The gymnasium was stuffy, Stevie feeling the sweat roll down her neck, lifting her hair up to offer some kind of relief. She might have gotten a tad too stoned, crossing the thin line between relaxation and paranoia. Her eyes darted around the teenagers her age, not knowing what to say or how to introduce herself. Boys and girls from 14-17 had gathered for the meeting. She had come to learn a young life meeting had play with religion, silently cursing her mother as the 'adult' or guardian gathered them for scripture. She shifted on the fold out plastic chair, and she tried to ignore the stares and whispers thrown her way. She was the new girl, and seemed to be the main attraction yet no one had bothered to introduce themselves. Christopher had easily found a group of boys his age, sliding in to the little crew with ease and wandering from Stevie. She was left on her own, silently cursing her inability to not be awkward. Feeling eyes on her she tilted her head to the right, then almost immediately snapped it back. It was that boy again, the one with the blue eyes. She felt her heart hammering in her chest, hoping to God her cheeks hadn't turned bright red as she suddenly felt flushed. The leader of the group snapped everyone's attention to the middle, Stevie's thoughts drifting. She didn't hear the lady as she preached about this weeks lesson, and she didn't pay attention during the quick bible study. All she could feel was that boys eyes , staring at her so hard she feared he might actually burn a whole through her. She shot him a curious look back, a response of a quick smile and his eyes darting away was all she got. She tried to focus, but she couldn't help but sneak a glance at the mystery boy when she thought he wasn't looking.
He was tall and lean, his converse clad feet sprawled out in front of him. He had a cascade of dark curly hair, her mind wondering for a moment what it would be like to run her hands through them. She studied him, becoming more entranced with each of his features with each passing second. He interested her and she couldn't explain why, just knowing she was intrigued. She tried to focus on what the hostess of the event was saying but all she could hear was the thud of her own heart, and she could feel her pulse racing incredibly fast. What the hell? She found herself staring at him unashamedly , almost fawning. God he's so beautiful she thought to herself.
Before she knew it the leader of the group was calling it an end, the last twenty minutes left up to free time and mingling. Teenagers began shuffling from their seat, Stevie's trance being broken as he disappeared from view. She snapped back to reality, suddenly looking around for her brother. She caught sight of him towards the back of the room, leaning against the wall as he talked to a girl that looked a year younger than her. Stevie rolled her eyes, making a beeline for her sibling.
"Christopher?" Christopher ignored Stevie purposefully , his focus on the girl. Stevie rolled her eyes, propping a hand on her hip. "Oh Chrissy?" She called out the name she knew her brother hated, a smirk on her face as she watched him cringe. The girl laughed, retreating back to her friends as Christopher turned to his sister exasperated.
"What do you want Stevie?"
"I want to go home."
"Ok, then go home." He looked at her irritated, searching for the girl. He hadn't even gotten her name but she was already lost in the crowd. He gritted his teeth . "Thanks a lot Steph."
Stevie crinkled up her nose, grimacing. "Don't call me that, and oh please. I did you a favor, she was way out of your league. I'm not supposed to leave with out you."
"I'm not a baby."
"Dad's rule." Stevie shrugged her shoulders. "So can we go?"
"I'm not ready." He rolled his eyes as his sister whined. "Relax dude, go find something to do."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"I don't know Stevie! Go mingle or some shit, just stop bugging me." He escaped her, Stevie looking after her brother in disbelief.
"Asshole." She muttered under her breath, making her way over to the punch bowl. She got herself a glass, turning back towards the crowd, furrowing her eyebrows as she tried to find something to do. Giving up, she went to go find a pay phone to call her parents, she couldn't stand to spend another minute here, her skin crawling with discomfort. As she politely made her way through the crowd, almost out of the gym she heard it. The opening notes to one of her favorite songs, being played perfectly on an acoustic guitar. She was trapped by the sound, her route changing as she turned around. It's like she was being guided, hearing a smooth, yet gritty voice sing out the beginning lines.
"All the leaves are brown..."
She pushed her way through student after student, finally managing to get to the source of the sound. She saw the same boy from earlier, slouched down in a chair and over his guitar, his fingers plucking away skillfully. "And the sky is gray."
The teens around her swayed and danced while she stood perfectly still, her eyes locked on him, unable to tear away. "I've been for a walk, on a winters day."
"On a winter's day." She sang out without thinking, the song playing in her head as she jumped on the harmony. She didn't know why she did it, it was an impulse that just blurted out of her. His steel blue eyes flashed towards her but he didn't miss a beat, continuing on with the song.
"I'd be safe and warm"
"I'd be safe and warm." She couldn't stop herself, walking closer and closer until they were face to face, their eyes never tearing away from one another.
"If I was in L.A."
"If I was in L.A."
"California Dreamin' "
"California Dreamin" Their voices melded beautifully together, Stevie seeing no one else in the room but him. She watched as he broke in to the solo elegantly, never having heard anyone play the way he had before. She wanted to melt, her heart hammering in her chest.
"California Dreamin'"
"California Dreamin"
"On such a winters day"
"California Dreamin"
Before she knew it the song was over, the kids around her breaking out in applause. She didn't hear the clapping though, only a roaring in her ear as the boy rose to greet her, a coy smile on his lips.
Stevie stood frozen, dumbfounded by his beauty, ensuring herself that she'd come across a god. It took a minute for her to snap out of it, Lindsey raising an eyebrow. "Are you ok?"
She snapped out of it.
"Yeah, sorry." She fumbled with her words. "It's just, you just.." she got a hold of herself. "You play really, really well."
"Thanks." Lindsey smiled at her. "You've got a really unique voice, it's beautiful."
"Thank you. So do you, and again I can't believe how well you play."
"I've been playing since I was a kid." A moment of silence passed them, eye contact never breaking. "I'm Lindsey." He stuck his hand out, finally introducing himself.
"Stevie." She shook his hand back, hoping to God he couldn't feel how sweaty her palms had gotten. Little did she know he was fearing the same thing.
"Stevie?" He confirmed and she nodded. "That's rad, I dig girls with guy names."
Stevie smiled back at him, biting down on her bottom lip. She didn't know what else to say, and she would have been content on to just stare at him for the rest of the night but she reeled herself back in. "I dig guys that play guitar."
She felt stupid as soon as she said it, mentally scolding herself; but Lindsey smiled, finally letting go of her hand. "That's good to know."
She nodded, fiddling with the rings that she had on her fingers. "Do you go to school here?"
"Yeah I'm a senior."
"Me too." Stevie grinned. "I'm not trying to suck up or anything but I'm gonna say it again, you play guitar so badass, I wish I could do that."
"Maybe I can teach you sometime."
Stevie smiled at him. "That'd be groovy."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Your voice is killer." He complemented her, totally interested in the girl he'd just met. He couldn't explain it but he wanted to know everything about her.
"Thank you." She replied a bit shyly, their heads turning when they heard a commotion. Stevie's eyes popped seeing Chris shove through the crowd, running like his life depended on it. The young life leader was quick to follow, chasing the teen boy through the gymnasium.
"STEVIE LET'S GO!" Christopher yelled over his shoulder, Stevie's eyes widening.
"You know him?" Lindsey chuckled.
"Yeah that's my brother." She rolled her eyes. "I better go after him." She went to leave, Lindsey reaching out and grabbing her hand before she could get too far. She almost jumped, feeling a shock run through her whole body.
"Can I get your number?"
She wanted to melt, nodding her head. She bit her lip for a second before digging into her purse and pulling out a pen. She took his hand gently and wrote her digits across the back of his hand, writing her name underneath it with a smiley face. "There you go."
"Cool, I'll call you."
"Sweet." They stood there smiling at one another, Stevie getting lost again. She remembered her brother and started to retreat. "I'm sorry, I really gotta go check on him."
"You're cool." Lindsey nodded.
"Bye." She gave him a sheepish smile, not giving him a chance to say bye back before she was darting through the crowd. She pushed through the double doors that lead to the gym, searching the dark parking lot for her brother. She walked down the lot, nearly screaming when she got dragged down behind a car, seeing the culprit was her brother, she smacked him.
"What the hell did you do Chris?"
"I was trying to spike the punch and the old bat caught me." He was breathing hard , his face still red from running. "I thought I was in the clear."
Stevie shook her head in disbelief. "We're at a young life meeting Christopher!" She chided him.
"All the more reason to do it."
She wanted to argue but she didn't really have a valid stand point. "Next time don't get caught idiot."
"Sure thing brat." He ruffed her hair before peering over the top of the car. The coast was clear and he quickly ushered Stevie in front of him. "Ok go, Dad said he was picking us up up front."
She nodded, Christopher following behind her. Once they were out from behind the car they booked it to the front entrance, staying in the shadows as they dodged any adult superiors. Only once they were safe in their fathers car did they relax, Stevie feeling her buzz again from the bud her and Chris had smoked. She leaned her head agains the window as she watched the new route home, drowning out the conversation between Christopher and her father. Her mind drifted back to Lindsey, a small smile sweeping her face. She didn't know why she felt this way, but she was going to for damn sure figure it out.
