Phoenix Rising (re-writing)

Chapter 4

"Yeah. Thanks, I might take you up on that sometime." She says a weak smile.

"Also," I say a mischievous glint sparkling my eye. I step closer towering over her small frame just a hair of space between us. I lean my face down against her neck. "Another stolen kiss would well be worth Nanas wrath."

She quickly forces an upper cut right in my gut knocking all the wind out of me. "I guess I'll just have to handle you myself then." She laughs and grabs my elbow as I try to catch my breath. "This way creeper," she tugs my arm towards a dark hallway that I can only assume is the biology lab. As much as I would love to believe she was taking me to a dark hallway to have her way with me, I doubt that is the case.

"Anyone ever tell you, you're abusive?" I ask as Im finally able to breath. "Also, you hit like a man. Thats kind of intimidating, hot but intimidating."

"Oh, shut up you want to make out with me right now and you know it." she states still half dragging me.

"Among other things yes, Im really hoping youre looking for a janitors closet right now to have your way with me, please tell me thats what youre doing." A middle-aged man steps out of an open door into the hallway as we walk.

"Lord no, I am sick and tired of walking in on teenagers using my close. Cant you teenagers keep it in your pants?" The look on his face is obvious he is joking and causes me to laugh.

"Hey Ron, ignore Evan please. He is an idiot." Ron laughs even harder at this.

"Stay out of trouble Phoenix," he pauses, "hows Tina and John? This year has really been hard on you guys. Any improvement with Sara?"

"As well as can be expected, I guess. Sara will be home soon, the first round of treatments are over so she is coming home until the next are due. Everyone is excited for her to be home." She shifts uncomfortably. "Hows your mom?" She looks up at me awkwardly. "Go on in, Evan. Its the next door on the left, I'll catch up. " The look in her eye suggests she would rather I didnt listen in, so I dont. I give her a smile and walk ahead. Im slightly hurt she pushed me ahead, but at the same time she hardly knows me, I have no reason to be hurt. I guess being honest with myself Im really crushing on her hard, really hard. I cant believe Im doing this to myself, I make fun of guys that crush on girls like this with little to no praise to continue. I mean its not going to stop me, but I will have a long hard conversation about it with myself tonight.

Mr. Haun the bio teacher walks me through the process of extracting DNA and in minutes it's over, and we are both on our way to forgetting the other exists when she shows up at the door. There is an obvious distance to her. Her shoulders are slouched, her face is tilted down causing her beautiful waves to cover her face. The urge to grab her chin to tilt her face up is stronger than a tweakers urge to tweak. I consider caving but I don't.

"Ready?" I ask. The only response I get is her hair bouncing up and down. She turns around leading us back the way we came. I wait until we are outside almost to my car before I place my hand on the small of her back amazed at how big my hand seems on her. "Hey, you want to talk? She looks up at me smiling.

"Nope all good, thanks though just needed a minute to think." The smile is genuine, and her words are steady and sincere. I almost believed her. Actually, I dont know why I dont. I guess if she wants to pretend nothing is wrong than so will I.

"Cool, want to make out?" I ask grabbing her and pulling her body close to me up against my car. The surprise in her eyes as her body crashes against mine was worth the pain I am sure she is about to inflict. To my surprise she doesnt push me away, instead she leans in. Her hands travel up around my neck. Her blue pools hold mine as she gently tugs my face closer to hers. She lifts up to her tip toes, her lips are so close together I can feel her breath on my face, goosebumps rise on my arms. I see the humor in her eyes too late.