{{"Good boyfriends don't kiss and tell." He smiled again, then slid back under the car.}}
Kaida and I took turns watching the boys work on each car. Apparently Gil was the only one allowed under Konai's Mustang. I would go talk to Gil for a while, then go watch Konai work on Joe's engine. I had to make sure not to walk up and disturb Konai because, well, I was a distraction. At least, that's what Joe kept calling me. So most of the afternoon was spent chatting with Gil. He was even nice enough to buy me and Kaida each a bottle of water as we waited for them to finish working on the cars.
He slid out once more, searching for another tool. "Hey Gil, can I ask you something?" I slid down to sit by him on the concrete floor. He turned and looked at me, "Yeah sure, I guess so." He pushed himself forward then sat up. "What did you want to know?" He wiped his hands on his jeans and leaned forward.
"Well... I was kind of wondering. You've been going to school here since the eighth grade..." "Yes, I started in the middle of the school year. It was kind of horrible." He scrunched his face, but smiled at me. "Well, this is the first time you've ever really talked to me. I was wondering why?" I held my hands up defensively, "not that I mind, I like talking to you. I was just wondering.... why now, and not before?"
He sighed and ran his fingers through his dark curls. "At first it was just because you were a girl. I've always found it really hard to just walk up and start talking to a girl." He shrugged, looking a bit embarrassed. "But then it was obvious that you were with the tribal boys."
I must have looked as confused as I felt, and he tried to explain, "No, I don't mean you were with any of them like that, but... you were one of them. Like a click or a group or something. It just kind of made you seem, unobtainable." He frowned and rubbed the side of his neck. "Maybe that's the wrong word. Unapproachable?" He shook his head again. "Um, I guess you could say, well you seemed really... intimidating."
I had just taken a drink of water out of my water bottle, and choked. Gil reached over and patted my back gently. I wiped off my mouth and looked up at him, "You thought I was... what?"
He looked embarrassed and apologetic at the same time. "Sorry, you just seemed so far out of anyone's league. You always seemed to be so sure of yourself, you never really took flack off of anyone, even jokingly. You're really straight forward and honest, and that's kind of intimidating. Plus a lot of guys were worried about being pummeled by Konai or one of the other boys. I guess nobody was brave enough to really talk to you." He reached over and patted my leg, "We all kind of thought you were dating one of them." He scooted back and grabbed a soda off the shelf by his bag.
I turned away, knowing my cheeks were turning pink. I couldn't believe that anyone could have been intimidated by me. That just seemed so.... wrong. All this time I thought people just didn't like me, or were just avoiding me. But they'd been afraid to talk to me instead. Was that worse?
I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, "Actually no, I wasn't ever dating anyone. Well, not until this last weekend." I smiled and tucked my chin on top of my knees.
"Yeah, I noticed." He answered softly. I looked back at him, but he was smiling kindly. "That's really nice, you and Konai dating. I know Ben would liked to have known you were single, but I think Konai is a really great guy. He'll make a good boyfriend for you."
"Wait. What?" My water bottle almost slid out of my hand, and I had to reach out and catch it.
"Konai will be a good..."
"Uh, no, not that part. What you said about Ben." I stared at him, not really comprehending what he'd said. He turned away quickly and started to slid under the car again. I caught the edge with my hand and rolled him slowly back out. He sighed loudly and I watched him deliberate over his words.
"Okay, I'm probably going to get beat up for that one, but honestly, after he shoved me at Harriet...." He scrubbed his hand over his face, then flopped his arms down onto the ground and laid there for a minute. "Ben....... maybe, kind of, might have had a crush on you our freshman year." He rubbed his shoulder with one hand, "And I was sort of sworn to secrecy. But after what he pulled this afternoon, I think I can get away with saying that." He fiddled with the wrench in his hand.
"Ben liked me?" Like actually liked me, like he'd had a crush? That just made no sense. I'd never really spoken to him outside of baseball practice, and even then our conversations had been limited. "It's no big deal, honestly. He's had a crush on a different girl every year. Chances are his brain is on some other girl right now." He grabbed another tool just before sliding under the car again. He was right, Ben was probably thinking about Malorie, and why she'd punched him this morning.
I glanced over at Konai, and he was still bent over the hood of the car, one hand propping him up over the engine, the other working. But he wasn't really working, his hand was barely moving at all. I looked up into his face, and even though he was facing towards the car, his eyes were focused intently on me.
Could he hear our conversation? And if he could, was he listening, and what had he heard? I felt my cheeks grow hot, and he blinked and looked away, his arm blocking his face from view. The expression on his face had been unreadable, and I wondered what he was thinking about.
"Anyways, it doesn't matter. You're with Konai, and it looks pretty serious to me." He spoke between clanking sounds. "Serious...." I murmured, and took another drink of water. Yes, it was serious. I still wasn't exactly sure how or why it had happened, but I was glad that it had. "Yes, I suppose you could call it that."
"Well, you're in love with him, right?" He sat down one tool and fumbled for another. I shoved the cloth closer and he grabbed another wrench. "Aren't all girls in love with their boyfriends?" I asked, and tapped my foot on the edge of the bumper.
"Well, I'm sure everyone cares for the person they're dating, and if they're lucky, they'll love each other. But there's a difference between loving someone, and being IN love with someone. Close, but not the same." He rolled out and studied me for a moment. "I've seen the way he looks at you, and that's a guy in love. So... are you in love with him?"
I was in the middle of taking another drink of water, and my gaze flicked back to Konai. He was still leaning over the car, but he wasn't moving at all. I couldn't even tell if he was breathing. Joe seemed to be frozen too, and neither were looking at me. Yes, he could hear. And I was pretty sure Little Joe could too.
I didn't really have to think about it I knew how I felt, even though I wasn't entirely sure about how it had happened, I loved him. And I was very much in love with him. I turned back towards Gil, tilting my head to rest my chin on my knees. "Yes, I'm in love with him." I twisted my fingers in my shoelace and smiled and Gil, and he smiled back and slid underneath the car again.
It was like the sound had been off, and I suddenly heard clanking and banging noises from the car behind us. I peeked up to smile at Konai, or check his reaction, but his back was to me. Little Joe was holding a light up to help Konai see, and he was smiling so widely it looked as though it might actually hurt his face. He looked up quickly and winked at me, still smiling, and then went back to helping Konai.
Gil rolled out and started to pick up the tools. "So, are you all done?" I helped him pick up the rest and placed them gently on the countertop. I noticed that everyone else had cleaned up and left, other than Konai, Little Joe and Kaida. "Yup, just a quick check-up, nothing serious. She's in perfect condition," He grinned and patted the car lovingly. I laughed and ran my hand across the hood, "Good, I'll bet Konai will be happy to hear that."
"I am."
I turned quickly and Konai was standing so close to me I had to tilt my head back to look at him. He was smiling softly, his cheeks a dull bronze. His hair was free of it's tie and fell loosely around his shoulders. I opened my mouth to say something, but no sound came out. The corner of his mouth lifted up and he turned slightly, addressing Gil. "Sorry about taking up your day."
He slid one arm around my waist and I realized I wasn't breathing. I inhaled slowly, expecting the scent of motor oil or grease, or something. But the scent that was so uniquely Konai was all that I could smell. Like fresh earth and rain. And thunderclouds. Safe and warm, but also wild.
"Holy crap is that really the time?" Gil scrambled for his bag, tossing it over his shoulder. I glanced at the clock, it was only five minutes until the last bell, then we could all go home. Gil paused at the door and spun around, "It's cool, I'd hate for anyone else to look at her anyways." He waved goodbye and Konai laughed and waved too.
As soon as the door closed behind Gil, Konai was turning back to me. "I neglected you." He reached up and pulled my braid over one shoulder, playing with the end, "Are you mad at me?" He looked so serious, and I couldn't understand what he meant.
Kaida walked up with Joe beside her, "Come on, we're STARVING. Can we go eat? Please?" She pretended to fall over and Joe laughed at her. I suddenly realized I was starving too. None of us had stopped for lunch. Konai smiled and tossed a set of keys at Joe. "Yeah, you two go ahead, we'll be there in a minute."
"Really?" Little Joe sounded surprised.
Konai shrugged, "Sure, you both have to eat right? Just head straight there and we'll catch up." Kaida didn't need an explanation, she was already opening the door to Joe's car. "Don't take too long, you're buying." She grinned at her brother and slammed the door closed. Joe flinched and shook his head. "Teach her to be nicer to your car," Konai chuckled and pulled me towards his car.
He paused in front of the passenger door and leaned forward, making it impossible to pull the door open. "Andrea, do you have plans for this afternoon?" He leaned closer, his other arm trapping me in place. "I don't think so, why, did you have plans?" My voice sounded oddly high and a bit squeaky. "Yes, me and the boys have sparring practice three times a day now. I'd like you to go." He smiled and straightened a bit, pulling the door open for me. "You want me to go practice with you?" I smiled nervously, not sure of what he wanted me there for. I didn't want to be accused of beating him up again.
"No, not exactly, I just want to introduce you to all of the boys, I know you've only really met a couple of them." He looked away and there was an odd note in his voice. "What do you mean, introduce me to them? I grew up around a lot of them, and I know I've never really talked to them before, but I doubt the guys would be interested in hanging out with me."
He ran his fingers through his hair, and sighed.
"Well, this would be a little different." He looked up at me, and his warm brown eyes swirled and turned to a dark midnight black.
My smile never faltered, but I tilted my head and asked, "Why would it be different?"
"Because I'm taking you to meet the Guardians."