Counting the What Ifs

Chapter 9: Field Day

Ryan

The whole school was buzzing about Eva's party. Ryan heard people talking about how nice her house was and asking why she didn't throw parties more often. He had enjoyed himself, too. It was a very carefree weekend – one that was drastically different than the last. He thought he would be worried the whole time and for the first hour he kept a close watch on Eva. She seemed to be fine however, so he let himself relax and gave his attention to Priya.

It was nice to see her laugh so often and not be bogged down by all the responsibilities. It was the first time she had truly looked young. Not that she ever looked old, but she was more mature than the other students her age. It was surprising that she was the youngest one of the group. Ryan smiled as he thought of how happy she looked the whole night. The whole event really came together well, despite a few hiccups.

As the designated bouncer, Ryan did confiscate some flasks from a few people. He wished he didn't have to, but he spilled the contents onto the ground, and made sure no one else knew about it. He imagined Eva would be disappointed if she found out some people tried to sneak in alcohol.

He smiled wide as he walked up to Priya. She returned his smile, and they both stood looking at each other's eyes, not yet saying anything. The party was the first time they held hands, and Ryan was suddenly feeling shy. He thought it was interesting that by taking it slow, each step forward seemed like a huge milestone, even if it was a normal no-big-deal for most other people. But Priya was not like most other people, and Ryan liked that. It made her special. He reached out for her hand, and despite some nervous hesitation, Priya allowed his hand in hers. His thumb drew small circles, and he felt a heat rush through him as he remarked at how soft her skin was.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," she responded. They stood silent for a few moments looking at each other with dopey grins.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Great," she said. They had talked on the phone last night for hours, but Ryan felt as if he hadn't seen her in a long time. Still, he couldn't collect his thoughts enough to form intelligent sentences. He was captivated by her hazel eyes that seemed to illuminate the room. She had a strong jawline and high cheek bones, and Ryan couldn't stop himself from staring. Priya's smile dropped a little. "What's wrong, is there something on my face?" she asked. Ryan leaned in close and put his lips by her ear.

"You're beautiful," he whispered. He hoped he wasn't close enough that Priya could hear his hammering heart. She looked down at the ground, away from his face.

"Okay," she said. She extended her hand, forcing Ryan to take a step back from her. He was worried he had crossed a line, and offended her, ready to offer an apology when he saw a grin creep onto her face. A red glow emanated from her cheeks. She looked up at him again. "Thank you," she finally said. "I don't think a boy has ever told me that before. And I think...I think you're beautiful, too."

Ryan gripped Priya's hand firmer to keep it from shaking. He felt as if he had ingested pure caffeine from the way his cells vibrated through his veins. He wanted to close the foot of space between them, but knew it wasn't the right place or time for that. Ryan could have spent all day looking at Priya as if she were a treasured painting in an art gallery. Unfortunately, they did not have that kind of time.

"Knock, knock," Leah said as she came up next to them, rapping her knuckles on the lockers. "Sorry to interrupt, but we have class. Did you not hear the bell?"

"The bell went off?" Ryan asked.

"Ah, the honeymoon phase. The sweetest and purest moment of romance," Eva said, standing next to Leah. "It's nauseating. Please get a room." Ryan suddenly felt embarrassed. Looking at Priya made it seem as if it were just the two of them in the school, lost in their own bubble. Sadly, it had burst, and reality and people had come crashing in.