I sat in calculus, tapping my foot impatiently. I crossed and
uncrossed my legs several times, and my mind wandered. Mr. Pappas droned on
and on about some theorem I couldn't care less about as I watched the second
hand drag around the clock.
It was Monday afternoon at two-thirty. Our wonderful night on the
beach was only two days ago, but it seemed like so much more since I hadn't
talked to AJ. I couldn't concentrate on work, which bothered me a little. I
had always been so focused on my academics, but something inside me was
changing. And to think that it all started with one little e-mail...and then
a phone call...and then everything. It confused the hell out of me.
I picked up my pencil and twirled it between my fingers absently.
Before I knew it, I was doodling "AJ" in bubble letters in the margin of my
calculus book. He was all I could think about. I remembered exactly how he
looked on Saturday night at the beach, crazy and wet and covered with sand,
and I drew in a deep breath.
I looked at the clock and counted down the last forty-five seconds
until the bell rang. Finally, class was over and I gathered up my books to
leave. Just as I was getting ready to slam my calculus book shut, a hand
appeared and pointed to my doodling. I looked up to see Eliza's face
hovering over mine.
"Yes, Eliza?" I sighed. We had never really liked each other, and
when we did talk, we were usually arguing about something.
"What is THAT?" she snapped, pointing to my drawing of AJ's name.
She had a sneer on her face, her other hand on her hip.
"THAT is none of your damn business," I shot right back at her. I
shut my book and put it in my backpack. I slid out of my seat and turned
around to walk away.
"That is so pathetic," she said to my back, her voice dripping with
contempt. "You're eighteen years old, for god's sake. Don't you have
anything better to do than obsess over the little Backstreet Boys?"
I just smiled to myself and kept on walking.
AJ was my little
secret, and he was going to stay that way. Eliza could think whatever she
wanted, and it wouldn't bother me a bit. Besides, she wouldn't believe me
anyway. I walked down the hallway toward my locker and met Gillie, Eilene and
Anne there. I saw them talking about something among themselves. As I
walked up to them, I shouted, "One week!" at the top of my lungs.
"Oh yeah, Becky!" Anne laughed and gave me a high-five.
"Only one more week and then we have midterms," Gillie groaned as I
started packing up my bag to go home.
"Yeah, but then we're on vacation for three weeks," I reminded her,
getting out my biology book.
Eilene jumped up and down. "And we have the BSB concert to go to!"
She let out a strange laugh that made me wonder just what she had eaten for
lunch. "Eilene, you are too much," I laughed, shaking my head.
She looked up at me from her position at a height of only
four-foot-eleven. She was tiny, but very cute, and every guy in our school
would pay money to go on a date with her. Of course, that was usually before
they found out how clinically insane she acted sometimes. "Do you think I'm
weird?" she giggled.
"Uh, yeah," I joked, zipping up my bag. "What kind of question is that?"
"Well, it could be like asking if you smoke," she said thoughtfully.
"You could say no."
I gave her a very strange look. "Eilene, what the HELL are youtalking about?!"
Gillie and Anne just looked on and laughed.
We were all used to
Eilene's jumbled up conversation. Rare was the occasion when she actually
made sense.
"Speaking of the Backstreet Boys concert," interrupted Anne,
adjusting her short, straight blonde hair, "What are the arrangements for that?"
"I can drive everybody there," Gillie offered.
I jumped in. "Why don't you guys all come home with me?" I said
quickly. "We'll have to take my dad's car, because you all can't fit in
mine, but it'd be easier." They still had no idea about me and AJ, and I
wanted to surprise them after the concert by taking them backstage with me.
Everyone agreed on a time to meet, and we said goodbye. I walked out
to my blue BMW convertible and hopped in. I drove home quickly and started
preparing for my midterm exams. The whole time, AJ ran circles through my
head, so I eventually gave up and fell into a fitful sleep.
'Oh my god, oh my god... how am I supposed to write an essay on this?
I have twenty minutes left and I have to write a ten page essay on the
evolution of every phylum in the animal kingdom...what the hell...' That was
what ran through my head as I worked on my last midterm exam, biology. I had
about twenty minutes left, and then I was free for three weeks.
I fidgeted anxiously in my desk. I flipped through my exam packet,
searching for any information I could use. Finally I started scribbling
furiously and finished my essay just in time. Sighing with relief, I
gathered together all my papers and checked over my answers. Everything
seemed in order. Just as I was going back and putting the finishing touches
on my essay, the proctor called time and collected our tests.
I jumped out of my seat and straightened my black Calvin Klein skirt
and white collared shirt. Walking quickly toward the exit of the exam hall,
my eyes searched for my friends. I spotted Gillie's head of curly blonde
hair, but found no trace of either Eilene or Anne.
I walked alone through the huge crowd of people. I felt ready to
burst inside-I was free! Free from school and exams and everyone who thought
the wrong things about me. Now for three weeks there would just be me, AJ,
my friends and the things that mattered.
All of a sudden, I heard screams coming from somewhere ahead of me.
I stood on my toes and tried to see what exactly was going on.
"Uh oh," I muttered as a massive throng of people rushed straight
toward me. No way, I thought. Is that...? No, it can't be...
All of a sudden, a certain tattooed, goateed man I had come to know
very well broke free of my screaming classmates. He shook them free of his
baggy khaki pants and black sleeveless shirt.
"Hey, back off!" he yelled, striking his most menacing pose.
Everyone suddenly grew quiet and I broke out laughing. AJ turned to look at
me and smiled.
"Becky! Babe!" he said, grinning. He threw his arms wide open and I
ran recklessly into them. I hugged him with every ounce of strength I still
had in my body. He grunted a loud 'oof' and chuckled. Then, suddenly, he
picked me up and swung me around. My feet flew through the air and I
shrieked with surprise.
I was vastly amused to see the looks of utter shock and surprise on
the faces of the students standing around me. Ten minutes ago, I was sitting
among them, taking the same test they were. Now they saw me as a totally
different person. It was strange, but I rather liked it. But the thing that
really made me smile was the sight of Eliza, standing deathly still, her eyes
wide open and her jaw practically hanging to her chest. I smirked and gave
her a little wave. She abruptly turned on her heel and stormed off. 'Bye,
Eliza,' I thought to myself smugly. 'See ya next semester.'
AJ set me down, and I have him a quick kiss on the lips. He smiled
and gave me a small "Mmm..." when I pulled away.
"What a nice surprise," I murmured, rubbing my nose against his moustache.
"That tickles!" he shouted, jumping backward. We both laughed,
oblivious to the crowd of people gathered around us.
"How did you get here?" I asked. "I never expected you to come visit me."
"Well, I knew where you went to school, so all I had to do was call
up the administrative office and ask them for an exam schedule." He gave me
another quick hug. "Well, let's get out of here! You're free, and I'm free,
and I'm ready to party!" he yelled, his voice rough and deep as usual, but
also taking on a more carefree tone.
"Um, AJ," I suddenly said quietly. I glanced around us, my eyes
darting back and forth between the familiar faces I found in the throng of
people. "Yeah?" he asked, still focusing on trying to slip his hands around
my waist without me noticing.
"Run!" I shouted. I grabbed his hand and dragged him behind me as
all two hundred or so high school students reverted back to their mob-like
state. They screamed endlessly, chasing us through the hallways of the
school. They grabbed at AJ's clothing, his hair, anything they could get
their hands on.
"Give that back!" he shouted into the crowd as a girl dove to the
ground and seized the shoe off his foot. He stumbled along, but we finally
made it to his car. We jumped inside, slammed the doors shut and locked them.
AJ and I turned to look at each other, terribly out of breath. We
stared at each other for a few moments, our breathing slowly returning to
normal, before we broke out into hysterical laughter once again.
"Man, your friends are whacked!" he exclaimed, putting the car inreverse.
"Well, those aren't my friends," I explained, watching the crowd
following our car as we pulled out of the parking lot. "My friends are
normal. Well, somewhat normal, at least."
AJ popped a CD into the CD player of his car, and we both sang along
at the top of our lungs. I dryly remarked to myself that his singing was a
great deal better than mine. But it didn't matter-we were enjoying ourselves
and letting go. Our car sped down the road to an unknown destination, just
as our relationship was speeding down a road that led to somewhere I had
never journeyed before. I didn't care where we were going-as long as he was
at my side. This ability to have fun without worries was one I had only recently
adopted, after I met AJ. He had so much energy...he was incredibly full of
life. It amazed me how he could make me feel like a newborn child seeing the
world for the first time. He gave everything a new slant: suddenly, things
that seemed everyday and boring took on a whole new meaning. I knew that I
could never give up this gift of vibrancy he brought into my world. I never
wanted to let him go.
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