Out Of The Zone

Road To...West Brook

 James

Here we go...

My main girl, Tori Kendall, has done it again.

Eliminating all hope that I'll ever be more than a friend to her.

I'd never press her to be something she's not. Which, in this case, is my secret admirer. 

But it's easier said than done when I've been hers since 4th grade.

I know Tori thinks that she's average...a plain jane, a 5-out-of-ten.

But to me? She's a fucking 5 thousand.

Sure she doesn't exactly wear the most appealing clothes. Designer dresses, mini-skirts, crop tops, high heels, skinny jeans...

Instead she trudges around in the most covering, too-legal outfits that make her look like a walking stick. 

But to me? She'd look good in everything. Hell, even a paper bag.

She has an underlying sexy flair to her that I know is there. All she needs to do is make herself up and let it radiate. Cause trust me, if she wore anything like the girls I've been with...no man would take their eyes off of her. 

There isn't a thing we don't know about each other. Our favorite this, our least favorite that...

But somehow I've managed to keep this burning love for her a secret. Somewhere in my dark soul, where she'd never find it. It goes in and out, sometimes almost coming to the surface...to going straight back under the tide. She's the only woman to ever make me nervous about telling her what I want to do to her. And, mannn, the things I'd do to Tori fucking Kendall.

Her father, Elliot Kendall, sighed with play disappointment. "Pity."

Tori whipped her long, blonde ponytail onto her right shoulder like a prom queen. Geez, with mannerisms like that you'd never know she was actually insecure inside.

I thought for a second about what Mr. Kendall said before, about us riding to West Brook together. I realized he had a point. 

"You know, Tori..." I began, "Maybe your old man is right. You should probably ride with me instead."

I could tell she was taken aback by my comment. "Really? You think so? But..."

Knowing Tori, I knew she felt the need to bring her parents for assurance. She has the type of tight-knit, know-everything family where it's normal for her Mom and Dad to be there for every major or small moment in her life. Like our first day of kindergarten, middle school...heck, she even let her parents drive her to school when they had signed her up for the bus the first day of high school. It may not be my place to make critiques about how her family operates, but damn are her folks weird. 

No wonder she's so introverted. She never really had a day in her life where she really did anything independently. She always had a watchful eye to make sure she didn't fall. 

I think it's time she made her first big mistake. And learned from it.

In spite of this, I was pleasantly surprised when Mr. Kendall suggested she rode with me on her own to the college. 

Tori pursed her lips quizzically. "Are you sure? I mean, I won't go if you aren't."

I gave her the most sincere smile. "Yes. Come on, it'll be fun. I'm driving by myself, so it'll just be me and my homie."

She blushed, twirling her hair between her fingers. God, she looked so cute when she did that. A million thoughts were going through her head. 

"Okay."  Tori finally said, more to herself than to me and her parents.

I nodded proudly. "Then let's go." 

~~15 minutes later~~

Our families stood on the driveway at my house, waving goodbye. I felt a tinge of sadness that shocked me as we watched. I didn't realize until now just how much this move, this new start to the beginning of the rest of our lives, was really affecting me. All of the good memories, from the good to the bad, seemed to collide together as we made our departure. I opened the door to David's truck, getting in. Tori soon followed, positioning herself on the leathery seats. We gave our families one last parting gesture as we took off.

Backing out into the road, I exhaled fondly.

Tori noticed this and laughed. "Nostalgic, I see?"

"No." I said. 

"Liar," She giggled. "You know you'll miss our childhood."

She knew me too well. "I guess a little."

"That's better." She reached into her messenger bag, with was on her lap, and pulled out a bag of chips. "Want some?"

Now that took me by surprise. "When did you sneak chips in there?"

She rolled her eyes. "I bought these for the road, James. It's a two-hour drive."

Cracking open the bag, she took one out and ate it. I payed attention to the street, not wanting to gawk at her while she eats. I swear I have a problem when it came to her. It was like drug withdrawal, you see it and you try not to give in, but the etched need tempts you. The ironic difference was I never even tried the drug, yet it's calling my name. 

Over time I've built a tolerance to my crush. But it's not like it necessarily gets easier. 

Tori leaned the bag's opening toward me, signaling me to take a few. I put my hand in the bag, taking out three. "Thanks."

We laughed and talked for a while. The hours feeling like minutes. Time always flew by when we were together, almost like there was no time at all. It reminded me of all the nights we'd talk on the phone for hours, not realizing it was almost time for school the next morning. Good, good times...

We had pulled up into West Brook University's vast parking section before we knew it. We both paused as we took in the massiveness of the college. It looked better than it did in the brochures...

"Wow..." Tori breathed. "So this is West Brook."