The Company of Myself.

The Company of Myself - Chapter 7

"So wait, the baby's Chord's?"

"Yeah. She's been pregnant for five months now."

I laid in the football field of Travelle; my back against the soft grass and my feet up against the bleachers with my backpack. Pandora was next to me, looking up at the afternoon sky. It was painted in pink, purple, and yellow streaks, letting bits of blue peek through the clouds.

This sort of thing happened often now. It was November 9th that day; a Thursday. I'd started driving her home every Tuesday and Thursdays now, when I had to attend Newspaper meetings, and when she had to watch Chord practice.

Driving Pandora home twice a week didn't do well with Astrid and Lucie. In fact, it angered them in the beginning. But with time, they were able to accept it, and by the fourth time I'd driven her home, they'd  actually liked that I was with her. They were just happy that I was spending some time with someone else rather than with them.

I won't lie. I liked these afternoons. It was like the morning after Katie Fitche's party. Quiet. Nice. Well. These afternoons gave me the time to talk to her. A good two hours after school, and then a thiry-fourty minute ride home. We would recount over our day, complain about things that bothered us, and laugh over stories that were memorable. I liked it. And I'm sure she did too.

"And to think that I'm dating him right now... Says a lot, doesn't it?"

"I don't think that says anything. Going out with someone doesn't define who you are."

"Well, whatever. People assume."

"But, isn't he going to help her with the baby? You know, Child Support?" I heard her scoff and sensed her arm move away from mine.

"It's Chord, Quinn. Have you even met him?" She sighed in disappointment and put her arms back down next to mine in the grass. I took a deep breath, smelling the newly cut grass.

"Then why're you with him?" I kept my eyes on the sky, refusing to look at her.

"When I met him, on the first day of school, he seemed so... known. Like everyone looked up to him. Nothing could take him down. And when he said hello, he complimented my eyes. He said, 'You have the prettiest eyes ever. They're like stars." I rolled my eyes at that. I could've said a dozen things about Pandora's eyes. I couldv'e told her that they were the most gorgeous things I'd ever seen. That I liked the way they faded in and out of green and grey. That they were the things that captivated me, and made me want to be her friend. She hestitated before continuing her story.

"I guess that's why I still put up with him. Because although he can be a real douchebag, every now and then he has this sparkle that makes me want him. Makes me believe that there's more underneath that tough football player.  Even if that sparkle's only happened four times." I sat up abruptly, and looked down at her. Her light brown hair was sprawled out on the grass, and her light brown shorts had risen up to reveal her pale thighs. I tried my best to not to look at her legs. Her eyes darted to me, and she rose an eyebrow at my sudden move.

"But don't you deserve someone better? Someone who won't ditch you for movies or practice? Someone that'll have that sparkle all the time with you?" She nudged her head to the left, signaling for me to lay back down with her. I slowly put my head back down and sighed.

"I don't know, Quinn. From the looks of it, I can't seem to find anyone like that."

I felt her arm touch mine, barely. It made the hairs on my arm stand up, and I only assumed she could feel them go up. Her long slender fingers brushed against my knuckles, until finally settling on her hand onto mine. And I swear, in that moment, my heart skipped a beat.