He Fell for the Stars

           This wasn’t the first time he saw her.  And this wasn’t the first time he thought she was beautiful.  And this certainly wasn’t the first time she took his breath away.  But this was the first time she made his world slow down.  Skylar walked up to him and pulled him into a hug.

“Can you believe it Joey?  We’re going to be seniors next year.  Only a few more minutes until break!”  She was practically jumping around and yelling.  He laughed at her goofiness.  She pulled away from him and ran over to her group of friends, practically running into some junior guys.

            Joey brushed his straight, black hair out of eyes.  He opened his locker and grabbed his summer work and the books he was reading and threw it all into his backpack.  As he closed his locker door for the last time this year, the final bell rang.  All the kids in the hall started screaming and pushing each other.  Joey tried to avoid getting shoved on the ground as he made his way through the hall looking for her.  Luckily, she was already at the end waiting for him.

“Joey!”  He turned to the softest voice and there she was.  Subtle, auburn hair down her back and light pink lips that barely stood out against her ivory skin.  She was smiling bright, hazel eyes shimmering.  She was waving at him in her light blue sundress.  He managed to make it over to her.  “I was looking for you.”

“Oh,” Joey answered, “Beth left already?”  She giggled.

“Of course.  She left as soon as she could.  I just couldn’t see you.  Everyone acting crazy wasn’t helping.”

“I figured,” Joey looked around at the nearly empty hallway, “you ready to go?”

“When you are.”  He held his bent arm out and she looped hers into his.  Arms linked in one another, they walked outside of the school until September.  

            Once they got outside, the rush had ended and their arms dropped.

“I can’t believe school’s over.”

“I know, this is the last time until next year we get to walk home together.”

“Oh don’t say that Joey, you’re going to make me cry.”  He laughed.

“We can still hang out this summer Skylar.”

“I know, I know.”

“Just not as much.”  She stopped.

“Why not?”  He walked over to her.

“I’m working now.  Don’t you remember sweetheart?  I’m hoping to get a car by school.”  She rolled her eyes at him but starting walking again.

“Well yes I remember, I wish you didn’t have to though.”

“Money doesn’t grow on trees.”  Skylar shook her head, holding back a little smile.

“You sound like my grandfather.”

“It’s true though.”

“You don’t have to tell me, I just wish we could spend all summer together like last year.”  She was walking up the front steps of her home as she said this,

“We’ll spend as much time as we can together, I promise.”  She pulled him into a tight hug on her steps as he said this.  He wrapped his arms around her, not wanting to let her go. 

“I expect you to keep that promise Joey.”  She pulled away and tapped his nose when she said his name.  He smiled and started walking down the steps as she opened the front door.

“Oh, I will.”  He replied.  Joey turned back to look at her one last time once he got to the bottom of the steps but her front door was already closed.