Lamia's Dream

Chapter 8

I woke up Monday feeling triumphant.  While Saturday hadn’t been a complete success, it did solidify my standing with Valerie.  We knew of our reciprocal feelings for each other and we knew we enjoyed each other’s company, both in and out of school.

To me, the next logical step was to ask her to be my girlfriend.  Other than that, I was lost.  When to ask her?  And how?  I figured I’d run it by Samantha during math class.

Because my aunt woke up late, we got to school after first period started.  By then all of the spaces in the main lot were taken, so my aunt had to park in the student lot.  Somehow, the first half of my day still drug along slowly.  The barrage of busy work was broken up by stolen moments dreaming about Valerie. 

I wondered several times if she was feeling better.  When I texted her the day before, she had told me of her headache.  Because of that, I had kept the conversation short. 

“How’d things go with your aunt?” Jack asked, while we were in the lunch line.

“She was already asleep by the time I got home,” I said, irritated by just the memory of the scene.

“That stinks.”

“Yeah, I wondered if I could have lied and stayed with Valerie but, then again, my aunt has an extra sense when it comes to making my life miserable.”

Jack laughed.  “I can imagine her in bed, tossing and turning, until you actually made your way home.” 

“Creepy.”

We got our usual and then headed to the lunch table.  The girls- minus Lynn- and Phil were waiting on us.  Even before sitting down, I saw that Valerie looked different somehow.  But I couldn’t put my finger on it.

She smiled once I sat down in the tiny red chair.

“You’re not eating again?” I asked.

“No, not hungry today,” she replied.

Valerie had skipped lunch a few times last week.  She said she always had a big breakfast and snacked while in class, but was too lazy to bring something for lunch.  I hadn’t pressed it, as Samantha and Alexandra also didn’t eat often.  Valerie explained if they were hungry, they’d ask someone with a car to pick them up something, as they hated the school lunch.

“How’s your head feel?”

Valerie shrugged.  “About the same.”

I pushed my tray so it was between the two of us.  “Eat something.”

"If you insist…”

She grabbed a French fry.  Her hazel eyes remained on me as she bit into it.  I stared at her as well, trying to determine what was amiss.  Same gorgeous face, wavy same hair- just less energetic.  Just off in some minute way.  Which, for Valerie, didn’t happen often.  Either way, she was dazzling enough to block out the sounds of the cafeteria and the presence of our friends.

I felt a hand caress my thigh. 

“You’re friendly today.” 

My eyes locked on hers.

“Aren’t I always?”

A shock to my system became a chill up my spine became a burning in my loins all at once.  I ran out of words, the logical reasoning coaster of my brain off-track.  Not that they would help.  Her look and touch made the moment.

“I really wish you could've hung out Saturday night," she said slowly.

It finally hit me this was invitation to kiss her.  I wondered if my lips were dry and if my breath still smelled like Doritos I had before second period.