The Girlfriend Experience

Chapter 9: Finding Rhiannon

Ethan

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I don't know where Rhiannon is.

I've looked for her outside in the courtyard, in empty classrooms and I've even peered my head inside not one but two of the girls bathrooms. People are right when they say love makes you do crazy things, imagine if I got caught. Principle Caldwell would have a field day.

After a ten minute search I realize that I missed what Aaron called my golden opportunity. Feeling a bit low I decide to head back to the cafeteria to spread the news to Matt and Aaron. They'll be disappointed, especially Aaron but I don't care. As I walk back up the stairs from the art and science building I hear sniffling coming from behind one of the doors.

I stop and press my ear against the door. Someone is in there crying and that someone is Rhiannon. I know it. I feel a little nervous but I turn the knob and softly enter the room. It's shop class, my worst nightmare. So many unfinished projects and tools make my head spin. I ignore it all following her low whimpers, the closer I get the better I hear her. I catch a glimpse of her head behind a stack of metal shelving units.

I take a deep breath before approaching her. Careful not to give myself away before anything can happen. The last thing I want to do is scare her plus I'm very nervous about what I'm going to say to her. This is Rhiannon Penrose at her lowest, I doubt she wants anyone to witness that and here I am encroaching on her domain when she wants to be left alone.

I inch closer, taking one slow step at a time. A turtle could move faster than me right now. My heartbeat increases in pace the closer I get. I can fully see her now, she's seating in a rusted up car with the top down with her back to me. I feel this urge to run and touch her silky hair, to run my hands through it and kiss her.

When I feel like I've reached a good distant from where she is I stop and scratch my throat lightly to gain her attention. Without missing a beat she turns around, teary eyed. She looks at me longingly with an unhinged intensity. I feel myself getting significantly small each second that goes by. I want to say something, I can actually feel myself wanting to speak but the words jumble up in my throat and if I even dare open my mouth up, I'll croak. So I remain standing and silent.

"I'm sorry are you in this class or something." She finally speaks. Her tone is nasally like she's been battling a cold for months. . She's so beautiful it doesn't really matter what she sounds like. "Excuse me, hello?" She snaps. She can be so sassy sometimes. I love it.

"Um," I begin. I'm amazed I can manage to say um so I try for other words. "I, I, I'm.....um, I." Okay so I can only manage to say I, I'm and um. Way to showcase your amazing vocabulary skills, Ethan. Bravo you little dingus.

"This is ridiculous," she says and proceeds to get out of the car.

"Don't," I say stopping her. "Please don't leave on my account, I'll go."

She stares at me trying to make sense of the situation. I don't want to make her uncomfortable any more than I already have so I turn away.

"Did you want something?" She asks.

I turn to face her again. She's staring at me again, waiting for a response while maintaining the same deadpan expression as before. I can make up something to get me out of here or I can tell her the truth and hope for the best.

"I saw when you left the cafeteria," I start. "I wanted to see if you were okay."

She flashes me a crooked smile, "As you can see I'm doing great."

For some reason the sarcasm behind her words make me smile and it's not an-I-feel-sorry-for-you-kind of smile. It's an I'm-happy-you're-finding-light-at-the-situation kind of smile. She smiles back and it's genuine, this prompts me to take a step forward.