Quarter High Chronicles: Fight for the Spotlight

Rooftop Rif Raf

Brenda's POV

I climb into Carters new red mustang as he looks at his phone for pizza delivery prices. It's Friday and Carter's parents have been gone for a few days and are planning on being back tomorrow.
I don't think Carter's parents mind if I'm over while they aren't. I've done it before but I really like his parents and hope they like me. I think they do. They seem to anyways. I just really want to stay in their good graces. They are really chill except for a couple of things, they don't let me in Carter's room and disrespect is detrimental. Once Carter lost his phone for a month because he talked back. My parents are strict in general. I have to have good grades, I can only have thirty minutes to watch t.v. and after seven p.m. I can not use any electronics. I normally "forget" that rule and go to my room and text Carter or Emily and Annabelle. I know my parents would flip if they knew it was only me and Carter at his house. They only allow me to be with a boy if there is some sort of adult supervision of if I'm in a group. Carter is a gentleman and always treats me like a lady. I always try to convince my parents to allow me to go over there, but Carter's parents are auditors so they travel frequently. I normally tell my parents I'm going to Emily's after school and instead go home with Carter. I know it is lying but I'm a teenager, that's what I'm suppose to do. Right?
Carter has been to my house, but his house is so much more fun. He has a pool in his backyard, an amazing kitchen that is constantly filled with delicious food and has the most awesome living room ever! There is a gigantic t.v., that is great for watching movies, and a big comfy chair that we normally end up snuggling on. At my house we can pretty much just do homework at the dinning room table. My parents' rigorousness is really annoying, but I know they think this way is best. My mom is really big on respect just like Carter's mom is. They even punish the same way, phone confiscation. If I talk back or don't follow any rules it results in my phone being taken away for a least two days. I've learned it is best to just keep my mouth closed and hope they don't hear about what state Mr. and Mrs.Cambridge got to go to this time.
"How's 1 large pepperoni sound?" Carter says snapping me out of my thoughts.
"YAS! Pepperoni!" I am starving I haven't eaten anything in like three hours.
"Are you sure? I don't believe you actually want pepperoni." Carter replies sarcastically.
"Oh, shut up. You know I love pepperoni. I would literally die for a pepperoni pizza." I say slightly exaggerating.
"Well, I hope not because then I would have to die too. I wouldn't be able to live without you." He replies in a cheesy way with a cute smirk.
"Woah. No need to go all Romeo and Juliet. It is just pizza." I say with a smile.
"Just pizza? Well, if you don't want it then I guess I won't order it." Carter says teasingly.
"Oh my god, Carter! I love pizza. I want pizza. Please! Get me pizza!" I exclaim with mock annoyance.
"You know Brenda, I'm starting to think you like pizza more then me." Carter says so seriously that I think he really means it. I feel a moment of guilt then I see a twinkle in his blue eyes and I realize he is just being annoying and dramatic.
"Carter! Must you be so dramatic? I promise you, I love you as much as pizza." Love? Crap! Did I just say love....as much as pizza? Holy macaroni. What do I do? Ummm. Okay don't freak out. Just wait and see how he replies. Okay. Carter say something. Anything! My mind scrambles.
"Well, in that case I'll get you a large pepperoni pizza." He replies without skipping a beat as he pulls out his phone.
I take his lead and add, "And breadsticks.".
After we get in the house Carter tells me he wants to do a few bench presses before the pizza arrives. Honestly, I don't see the logic in it but whatever. I'm not complaining. I love to watch him excersize. I get to see his toned muscles as he flexes and shows off his strength. It's quite exhilarating actually. I expect to start heading down to the basement where his equipment is, but instead he starts up the stairs.
"I thought your work out stuff was in the basement?" I ask confused why he is going up a level instead of down. I've never been upstairs.
"We are turning the basement into like a game room so for right now it has to be in my room." He says with a shrug. I hesitate when he motions me to walk up the stairs with him to his room. I've never been to his room before because the one rule I have in the Cambridge house is to not be in Carter's room.
"I don't want to get in trouble. I want to be on your parents good side. You know that." I reply rejecting his motion.
"Oh, come on. They're in Alabama for at least tonight. They'll never know." I contemplate weather I should go for about another 15 awkward seconds. Suddenly, Carter comes running back down the stairs to me. I start running the opposite direction. Me, being the slow runner I am, I only make it to the kitchen when Carter catches up and throws me over his shoulder. "Oh my goodness, Carter! What the heck!? You're crazy!" I say with a laugh.
"Yeah, crazy for you." He says so cheesy it makes me giggle.
"Oh shut up. Let me down!" I protest teasingly while trying to wiggle my way out of his grip. It won't work all because of this stupid, dumb football training.
"Not until we make it to my room." He says countering my protest. He carries me up the stairs and after the fourth one, it feels like he is about to tip us over.
"Oh My Gosh, Carter! Don't drop me!" I scream while laughing.
"I won't, babe." He says laughing back. He then starts to tip on purpose.
"What the heck! Carter! Stop it! I'm going to fall! Let me down!" I chant in between breaths of laughter.
"I can't! I think you're glued to my shoulder. There's no way to get you off!" He then zooms up the stairs faster than I could run myself and plops me on his bed and sits beside me. I playfully punch him and start laughing again. "That was too scary, Carter! You can't ever do that again! Buttface!" I yell at him with a big smile on my face.
"I can't do that ever again?" He jokingly asks with a cute smirk.
"Yep." I answer, with a matter of fact nod.
"How are you going to make sure I don't do that?"
"Well..." I say scooting closer to him so that our noses are about to touch. "If you do that again-" I lean in even more so our mouths are practically touching and say, "I'll withhold my kisses.".
"That's too cruel. You wouldn't." He challenging whispers then starts to close the space between us.
Slam! a car door shuts. I immediately pull back a little. I look at Carter, my eyes huge and shout, "Pizza!" while I excitedly jump up. He laughs and gets off the bed. He grabs his wallet as I rush down toward the stairs. I make it half way down the stairs when I see the lock moving, the pizza delivery guy doesn't have a key. I quickly start to rush back  to Carter's room. What if it's a burglar! Or a murderer! I may never see my parents again! Oh my gosh! I hope they don't find my Barbie doll collection in my closet.....
When I make it back to Carter's room, his eyes meet mine and I look at him in fear.
"It's not the Pizza guy." I whisper closing the door behind me.
"Carter! We're home!" Shouts the familiar voice of Mrs.Cambridge. I am still, like a statue, listening to every sound that is made. Carter is the same way. He still hasn't made a move. Although Mrs. Cambridge isn't a murderer, I still might get murdered for breaking the one rule this family has. Every ounce of my being is praying that I don't get caught. Within seconds, I can feel the beginning stages of a panic attack coming on. I love Carter's parents, they treat me like I am their own daughter. I just don't want to disappoint them. Plus, I'm never one that breaks the rules. This feeling is foreign to me.
I hear a creak from the stairs. Oh my goodness! Freaking out I quietly ask Carter, "They are coming up what should I do?" He is still. He is panicking. His blue eyes are huge and I don't think he is breathing. Apparently he is just as scared of his parents as I am. Okay. One of us needs to snap out of it and make a decision, quick. Hide! My brain shouts. I immediately scan the room. The closet! No, I'll have to be absolutely quite. I haven't eaten since like 4:00 and my stomach will probably make that fact known in a very loudly fashion, so that's not gonna work. If I only had to hide for like a minute I would totally dive in there but who knows how long it will take them to catch up?! My next instinct is under the bed. Again, totally not going to work! I need something better!
I wildly glance at Carter for suggestions but he is frozen. Crap! Then it dawns on me, the window! It leads out to the roof and I can be as loud as I need to be because the noise can easily be put off as nature. The next thing I know, I'm rushing over to the window. I hurriedly unlock the latch and carefully climb out. I am now sitting on the roof that directly looks off his backyard, which is quite lovely and I might be able to enjoy it more under different circumstances. I thank the lord that the roof isn't super steep or high because if it were I not only would have been caught but also have a few broken bones.
"What-?" I hear Carter say. I guess me running over to his window knocked him out of his stupor. A knock on his door cuts him off. I hear the door open and the cheerful voice of his mom greets him, with out a doubt pulling him in to a big hug.
"How was your trip?" I hear Carter ask. You can tell he hasn't completely recovered from the 'stuck in the headlights' moment.
"Great! I love Alabama!" She replies not suspecting anything.
"The fairytale castles in Fairhope were interesting." I hear Mr.Cambridge chime in.
"Have you eaten yet?" Mrs.Cambridge asks.
"No, I ordered pizza. It is on the way." Carter replies.
"Okay, just making sure. Your father and I are exhausted we'll unpack and probably fall right to sleep." Mrs.Cambridge states.
"Carter, why is your window open?" Mrs.Cambridge asks and I freeze. Crap! I've been made. Abort! Abort!
"Oh, I just wanted some fresh air." Carter quickly answers.
"Close it before you catch a cold." Mrs.Cambridge replies and I suddenly realize how cold it is. Honestly though, I would rather suffer in the cold then having to deal with the hot, hatred fueled glares of betrayal from Carter's parents.
I hear the doorbell ring and Carter saying, "That must be the pizza." I hear footsteps fade and decide everyone has left Carter's room. I finally let out a deep breath. That was close. Okay, now what? I cold gust of wind shoves me but luckily I retain my balance. I definitely need to get off of here though. How do I get down? I am not going to jump and there is nothing to climb down. I can not go back in his room. I can't risk his parents seeing me.
My brainstorming is suddenly interrupted by Carter's voice, "Grab the pizza.". I immediately reach for the pizza box. Soon I have a warm blanket around me, a piece of pepperoni pizza in my hand, a boyfriend beside my and stars brightly shining above me. The only thought  going through my head right now is, could I be any more lucky?
The pizza is halfway gone when a large gust of cold wind pushes past us causing me to shiver. He pulls me in closer and I lay my head on his shoulder. There is only us inside our very own bubble, where the cold can't reach us and where people can't bother us. We sit side by side talking about random stuff and staring up at the stars for what seems like only minutes but is actually hours. I know it is almost midnight but I don't want to leave Carter's side. I don't want to burst this amazing bubble.
"I should probably be getting home." I hear myself say.
"I know." He says in a tone reflecting what I feel.
"I don't want to leave." I truthfully state.
"Then don't." He says with his ocean blue eyes begging me to stay.
"What are we gonna do? Stay on your roof all night?" I ask with a laugh.
"Why not?" He replies with a shrug.
I think about it. My parents think I'm at Emily's. His parents are probably asleep. No one will care that we are up here. The only wrong thing I could do right now is get up so I say, "Good point." and snuggle in closer to him. I don't dare move because I'm holding on to the hope that as long as I stay still, so will time and this perfect moment will never end.