Page 5 of Autumn Skies & Pumpkin Pies

After Teaganne has measured every last part of me, I leave and walk the few blocks to my house. The minute I walk in, I’m hit with the smell of dinner, the aroma of sweet potato beckons me forward, and my stomach starts to rumble. I drop my backpack by the front door and head for the kitchen where I find my mom with her red hair piled on top of her head cutting apples. “Hey sweetie, how was your day? Did you find a dress?”

“No, but Teaganne is going to make me one. Do you want some help?” I offer, as I wash my hands in the sink. The French doors at the back of the house let’s in plenty of natural light and glistens off the shiny hardwood floors of the house. The natural light makes the solid white kitchen, my mother’s dream kitchen, seem even brighter.

She nods her head. “Yeah, that’d be great.”

“Are you making pie or cobbler?” I ask.

“I couldn’t decide. What do you think?”

My answer is instant and I’m sure she already knows. “Cobbler, of course.”

We both laugh and once we finish the cobbler, dinner is served just after my dad gets home from work. We sit down and have family dinner. Afterwards, I do the dishes then go upstairs to do some homework. As I log into my computer, I get an instant message from someone signed in as a secret admirer. I shake my head because Beth is really going out of her way to try and humiliate me. I close the chat box and log off the site before turning back to my homework.

The next day at school, when I get to my locker there is another sunflower taped to the outside. As much as I want to walk to the trash can and throw the sunflower away, I can’t. I love them too much to just throw away their beauty like that. I decide to keep it in my locker for the day, but when I open my locker tons of sunflower petals come cascading out. I jump back in shock. What in the world is going on? A note falls to the flower along with some of the petals. Teaganne and Keefer join me. “Girl, what is going on?” Teaganne asks.

I shake my head. “I’m not sure. I thought yesterday it was just Beth messing with me over Rocker, but now I’m not so sure. I mean, would she really go to all this trouble?”

“Beth is a bitch, but no I don't think even she would go this far.” Keefer bends down and picks up the note before handing it to me. Reluctantly, I take it from him. “I think this is for real Warbee.”

“Will y’all help me pick up these petals?”

Teaganne, Keefer, and I work on gathering the petals. I toss them into my backpack because I’m not sure what else to do with them, but like the sunflower I can’t bring myself to throw them away. Students in the hallway look as they pass by and it makes me uncomfortable. I hate being the center of attention. Once all the petals are picked up, I grab what books I need, shove them into my backpack along with the petals and shut my locker. “Are you okay?” Teaganne asks.

I nod my head. “Yeah, it’s just everyone is staring, and you know how that makes me feel.”

“Yeah, but it’s okay. They’re just curious. Hell, I’m curious,” she replies.

“I know. Thank you for the help. I’ll see y’all at lunch,” I tell Teaganne and Keefer, as I turn and head for my first period class.

Once again, I’m distracted throughout my classes and when I reach chemistry, I’m shocked to see Rocker already in his seat. “Well hello, Warbee,” he greets me.

“Hey, Rocker,” I tell him, as my mood instantly lightens at the sight of him. His hair is a little longer than I’m used to, and this one stubborn strand falls forward, curling on his forehead. My fingers itch to reach over and move it, but I resist because that would seem odd. I place my backpack in my chair and pull out my book for class along with my notebook. Sunflower petals fall to the floor and I groan. Rocker chuckles. “I know girls carry some different stuff in their backpacks and purses, but I have to say...this is new to me.”

I start collecting them without responding, but Rocker joins me. “Just shove them back in here.”

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, it’s just these things have caused enough attention for the day.” I sit down with a plop on my stool and open my notebook to take notes.

“Do you not like sunflowers?”

“It’s not that. I love them. They’re my favorite flower actually, it’s just everyone was looking when they came cascading out of my locker.”

Rocker stiffens. “Who are they from?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I thought it was Beth yesterday trying to mess with me, but now I’m not so sure. I got a message last night from the supposed secret admirer, but I just signed off. Now, these are in my locker which is also kind of strange since whoever it is, had to get my locker combination.”

“Why would you think it’s Beth?”

“Just because of the whole situation with you, but now I’m not so sure I was right.” I tap my pencil on the notebook as I try to think about who could be doing this. “I just wish whoever it was would stop doing all this and just talk to me. I mean, I hate the attention all this draws and it’s not necessary. Why not just talk to me?”

Rocker shrugs and looks away. “Maybe, he doesn’t know how.”

My laugh is instant. “It’s not like I’m one of the elite.”

“Maybe, that’s why he doesn’t talk to you,” Rocker says, as he turns back to face me.

My eyebrows pull together. “What?”

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