The River Rhythm

Chapter eight

Carlos

Is it possible to fall in love with a girl you know absolutely nothing about? I mean besides her name, where she lives and how good she dances, I know nothing about Marceline. I felt really comfortable with spilling my guts to her yesterday. She didn't even return the gestures and usually that's a sign that one should stop talking, but I didn't. I kept feeling like she wanted to know more, even if she didn't show it.
Maybe it's just a crush. That's very possible. I mean the girl is a new to me, to the entire town. She's something different. The way she dresses is different; she has a very northern accent so the way she speaks is different too. The face is a little caramel but not too dark. She has a wide but sharp face. The type that usually looks amazing when smiling but she hardly does. There's more to her and I know it. I've seen her dance, looked into her eyes I know there's more. I want that more.

I spent most of the morning reliving what happened on Saturday. The morning, how I was feeling before I went down to the river, how we randomly went to the mall and our time there. The dance, the lunch and the tee-shirt, everything. Even right now I'm still pondering on every word she did say and what she was thinking when she was completely silent, pretending to be listening to me.

"Junior, it's time to go, you'll be late again." Mum's voice yells from the other side of my bedroom door. That's right it's Monday again. The weekend always goes by way to fast. I don't even remember yesterday. Maria says I slept for most of it, that's pretty normal. What surprises me is how I'm actually looking forward to school today. I can't wait to see Marceline again. To look into her unexpressed face and wonder what she's thinking. Our time to together on Saturday was so interesting. I've been to that mall a million times and I didn't have as good of a time as I did with Marceline. And we didn't even do that much just talked nothing more.

When I arrive at school I catch her just as she's entering the gates. She glances at me but says nothing. She's staring at her pumps and I jog to her. "Hey", I say smiling. She nods and continues walking again. "You good?" I make another attempt to get her to open that mouth of her. She briefly replies yes and we continue in silence. I start thinking of ways to get a fiery conversation before we head to class.

"So..." I start.

"Yea yeah I had a good time too. You wanna meet by the bank later?" she says in one breath. I'm pretty shocked that I stand there soaking in her word for a moment.

"Uhh sure." I say. She smiles then turns and starts to walk away. "Hey! Wait." I run after her.

As the day goes by I introduce her to a couple of my friends. The cheerleader squad, my best friend Matt and my favourite teacher Mr Morgan. She smiles and talks to everyone which makes me glad because the last time we tried this it didn't go so well.

Later that afternoon she arrives at the bank. I'm already here waiting because I didn't even go home after school. I feel like a boy in middle school realising that there's more to girl coodies and that I may like them more that I hate them. Marceline parks in the same spot as Saturday, suppose it's her regular. She has her earphones plugged in and she grabs a large brown worn out bag as she comes out. She smiles at me a little as she's walking towards me. That's when I realise I didn't plan anything for us to do. We can't just sit her without legs in the water and talk. The girl isn't really a fan of that. I try hard to not let her see the panic in my eyes, so I look away.

"Hey Junior" she says. She throws her bag on the ground and soon follows after it.

"Whatcha doing?" she asks casually. I notice how she is more comfortable to talk to me right now. She seemed happier in a way. More at peace. My dad always said that happened here. Maybe it happens to her.

"How was your day Marceline?" her smile fades when I ask that question. I might have said the wrong thing. I look away from me for a second and bring her eyes up to my chest and smiles again,