surprised to see Warbee hasn’t arrived yet. I take my seat as one of my legs bounces up and down, anticipating her arrival. I’m not sure what is going on with me, but I don’t question it too much. I know I just want to get to know her better. Finally, Warbee comes in and to my surprise she looks...skittish. Something is definitely bothering her. She doesn’t even meet my eyes as she sits down. As she passes by me, the sweet scent from the bakery that lingers on her clothes and skin engulfs me. Once she sits, I turn to her, but she still refuses to meet my eyes. “Warbee, are you okay?” I finally ask.

She nods her head. “Yeah, I’m fine. How are you?” She’s talking, but she still doesn’t look at me. I mumble my reply and turn back toward the front of the classroom and try to figure out what is going on. I’m distracted all class and I barely took any notes. I sneak peeks at Warbee, but she is always continuously writing notes, so engrossed in the lecture that she doesn’t even notice when I look at her.

As the bell finally rings, I turn to Warbee. Since Teaganne and Warbee started to sit with us, Warbee and I have been walking down to the cafeteria together. Today though, she’s moving at a snail’s pace. When she looks up, I can see her mind working. “Are you ready?”

“I need to stop by my locker and then meet with one of my teachers so I’m skipping lunch today.” Her voice sounds off and I think it’s because she’s lying.

She brushes past me at a brisk speed, but I catch up easily enough. “Warbee, what’s going on?”

“Nothing, you should go to lunch, Rocker.”

“I will once you tell me what’s going on,” I repeat.

Warbee stops, sighs and spins around. “Look, I don’t need the drama or trouble of some high school relationship. If you want to make Beth jealous you need to find someone else. I don’t like games.”

Now, I’m just confused. My eyebrows knit together. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not trying to make Beth jealous. I don’t care what Beth does or who she does it with.”

“Well, you might want to tell her that. She made it perfectly clear what I was in this game between the two of you and I want no part in it, Rocker. I’m not all for the high school drama.” Warbee turns around and starts to head down the hallway.

I jog to catch up and then step in front of her. She nearly runs into me, but manages to stop right before. “Rocker…”

“I’m not with Beth. I never really was, but she hasn’t been my date to anything in months. The only game I’m playing is football, which I wanted to ask you to come and watch. Also, I would never use you to make Beth jealous. I think more of you than that.” I watch her eyes as they change with her emotions. Eventually, they soften. “So, Warbee Carter will you come to the game tonight?”

She laughs. “I was already coming. Keefer’s on the team, remember?”

I nod my head. That thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. “Well, will you come for me instead?”

It sounds silly when I say it, but the giggle followed by the smile that I receive makes it well worth it. “Okay, I’ll come for you, too.”

The urge to jump and fist pump the air is real, but I manage to fight it. As we walk to the cafeteria with Warbee’s excuse long gone, she explains to me what happened with Beth. I know it's something I’m going to have to take care of. Beth is the school’s resident mean girl, and I don’t want her targeting Warbee. Now, I just need a plan.

FIVE

Warbee

Well, we’ve survived the first six weeks of school,” Teaganne says, as we look down at our report cards. It’s hard to believe that it’s already been six weeks. This year is flying by, which is actually kind of sad. Rocker and I have grown closer and closer with each passing day. Every day in Chemistry we now write back and forth to one another in a notebook. We talk during lunch and he shows up at the bakery on the weekends where we study together. Most nights he’ll pop up on messenger where we talk until one of us falls asleep. We’re still just friends which is fine, but I’d be lying if I said my crush on him hadn’t grown. I look forward to all the time I get to spend getting to know him. It’s silly, but true. I even daydream about him sometimes. I’ve become one of those girls. At least, I haven’t started writing his name all over my notebook...yet.

I know Beth isn’t happy, which worries me. She’s not a nice girl, so I keep waiting for her to retaliate in some way. Rocker makes sure to be around me whenever Beth is nearby, but I know that’s not possible all the time. We’ve just been lucky this far. I’m not good with confrontation. Besides, her threats are silly. Rocker and I just get along really well but he’s so far out of my league that it’s not even funny. Just because I’m crushing on him, doesn't mean anything.

A hand waves around in front of my face. “Earth to Warbee. Come in Warbee,” Teaganne calls to me.

I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I got zoned out for a moment.”

Teaganne laughs. “Yeah, I caught that. I know you’ve been zoning out more and more lately. I also know you deny your zoning out has anything to do with Rocker but, I’m pretty sure he is to blame.”

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