Fire and Djinn

Hello Handsome

11 years later – Present Day
“Hey Elena, can you pass me my jacket over there?” my friend Lisa said as she nodded her head towards my bed.
“Hey, you laid it on my bed, it’s mine now.” I said jokingly before picking it up and tossing it to her. It was the end of summer camp, and we were packing up to go home.
“Well, that’s fine seeing as how you left your laptop on my bed before we left.” she said mockingly.
“Nope. I moved it before we left. You have no leverage.” She responded by flipping the bird and then laughed.
“Did your mom call back yet?” I asked her.
“No not yet.” She said sullenly.
A few months ago, Lisa’s mom, Tiffany, had left them to go pursue a music career in Tennessee. She said she would call daily, but it’s been three weeks.
“Wanna spend the night at my house tonight?” I asked her to try to distract her.
“I would but I’ve ready been gone for two weeks and mom hasn’t called dad either. I don’t want him to be alone any longer than he has to.” She said zipping up her bag.
I zipped mine as well and walked with her out the door and towards the bus stop with the rest of the students.
“Oh crap, I forgot my charger” Lisa said turning back around and started jogging towards the dorm.
“Elena, make sure she doesn’t take forever please.” Our adult chaperone Verna said.
“Yes Ma’am.” I said before jogging after Lisa. By the time I got there, Lisa was looking under her bed for the charger.
Breathing heavily, I swallowed and walked to her. She looked up at me.
“I could have sworn it was still plugged in, but its not.” She said as she looked at other outlets around the room.
I saw the end of her charger peeking out from between the bed and the wall and I went to grab it.
“Lisa.” She looked in my direction and looked relieved.
“Thank God.” She said before grabbing the cord from me and we both headed back to the bus stop.
The bus was already there, waiting for us by the time we had caught up. Being the last ones there, there weren’t many places to sit left, me and Lisa both made faces at the available spots. There was a seat next to Billy Arnold, the boy who reads way too many comic books, Tabitha, the Jesus freak, and Gregory, the boy who does not use deodorant. Billy and Tabitha, it is. Sitting next to Billy, I gave him a polite smile and his eyes lit up and he swallowed hard. Oh God. This is going to be a disaster.
I sat down next to him and looked away, because I could see him looking at me in my peripheral vision. The bus was filled with chatter and laughter as the bus doors closed and began to move. I could see a few rows in front of me, Lisa sitting with Tabitha. Poor Lisa was getting her ear talked off by Tabitha, probably asking her if she’s saved or something. Just then I saw Lisa pull out her ear buds and put them in her ears, while making direct eye contact with Tabitha. I snorted when I saw Tabitha’s annoyed expression.
“You look like Mera from Aquaman.” Billy stared at me, making me feel uncomfortable.
“Thank you?” I wasn’t sure that was a compliment, you know being compared to Amber Heard. Sure, in the movie she had red hair, but we don’t even have the same shade of red.
The rest of the ride was silent between me and Billy, I mean he didn’t quit staring at me, so I was really uncomfortable. I did my best to block it out and tried to focus on something else. I took out my phone and watched the movie Ever After on Netflix. That seemed to occupy me for some time until the bus stopped at a gas station. Every kid had the same idea as me. Get off the bus for a snack or drink. I stand up and shuffle through kids to catch up to Lisa, just as we are exiting the bus.
“Hey, I tried to call my mom on my phone, but we have no signal here. I’m going to see if they have a payphone here.”
“Yeah, no problem, I will come with you.” I began to follow her.
As we walked across the parking lot my eyes drifted to another car at a nearby pump. There was a guy that looked to be in his twenties pumping gas into his grey Dodge Challenger. At first it was the car for me. It was a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Red-eye Wide body. I whistled as I fan girled over the car. Hey, you can shush your mouth, yes, I’m a girl that likes cars, and yes, l also like girly movies.
As if the guy heard me his head turned my direction. Our eyes met for a brief moment and all I could think to myself at that moment was ‘Damn he’s finer than that car.’ He had jet black hair, perfect for running your hands through, and tattoos on his well-built arms that snaked up under his shirt. His olive toned skin with his black tribal-like tattoos made him stand out, and for a split second I felt a pull towards him. I took a step in his direction as the invisible force drew me to him like a soft whisper in my ear.
“Elena.” Lisa’s hand went around my arm, effectively pulling me out of the fog that had briefly clouded my mind. I looked at her and blinked before looking back at the tattoo guy, who now was slightly smirking. Looking back at Lisa again I turned towards her, giving her my full attention.
“Sorry, let’s go.” I said as we began to walk.
“So, was it the guy or the car?” she asked me with a laugh.
“Both.” To my surprise, the word was out of my mouth before I could stop it, to which she cackled.
“The one time you notice a guy and not just his car.” she teased.
“Shut up.” I said as I tried to keep from blushing as we reached the payphone.
Lisa grabbed the phone and put the change in to make the call. I could hear the phone ring as she waited for her mother to pick up, when finally, there was an answer.
“Hello?” the feminine voice said.
“Mom?” Lisa voice was full of hope at the sound of her mother’s voice.
“Oh Lisa, is that you?” Her mom asked.
“Yes mom, it’s me. I haven’t been able to get a hold of you and I missed you. Do you have a couple minutes?” she asked hopefully.
“Who’s on the phone Tiff?” I heard a man’s voice in the background ask.
“It’s nobody honey, just a wrong number.” I heard her say. Lisa’s face fell dejectedly, and her eyes started to water.
“Lisa honey, don’t call again, okay? I finally have the life I wanted, and well, I’m very busy now days and I don’t want you waiting around for me. I have to go, take care of yourself and your dad.” She said before hanging up.
I took the phone receiver out of Lisa’s hand and hung it back up before putting my arms around her. I let her cry against my shoulder as her tears soaked my shirt. Neither of us said anything because there was nothing you can say that will help when your mother abandons you for another life. A life that has no room for you. After a few moments, when she was done, she lifted her head up and dried her eyes.
“I’m okay now. I just need something to drink.” She spoke monotonously. Lisa proceeded to straighten her clothes, take a deep breath, and exit the booth as if her mother hadn’t just abandoned her. Walking behind her, I followed her into the convenience store.