To Be Her First

Chapter 4 - Crushes and Concussions

Journey nibbled on a cookie where she lay sprawled out on her back across the cafeteria floor. It was Monday. She was still grounded, and she had spent the entire weekend playing solitaire on the computer at her parents' shop. Kara was out sick, so that meant she had to ride the bus home from school. She didn't think the day could possibly get any worse, but she was wrong.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of her lunch period, Journey pushed herself up off the floor, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and dropped her garbage in the trashcan. Ms. Lacey's algebra class was only the second door outside of the cafeteria, so Journey took her time and sauntered down the hallway. She stopped for a drink at the water fountain and visited the girls bathroom, pausing at the mirror to sculpt her short hair and swipe on some lipgloss. She walked into math class with three minutes to spare.

On the white board at the front of the classroom was a large note in blue marker: Weekend practice tests due today! Turn in your test in the front basket.

Crap.

Journey had finished her practice test during class on Friday and had left it in her locker. She dropped her backpack on the floor by her desk and sprinted from the classroom. The locker she shared with Kara was in a completely different building on the other side of the school. Journey cut through the cafeteria, zig-zagged through the rush of new students coming in for lunch, and raced down the hallway on the other side. She ran out the door at the end of the hall, crossed the courtyard over to the arts building, and reached for the door handle just as it flew open.

The bright red door smacked her in the center of the forehead, sending her flying back through the air onto the concrete sidewalk. The only thing she could hear was laughter.

Dizzy and confused, Journey blinked her eyes to get them to focus. Poised against the bright sunlight, a silhouette hovering above her had an angelic glow. "Are you OK?" a deep voice asked.

The world swirled back together, and Journey saw Steven Drake's hand outstretched to help her up. She closed her eyes and prayed for death. Next to him, his friends were still laughing.

"Are you OK?" Steven asked again. His hand, stained by motor oil, wrapped around her wrist and pulled her to her feet.

She rubbed her forehead. "Yeah. I'm all right." She swayed on her wobbly legs, and he grabbed her shoulders to steady her.

His friend, Kurt Something-or-Other, smirked. "You should watch where you're going."

Steven bent slightly to examine her face. "You don't look all right."

Steven Drake is within kissing distance right now. Oh. My. God!

"I'm fine," she insisted. She was far from fine. She thought she might puke on his boots.

The bell rang. The sound rattled painfully around in her skull.

Damn it.

Kurt pushed past her, snarling as he went. "Keep your head up next time, freak."

Steven gave her a once-over again and hesitated before following after Kurt and the other guy.

Journey ducked her head and ran into the arts building. She made it safely inside the girl's bathroom before uncontrollable tears spilled down her cheeks.

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Did you have a crush--a breath stopping, heart shattering crush--like this in high school? I did. A few of them. :) Still do, LOL