Summer Solstice

Conversations and Distractions

I opened my locker, willing my jealousy away. He hadn't even spared her a glance, so why did I still feel.... threatened? I pulled out my last two books, and surveyed the inside of my locker. There were post-it notes from Kaida, and pictures stuck on the walls and door, hung there by tiny polar bear magnets Kaida had loaned me.

In every picture Kaida had her arm wrapped around me, and we were smiling, laughing, or making funny faces. Each picture was just another reminder of how much I adored her. She was the best friend a girl could have.

And in the background of almost every picture was Konai. I'd always hated the fact that he was in those pictures, but now? Not so much. He never smiled, but he wasn't frowning, just watching. His profile was sharp, his eyes, a beautiful deep brown, never missed anything. His long black hair, always tied neatly back, fell nearly to his waist. I'd ran my fingers through that hair.

I shivered and tried not to think about that. About him. I'd be distracted all day. But his hair was soft, his skin even softer. And a girl could lose herself just staring into his eyes.

I gave myself a mental shake, and started pulling the pictures off, one by one, and tucking them into an envelope. I'd stick them on my mirror at home as soon as I got there, and not just because they had pictures of Konai in them. Konai.

This was going to be one seriously long day.

As soon as the locker was empty, I smiled. Empty locker, just like I wanted my mind. Empty and free of any distractions. I shut it one last time, and jumped when I realized someone was standing right next to me.

"It's true, isn't it?!" Malorie's voice was squeaky and she stared at me, eyes wide.

"Um, I'm sorry, WHAT'S true?" That Konai was my boyfriend? Well, obviously. What part of that had she missed? "You beat Konai up last week!" She actually wiggled when she spoke, and I looked at her, my mouth dropping open.

"What? No!"

"That's what I heard, some of the boys were talking about it on Saturday at my house party, you beat up Konai! And now he's your boyfriend." She smiled widely and looked like she was about to jump out of her skin.

"No. No that's not what happened. See, it was this practice, and we were wrestling..."

"Oh, wrestling, that's even better!" She giggled, stepping closer, and I fought the urge to back away. Or run. "So, did you beat him real bad, or just hurt him a little?" She hugged her books to her chest and waited for my answer.

I hadn't beat up Konai, and that wasn't why he was my boyfriend. At least I was pretty sure that wasn't the reason. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Malorie, it was a sporting practice." I looked up at her, "We were wrestling, sort of, and I won. And honestly, he was a sore loser. But he didn't even ask me out..." technically, I added to myself, "until yesterday."

I shrugged my book bag over my shoulder, "So that's just a coincidence." Malorie's smile faltered a bit, "But, you didn't act all fragile right? Not like a soft, delicate girl, you acted like a guy. You beat him and won." For some reason she looked at me, eyes full of hope. Why hope?

"Okay, yes, I guess I did act a bit like a guy, but that doesn't mean I'm not still girly." Just because I knew a few moves I'd learned from watching the guys practice, didn't make me a guy, or a pro. Or less girly. And sparring wasn't just a guy thing, even though I'd only seen the boys do it.

She waved her hand in the air. "Of course not, but you seemed just like one of the guys, that has to count for something." She tucked a strand of her long black hair behind her ear. "You let him know you could take what he had to dish out, and you could win. That's cool. If I would have known that worked, I would have tackled him ages ago!" She giggled again.