Black Angel (BoyXBoy)

Chapter 18: Panic

As the dismissal bell sounds out its annoying trill, a flash of pale blond appears in my peripherals. Hands half way into my pocket, digging for my car keys and swearing at the tightness of the jeans around my thighs, I don't see Tara until I nearly crash into her. 

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she backtracks hurriedly, tucking a strand of silky hair behind one ear. 

"It's fine, it's fine." I finally grasp the keys and lower my eyes to her face. God, I never realized how short she is. Barely taller than Melody, and thinner than a beanpole (but with all the right curves in all the right places, I must add), she looks like the slightest gust of wind could bowl her over. 

"What's up?" I ask her, adjusting the strap of my backpack. I never wear both straps at the same time; in elementary there was always this one kid who grabbed me by the back of my bag and tugged me flat onto my ass. There are those who like you for your money, and then there are those who despise you for it. 

"Nothing, really," she says in her soft voice, as delicate as my mother's outrageously expensive china. "I just wanted to tell you that, um, Luca was called out of fourth block. He got picked up early or something."

"Oh." My stomach suddenly feels hollow. Anger and concern battle each other in a rage within the confines of my skull, and I swear I can sense cracks forming. "I'm sure he's fine. I'll call him when I get home or something."

Tara nods. "Okay. Just wanted you to know. I know you guys are...friends and all." She places a slight emphasis on the word "friends", and I spot a slight quirk in her eyebrow: one of question.

And suddenly my stomach becomes full of boulders. There's no way she could have..."What's that supposed to mean?"

She looks down at her small, sandal-clad feet, then back at me. "I saw you guys together at Homecoming."

Dear lord, this isn't happening. Not all in one day. "Okay...and what did you see?" I try to sound as nonchalant as I possibly can, but it comes out like my vocal cords are being drawn and quartered. 

"I thought I saw..." she pauses, aware of the fact that we're surrounding by the afternoon stampede to the parking lots. "Um, do you mind giving me a ride home?"

She asks the question so sweetly I can't say no, despite the fact that I want to distance myself from her as far as vampirically possible. In my car it's even worse; she's seated barely two feet away from me, all bright smiles and smooth, creamy skin. If I were any other dude in my school, I would be taking advantage of such good fortune. Giving Tara Lawrence a ride is the stuff of dreams. And now here I am, wanting nothing more than to kick her out and high tail it home.

She turns that bewitching smile on me. "Thanks a ton, Gabriel."

I tighten my grip on the steering will and take a deep breath through my nose. "Sure, no problem." 

It's quiet, with the occasional direction giving from Tara. Only when we're parked outside her mini mansion does she turn to me and say, "Gabriel, are you gay?"

I recoil like she's slapped me. "What are you talking about? Of course not."

"Then why were you two kissing at the dance?" Her question is purely innocent, wide blue eyes curious. "That isn't something you normally do, is it?"

I run a hand down my face. "It was an accident," I say quietly. "I'm not sure how it happened, anyway."

"So, is Luca gay?" she presses unabashedly. I blink once, twice. Either she has a ton of nerve, or...she has a ton of nerve, yeah. 

"Why do you care?" is my retaliation. Regardless of the massive ball of emotions I have toward Luca, and however crazy it may be driving me, I still have the unprecedented urge to protect him.