Love At First Bite

Romantic Weekend

The rest of the week went by slowly, exactly like the first day back. In my last hour on Friday, Carli kept bugging me about coming over. "Please! I really want you to come over. My parents and sister are out for a while. That just leaves me and you! It'll be fun!" I sigh. It's not that I don't want to go over, it's just I know what we'll do. And it won't be anything I want to.

"Ok. I'll come over. When are your folks out?" I asked.

"They'll head out at five." She answers.

"Perfect. I'll head up your way at 4:45. I should get there around five. And is this a sleepover?" I asked.

"It'll probably turn into one." She shrugs.

I laugh. "Probably."

As I'm heading out the door to go to Carli's, I'm suddenly pulled back by my hood. I let out a yelp as I turn to see CJ smirking behind me. "Going somewhere?" he asks.

"Carli's." I said, then walk out the door.

He follows. "You can't drive." CJ points out.

"So? Do you want to drive me? May I remind you it's Carli. If she sees you-"

"I'll drive like hell down the road. Let me drive you."

I frown. "Ok what's up? I'm not buying this nice act."

He laughs and holds up five dollars. "The rents are paying me to drive you. The more I drive you, the more money I get."

"What?! Why are you being paid? They drive us around and nobody pays them!"

CJ shrugs. "I'm their favorite."

"No, you're definitely not."

"Really? Where's your money?" I glare in silence as he walks to the passenger side of his Mustang and opens the door. "That's what I thought." He said, gesturing me towards the seat.

The ride was silent except the low hum of the car. I glare at the passing trees and houses until we finally pull into Carli's driveway.

"Let me know when you're coming home." CJ tells me. Carli opens the door and grins when she spots CJ.

"Hey, CJ!" She says excitedly. I glare at my brother.

"Tell her hi." I say through gritted teeth.

"No!"

"Tell her or I'll tell Mom and Dad you made me walk as soon as we got out of our driveway!"

CJ turns to Carli. "Hi." He says grumpily out the window. I smile, satisfied, and hop out of the car and up to my awed bestie. 

We walk inside, and I get a whiff of the usual. It always smelled like cherries when I went to Carli's. I grin as we flop on the couch, a pile of movies on the coffee table.

"So I was thinking we could watch The Notebook or A Walk To Remember-"

"Carli. I said romance and action, not romance and depression."

"I don't have anything like that! I don't do action!" She said, then tilts her head up in thought. "No. Nothing!"

I laugh. "Sorry, but I'm not watching these."

"That's ok! We can...."

Talk about boys. She's going to say talk about boys.

"Talk about boys!" She finishes.

I should have bet on it.

"I don't know..."

"I promise I won't talk about your brother." Carli makes a deal.

"Ok, only if you absolutely mean that promise."

She sticks a pinky out for a pinky swear. "Promise!" Then she thinks. "But if I were to break that promise..."

I laugh. "Ok. So, any other boy caught your eye?" I ask, really not caring. Boy talk was never my thing, but Carli enjoyed it, so what the heck.

"Well, there is Jesse..." She goes on about how cute he is and how nice he smells or something weird like that.

"But Jesse is nothing compared to CJ." Carli says under her breath.

"Hey, I heard that!" I call her out.

"I'm sorry! You know I can't keep a promise! Especially when it's about boys." She smiles.

"What do you even see in CJ?" I ask, thinking of what a huge jerk he is to me.

"Well, there's his eyes. He's so unique! Brown hair and blue eyes? You don't see that often, especially his color of blue. It's like electricity! And his smile melts my heart."

"He hardly smiles. Unless it's when I'm in pain or embarrassed." I say, but she's already lost in a trance.

"And his muscles!"

"What muscles?"

"And his teeth are perfect! His hair flops perfectly to the side. His skin looks so soft..." She continues, but I was getting nauseous.

She must have realized I wasn't listening anymore because she pokes me and asks, "How about your Jordan crush? You've had your eye on him since sixth grade!" She wiggles her eyebrows, and I laugh.

"That's not going anywhere. CJ would kill me if I dated his friend. Plus, that's just weird. I don't even think CJ knows." I realize. I don't talk to anyone about this except Carli.

"There is the back to school dance..." Carli hints.

"Ha! So you'll go with my brother and I'll go with his friend. While Rolando sits and watches?"

Carli smiles dreamily. "A girl can dream."