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Chapter 5

  It wasn’t an answer she’d ever received before. Boys jump over one another to get near or talk to her, never a negative tone or response. With the utmost certainty, she has caught him staring at her several times daily. But it was a good question. What do I want?

  “I came to see you. Are you busy right now?”

  He stood silent for several beats.

  “He is not busy,” his mom yelled deep inside the house. “Come in.”

  She stepped in. “Did you get my note? I left my number in your locker.”

  He stepped back. “Yeah.”

  Yeah? And… he didn’t say anything else. “Were you going to text me?”

  “No.”

  Well, that solves that mystery.

  “I’m Kayla,” Timothy’s mom turned to see a beautiful blonde standing by the door wearing shorts and a tank top. Taken aback, she had to stop herself from saying Jesus. “Take your shoes off, make yourself comfortable.”

  As she did, a dog hustled in from the back sliding door and approached her. It was slender and tall, had black wavy fur, and stood on its hind legs like second nature, a standard poodle.

  “That’s Twain,” he managed.

  She gave in and began petting his dog. “Mark Twain?”

  “Bark Twain.”

  Sarah laughed. It was a good dog name. But Timothy said it so dry it may as well be sandpaper speaking at a eulogy. Twain continued to give Sarah attention as Timothy stood frozen.

  “Would you like to give… I’m sorry, what’s your name?”

  She kept playing with Twain and said, “Sarah.”

  “Sarah, some water?”

  Timothy droned over to the cabinets, grabbed a glass, and filled it through the filter, then scurried back to her, stretching his arm out as far as he could to keep his distance.

  She grabbed the glass. “Thanks.”

  “What’s your last name?”

  She approached the kitchen to be closer to the person who wanted to converse. “Carr.”

  Kayla went wide-eyed. “Carr Ware?”

  “My dad’s company.”

  “Wow. And that means your mom is Dr. Carr.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Kayla pulled out a plastic container from the fridge. “Guess I’ll heat these up. I work on the same floor as your mom. I’m a nurse.”

  “I can see that,” Sarah nodded towards the scrubs Kayla wore.

  “Your mom wears the same outfit.” She prepped three plates and began microwaving one. “Have a seat.”

  With forks clanking and mouths half full, Sarah and Kayla chatted back and forth as Timothy slouched in the chair beside his mom. Despite the slouch, his eyes kept rising to her.

  “I’m sure Timothy might want to ask you how your day has been?” She nudged him.

  “Why did you give me your number?” Timothy didn’t hesitate.

  Whoa, whoa. So confrontational. Why? Again, with that question. The why was simple, as she’d never had to ask for anyone’s number. Boys toss notes to her with their numbers as if they have infinite ammo, but she always ignores them. Timothy always seemed so distant that she stalked him online so he couldn’t escape despite ignoring the note. Also, she has a slight crush on him and doesn’t realize she’s acting weird. Also, will Timothy say anything? Anything about her and Liam?

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  “I’m going to be honest here. I tend to wait for guys to give me theirs, and I couldn’t wait any longer. And I want us to be buds.” She took a bite of food and tried to change the subject. “Did I mention this is really good? What is it?”

  After a moment of silence, Kayla waited for Timothy to say what it was and give him a chance to speak, but he remained silent. “Chicken tandoori marinated in yogurt,” his mom said.

  “Thank you.” Sarah kept eating and watched Timothy stare into his food. “So, Timothy. What do you do for fun?”

  He thought for a moment, unmoving. “Walk Twain.”

  She kept it a secret that she knew about his dog-walking gig. “And I’ve seen you ride your bike. Exercise.” She’s trying here. “Seems like you like to exercise.”

  “I guess so.” Timothy petted his dog, who always remained by his side, head on his lap.

  Man, he’s not feeling it, she thought. Depression? Anxiety? Fear? All of the above?

  His mom stepped in. “Do you share any classes together?”

  “Math, gym, and English. In that order.”

  “Mr. and Mrs. Witman? And the gym teacher is the football coach?”

  “Yeah!” she said.

  His fork clanked against the plate. “I’ll be right back,” Timothy stood up and hurriedly left the table to the bathroom.

  When they heard the door close, Mrs. Timothy's mom said. “Is this a prank?”

  “What?”

  “Or a bet? Popular girl dates the biggest loner in school.”

  The shift in tone hit her like a train wreck. Kayla was so polite. But alone, her claws came out. Sarah dropped her fork and raised her hands to shoulder height. “I would never lie to him,” she lied by not mentioning her ulterior motive.

  “That’s my son, and he’s usually happy and joking and laughing during dinner. You here it’s a stark reminder of what his life is like at school. So why are you here if you’re one of the ones who make him miserable? I thought I was inviting in a friend of his. I’m not buying the to-be buds.”

  The same question she couldn’t answer before. It was almost like her body and mind acted on their own. She didn’t choose to look him up online and find his address, and she didn’t choose to drive over, she didn’t choose to knock on the door. It all just happened.

  Her piercing gaze remained on Sarah, like lasers that fire on anything that moves. Whatever her answer is, it better be good.

  “I think I like Timothy. But there’s some things I need to know first.”

  “Have you ever called him Duck Face?” No hesitation.

  Deflated, she called him that about a year ago. She caught him staring too long as she walked by him in the school courtyard. Stop staring, Duck Face. She looked away, and that told Kayla everything.

  “I’ll make it up to him,” Sarah said.

  “I don’t think Timothy knows how to ask for forgiveness. But it’s me he needs to forgive, so much hate because I can’t afford him braces or surgery.”

  “I’ll—”

  “Girls like you prefer a strong man type, a Superman.”

  She wasn’t wrong, and Sarah knew it. Liam was strong, the star football player. “Well, I’ve never seen Timothy and Superman in the same room together.” Her tone shifted to a positive one. But Kayla didn’t buy it.

  “I’m not joking, and we all know Superman is Clark Kent. Do you think about the future?”

  “Yeah, of course.”

  Kayla tilted her head, wanting to hear it.

  “I’m considering becoming a nurse.”

  “Brown nosing won’t fly.” She picked up her water for a drink.

  “Nursing Timothy’s children.”

  Kayla spat out her drink, most of it flying by Sarah. She wiped her face and coughed out the rest that went down the wrong pipe. Sarah waited a beat, remaining still as if what she said held no embarrassment.

  With several more over-the-top coughs and a stifled chuckle, Kayla laid down the rule of law. “If you hurt him, I’ll end you.”

  As she was about to reassure her, the bathroom door opened, and Timothy, who couldn’t hear a thing in there, sauntered down and returned to his hunched-over self at the table. It hurt his mom to see him like this. He always sat up straight and walked taller when alone with her. Now this peer of his brought in the harassment. Timothy’s feelings of getting sucker punched by verbal insults hasn’t left him for the day.

  “I’m going to have to leave for work soon. Thanks for stopping by, Sarah.”

  “Can I stay? I haven’t cleaned my plate—”

  “Next time.”

  “Thanks for having me,” Sarah stood up. “Especially on short, sudden notice.” She went to the door, blonde hair swinging. Have a good evening.”

  Timothy did have the know-how to see her out. “You too,” he said, opening the door.

  “It’s going to rain tomorrow.” She said.

  Timothy looked at her, confused.

  “Can I pick you up to go to school?”

  He thought momentarily, and with distorted speech because of his teeth, “Sure.”

  “I’ll be here at 7,” and she stepped out, and before her last foot touched the pavement, the door closed behind her.

  “That was rough,” she breathed.

  She skipped down the driveway and to her car. But it’s progress.

  ***

  He couldn’t sleep at all. At all. The cheesy pickup line Hey Girl, I know you must be tired because you've been running through my mind all night was, apparently, a true statement guys said to girls. He calmed down when he realized his mom might be correct, and she might be pulling a prank on him. She lectured him to be careful after she left. But he figured he could use the car ride, and it’s not like his life could get any more humiliating.

  He was wrong.

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