Sparks

Chapter 5

"She's pretty." Sara had come to stand next to me, giving me that same look she had given me earlier.

"She's nice," I corrected, "The pretty is just a bonus." God damn it, why couldn't I have said that to Iris? Or something like it? "How was your first day?"

"Good," she replied simply, "High school is weird."

I laughed. "Yeah, it is. Where's Scott?"

"He had to run to the bathroom. He'll be out in a sec."

Scott came running up almost as soon as she finished saying it. "Ready to go. Let's get out of here." He sounded disgusted. I raised an eyebrow to Sara, who shrugged.

Scott wouldn't say a word until we got to the car and were pulling out of the driveway. I noticed Jack's Chevy still stuck in the long line of cars and I wanted to beat them home, to make sure he dropped Iris off right away (I swear, I'm not a stalker. I'm just worried about her). "What a load of crap," Scott muttered.

"Good first day?" I asked, still distracted by Jack's Chevy.

"The teachers are rude, the students are annoying, the food sucks, the bathrooms are a disgrace...I have to go here for four years?"

"Better start loving it soon," I said, "It only gets worse."

He gave a despairing moan and Sara pulled him in for a hug. "It's okay, bro," she said, "At least you've got me there too."

"Yeah, how many classes did you two manage to get together?"

"All of them," they said together. Big shock.

I managed to pull out of the school parking lot before Jack did and zipped home so fast, Sara still had Scott in the hug. Our parents were waiting in the living room.

"How was it?" dad asked.

"All right," I said, kicking off my shoes and running up the stairs.

"Meet anyone interesting?" mom called up after me.

"Kind of!" I called back. I was already in my bedroom, staring out the window at the driveway to Iris' house. I tried to think; given the speed that the cars drove out of the school lot was more in terms of snail's-pace than horsepower, I didn't think they'd be getting there any time soon, especially if Jack tried to make it last as long as possible.

I waited. I could hear Scott and Sara talking to my parents, probably discussing their respective experiences. I checked my watch. It had been five minutes since we got home. Still time. My heart was pounding hard.

By the time fifteen minutes rolled around, I was starting to get worried. Even if this was one of the especially slow days, there's no way it would have taken this long. He probably talked her into going somewhere first, probably to the mall or a fast-food joint. I decided I'd give it five more minutes, then give up.

Fifteen minutes later, still nothing. I flopped on my bed, fuming. Fricking Jack. She had probably mentioned that she and I were neighbors and, not wanting me to have any time to hang with her, was taking her all over. I pulled out my phone and texted her my name. If she started texting me back, maybe I could find out what the heck he was doing.

I pulled over my laptop, logged into Facebook, found her profile and friended her. I left it open on my bedside table and decided, since I had nothing better to do, that I'd try and get some of my reading done. It wasn't much of a time-filler; I read and remembered so well, I probably would knock out everything in twenty minutes. But I had to do something. Even video games weren't sounding that appealing. If that wasn't a sign something was wrong, I don't know what was.

Everything was read and memorized in less than twenty minutes and I was left with nothing else to do. I had been taking occasional glances out of the window, slamming my face to the glass every time a car drove by, but it was never Jack and Iris. Now I was really beginning to get worried. I logged back onto Facebook and checked her profile. No response on my friend request. I couldn't see her relationship status either.

I chewed my lip for a second, then got an idea. I typed in Jack's name and pulled up his profile. A shirtless picture of him popped up, and, as I suspected, nothing about his profile was private. All of his pictures, friends (all ten of them), and posts were free to view. I looked at his relationship status. Single. Well, thank God for that.

I left my laptop open and checked my phone. No message from Iris. The pit in my stomach became deeper as I realized just how lonely I was. Luke and Dash worked after school, Scott and Sara only ever hung out with each other, and mom and dad, love them as I do, weren't exactly the "hang out with" material.

There was, however, one person I could text: my cousin, Jonathan. He and I had been as close as Scott and Sara growing up and he always knew how to make me feel better. I shot him a text.

Me: hey bro.

It only took a minute or so for a response.

Jon: hey cuz. How was your first day?

Me: meh.

Jon: that dull huh?

Me: No...just...troubles

Jon: girl troubles?

Me: how did you know that??

Jon: for a high school boy, are there any other kind?

Me: Lol true yep

Jon: what's up man?

Me: This girl moved in next door a couple weeks ago. She's really pretty and really nice but this douchebag at school is putting the moves on her. He's just going to ditch her when he's done with her but I don't want her to go through all that.

Jon: yikes man. Have you talked with her?

Me: a bit. I think she likes me but the douchebag drove off with her after school and hasn't returned since.

Jon: Yooo...don't get too obsessed man. Lol

Me: Lol I'm not! I just know what he does

Jon: Well stay her friend. Don't just ditch her cause you didn't get to her quickly enough.

Me: I wouldn't

Jon: Good. I got a date tonight man so I'll catch ya later ok?

Me: alright thanks Jonathan...ttyl

Jon: ttyl bro

I had dropped my phone, a little disappointed that the conversation had to end so soon. There was a blip on my computer screen and I glanced to see something had changed on Jack's profile. His relationship status had changed. It now said, 'In a relationship'. What's worse, it said, 'In a relationship with Iris Warner'.

....