The Finding Tree

Chapter 15 - The Meeting

"Excuse, me."

I looked up, surprised. I wasn't able to focus for some reason.

"Are you alright?"

In front of me was a very concerned, very tall, very sweaty young man with a basketball tucked under his arm. His face was pink, and his reddish blond hair was tousled from sweat and exertion.

He was beautiful.

"What? No... I'm sorry?... Who are you?"

Suddenly, I realized, I'd been sobbing out loud and the boys playing basketball had heard me.

Oh hell...why me! I wanted to die of embarrassment. I slapped my hand over my mouth and gasped.

"Oh...no, did you hear me? Oh shit.. I'm so sorry, I'm such a mess. No, I'm fine."

I tried to smile to prove it, and failed miserably. I took my free hand and wiped my nose and face. 

"I just got a really sentimental letter from home, and it messed me up. Sorry to worry you." I waved the damp pages at him from my right hand.

He didn't look convinced and sat down on the bench next to me, leaning back to rest his elbows on the upper level behind me. He left a good eighteen inches between us.

He was so tall, how do guys stretch that much? Long leg bones that ended a good four inches past my knees. Turquoise board shorts, and a navy tank top. Were those a statement or did he surf?  He was fair and freckled, and his leg hairs were sparkly translucent. I was staring at his knees, and caught myself. Was I normally this creepy? My thoughts tumbled and raced and fell all over themselves.

My dad had written to me.

There was a cute boy sitting next to me.

Shit!

My heart was just going to explode from a volcano of emotions boiling over. I needed to escape, but was cut off by a sudden movement.

The basketball whizzed down to the gym floor, as he threw it to the guy below, with an epic overhand slam. I was in awe. He had palmed the ball and basically heaved it like he would shot put.

The guy below, caught the ball as a bounce pass, and spun it between his palms.

"Thanks, Dude! I'm good, I'll see you tomorrow at eleven?" The volume made me flinch, and freeze mid-escape.

"See you tomorrow Dunny." The other one yelled back,

I looked him in the eye. " Dunny? Like the Australian word for toilet?"

He chuckled and snorted.

I face palmed myself. I couldn't believe I said that out loud. Nice one, Jane. Great first impressions.

"Yeh, it kinda stuck. Last year in California, there was an Australian exchange student, that thought he was a comedian. Not everyone knows the connotation though, so if you don't mind... I'd appreciate you not spreading it around."

He turned toward me. "This is my first year here at Chesterwood, and my last year of high school. Peter McDonagh at your service."

He stuck out his hand and I awkwardly shook it after wiping my excess tears and snot off on my jeans. Attractive, I'm sure.

He had some kind of faint accent that I couldn't place, but it was definitely from across the pond.

"I'm Jane...Janey Cameron. I've been here since eighth grade, and I'm a senior too."

"Nice to meet you, Jane Janey." He smiled at me, and I was utterly lost.

"Love the view up here in the nosebleed section do you?" He tucked his head toward the floor below.

"Ummm, not really.... And it's just Janey."

"Okay, Just Janey..."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, and crack a little smile, which caused him to beam back at me.

"Uhhh.. I'm sorry to worry you, but I'm really okay... I should go."

The smile vanished.

"Agh, you don't have to go, I will leave, if you want your peace with that letter." He leaned forward, elbows on knees and pushed himself up.

He stood, arms loose, and hands clenching slightly at his sides. Looking down at me with that concern still all over his face. He had good, tough looking, long square-ish hands.

I think that was what did it. Those hands just sent me over the edge and a suitcase of butterflies opened up in my chest. This was going to be an interesting year.

My dad's hands were always calloused, or singed from working with steel and tools. I loved them. They were hard and rough, gouged and broken, but proved he was honest, and hardworking.

I inhaled and looked up at him, "I'll walk with you. The letter has already done its worst, and I'm sure I can't look much better. I should go back to my room.  Thank you for coming to check on the basket-case in the back row."

The smile beamed back and, damn it, he had a dimple.

"You look alright to me, and it's not a problem, but I'm glad you're okay-ish. We were both worried... Kev and me, and for what it's worth, sound carries from up here... for future letter reading scenarios."  He shrugged.

"Got it, " I turned bright red, as I gathered my stuff and stood up with him.

"What hall are you in?" I finally broke the silence as we made it outside and started walking toward the residence complex.

"Crestwood"

"Nice, I'm in Valmoor. I can see Cresty, from my window, the halls are connected by the atrium, so do you know if you can see Valmoor?

He swung around and started walking backwards in front of me. I almost tripped on my face, so I stopped moving.

"I don't know any of that. Hey look... since you've been here so long, and I'm a newbie how do you feel about giving me a comprehensive tour since all I know is the gym, and cafeteria."

I was the recipient of another devastating smile.

"I suppose California is a world away from Massachusetts. I hope you brought long pants for the winter."

"Nope. you'll have to take me shopping too."

He grinned wider and turned, loping off toward a side door.

"What's your room number?" He yelled back at me.

"Four-oh-eight", I shouted back.

"I'll see you tomorrow at nine, Just Janey!" He turned that smile at me again for a second and then started running in earnest for the door.

I was standing still, in the middle of the path, wondering what kind of blond meteor just hit me, when I realized this guy basically asked me out. Oh Crap!

Dinner at Miko and Ginny's would be a little different tonight. I had things I needed to talk about.

I worried my pendant, flipping it over and over. I really needed some trees. Maybe Peter had a car.