Unexpected Love

Chapter One

     "Skarlet, get the door," Stacey, her mother, tells her from the couch, fighting a hangover from the previous night, shortly after the doorbell went off.
Skarlet finished putting butter on her bagel, put the butter knife in the kitchen sink before walking out into the living room. Taking a bite out of her bagel, Skarlet opened the door to see her best friend since elementary school, Ivy, standing in the doorway while wearing her teal, spring sundress that complimented her figure perfectly while having her bag hang from her golden shoulders. Ivy smiled brightly, "Ready to go?"
"Almost," Skarlet answered while getting her Batman bag over her shoulder. Skarlet looked at her mother who had her elbow over her eyes, blocking any light that could make her headache worse. "Love you mom," Skarlet told her mother before leaving the house to walk to school.
Crossing the street heading to the school, Ivy looked at Skarlet, "Seems like your mom had quite the night."
Skarlet smiled, "Yeah, she had her first date in five years."
"What do you think of the guy?" Ivy asked, stealing a bite of Skarlet's bagel.
"John seems like he means well. As long as mom is happy and John doesn't do anything to hurt her, then I have no complaints," Skarlet answered pushing back her black thick glasses.
     Waiting for the walk signal to show a little, bright man, Skarlet and Ivy heard loud rock music coming from behind. Skarlet looked behind her to see a black 1969 Chevrolet Camaro pull up next to them to stop at the red light. Skarlet causally looked over as she was curious to know who was driving the car she has never seen before, to see a young man around her age look at her with his eyes, grey as storm clouds gathering in the skies. As Skarlet's eyes were locked in key with the boy in the car, having a secret, meaningless connection, Ivy hooked her elbow with Skarlet's and pulled her away, crossing the crosswalk. Skarlet looked at Ivy after taking a quick glance behind her and walked up the small hill to get closer to the school. Ivy opened the school door and let Skarlet walk in first. Skarlet took off her sweatshirt and threw it in her locker as she was sweating from the walk. "I'm really glad that winter is over. Get to wear shorts and tank tops, flipflops if I wanted to," Skarlet told Ivy as Skarlet put her morning books in her arms.
"Why do you think I'm wearing this dress. I've been dying to wear it again," said Ivy agreeing as she flattened out the tiny wrinkles.
Skarlet smiled at Ivy while locking her locker up and walked into her math class. Skarlet took her seat closest to the window as she heard obnoxious morning people walk through the hallways. She looked over to see Aaron, the most belligerent and ruthless person Skarlet has ever meet, walked into class and took a deep breath of gloominess after he took a seat in the back of the classroom, one row over from the one Skarlet was in. "Everything alright?" Skarlet asked Aaron out of their not so much friendship.
Aaron glanced over, "Just dealing with a lot."
Skarlet nodded slightly, understanding what that is like. "I'm sorry."
The math teacher, Mrs. Winters, went up in front of the class and began taking attendance as most of the seats in the classroom were full. Mrs. Winters wrote todays assignments on the whiteboard. "One by one I will call you up to let you take a look at your third quarter interim grade," Mrs. Winters told the class as she sat down at her desk in her computer turned on with grades ready to be shown.
Skarlet opened her blue, math notebook and wrote her name at the top right side of the paper. "Aaron," Mrs. Winters called for him to let him look at his grade.
Skarlet watched Aaron go up and sighed in defeat after looking at his grade. Mrs. Winters looked at Aaron and whispered quietly to him. After Aaron sat down, Skarlet looked over at him, "You know I can tutor you if you want."
"No thanks," Aaron replied boorishly.
Skarlet heard Mrs. Winters call her name. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me," Skarlet told him as she stood up and went over to look at her grade. Ninety six. Sitting back down in her seat, Skarlet heard her friend, Eddy, ask, "How are you doing?"
Skarlet turned around to look at Eddy and answered, "Better than I thought honestly."
"Well you are the smartest nerdiest, geekiest girl I have ever met."
Skarlet gave Eddy an awe smile, "Thanks. So, how are things going between you and him?" I asked, whispering quietly to Eddy as I quickly shifted my eyes onto the high school football star, Austin.
Eddy sighed, "I honestly don't know. He throws these signals that tell me that he wants to be with me, but then when he is around the football team, he wants nothing to do with me."
Skarlet wondered what to say that would make him feel better. "Maybe he just doesn't want the team to know the real him."
"Maybe, I mean he isn't really open about the team he really plays for," Eddy said smiling, trying to cheer himself up a bit.
Skarlet smiled, "Just talk to him one on one and be straight up with him."
Eddy's desk vibrated as the phone of his screen light up. His eyes widened as he smiled broadly. Eddy showed Skarlet the text he receive. Party at my house. Be there? Skarlet read the message sent from Austin.
"Please say you will go with me. Be my wingman?" Eddy begged Skarlet as the bell rang.
Skarlet stood up from her seat and lifted her books into her arms as they walked out of the class room. "Only if Ivy can go to."
"Only if Ivy can go where?" Ivy asked.
"Eddy wants me to go a party with him so he can go talk to a special someone," Skarlet explained.
Eddy smiled, "Of course you can come Ivy. I'll pick you guys at eight."
Ivy smiled while shaking her head. "What?" Skarlet asked.
"How come Eddy get the only hot guy in the school and I can only get stupid players?"
"Well you sure know how to pick them, remember that one guy who use to collect his finger and toenail clipping or that one who cut his tongue to be snake-like?" Skarlet reminded Ivy with laughter in her voice.
"Thought we agreed to never speak of that again," Ivy said hitting Skarlet's arm playfully.
     It was going on ten o'clock as Skarlet was sitting in the back of her English class, feeling as if she could eat a whole cow. Trying to come up with a thesis to the essay due at the end of class, Skarlet heard the classroom door open. Skarlet's eyes widened when she saw the boy from this morning walk into the classroom, wearing dark pants and a grey long sleeve shirt with a metallic, short neckless hanging closely to his neck. The boy was tall, skinny, but muscular  and had that edgy look that Skarlet loved. The middle aged English teacher, Mr. Brooks, stood up and took the pass the boy gave him. "Alright Mr. Price,  you seat will be," Mr. Brooks paused to scan the classroom looking for an empty seat. "Right over there in front of Red."
Skarlet perked up as Red is what some people like to called from her being a red head.
The boy came closer and sat down in front of Skarlet. Mr. Brooks gave the boy the assignment. Skarlet looked over the boy's shoulder and saw the name Lance Price being written down. Cool name, Skarlet thought as she still had no idea what to write. She looked at the clock and saw she had twenty minutes. Skarlet took a deep breath and started writing whatever came to mind. "Red," Mr. Brooks called Skarlet, "what class do you have after this?"
"History with Ms. Peterson, why?"
"Newbie has that class next. Would you mind walking with him there for today?"
"Sure," Skarlet accepted the request as she stood up and past her paper in as the bell rang. "I just have to stop at my locker real quick," Skarlet told Lance as they walked out the room.
     Arriving at Skarlet's locker, with Lance following, she saw Aaron waiting there. Skarlet smiled and put her combination into the lock, "I'm guessing you changed your mind?"
Aaron unwillingly nodded, "Winters is up my ass about me bringing my grade up."
Hearing the lock pop, Skarlet opened her locker and changed her morning books to her afternoon books, "Do what you can on the homework tonight and I'll check it to see where you are at in class tomorrow."
Aaron nodded and walked away. Skarlet shut her locker and headed to History class. "That's a 69' right?" Skarlet asked while walking on the right side of Lance.
Lance looked at Skarlet and smiled. "Impressive," Lance said in a low, silvery voice.
"I helped my dad with those model cars that you build yourself, he was a real grease monkey," Skarlet explained of how she knew a little about cars with a smile.
     After lunch, the day seem to go by pretty fast. While Skarlet and Ivy walked home, Skarlet explained how the new boy, Lance, are in some of her classes. "Sounds like someone has a crush," Ivy teased.
"Oh shush," Skarlet giggled.
Walking into Ivy's house, Skarlet saw Ivy's dad making a snack. "Hey girls, how was school?"
"Pretty good," Ivy answered. "Mom working?"
Ivy's dad nodded. Ivy smiled and brought Skarlet upstairs to her room.
Skarlet plopped on Ivy's bed. It feels so good to lay down, Skarlet thought. Ivy laid on top of Skarlet all spread out. "What are we going to wear?" Ivy asked.
Skarlet groaned, "I have no idea. Its not until a few more hours."
"I know but still, its never to early to get ready," Ivy said getting up. "Your not going to get up are you?"
"Nope," Skarlet said nuzzling into Ivy's bed.
Ivy grabbed Skarlet's ankles and pulled her. Skarlet fell onto the floor. Skarlet grabbed Ivy's arm and pulled her down on the floor gently and put her in a headlock. "Skar no, I'm in a dress!" Ivy said squirming to get out of headlock.
"Tell me I'm the best sister in the world."
"Your the worst sister in the world!" Ivy yelled jokingly.
Skarlet grabbed her chest, releasing Ivy and fell backwards into the floor dramatically. Ivy laughed so hard she had tears coming out of her eyes.
   Skarlet looked up from her homework to look at the little pink clock, 7:00. Skarlet closed her math book and stood up, "I guess we should be getting ready," Skarlet said with a stretch as she looked over at Ivy, sleeping soundlessly. Skarlet grabbed a decorated pillow from Ivy's chair and threw it at her.
"I'm up," Ivy exclaimed sitting up.
Skarlet smiled and went over to Ivy's closet to pick out a nice shirt to go with my black pants. Ivy came closer and handed Skarlet a push up bra. Skarlet gave Ivy an I don't know look. "Skarlet you have perfect breast any girl would be jealous to have. Its OK to flaunt them every once in a while."
Skarlet turned around and put the bra on, adjusting to fit just right. Ivy threw a light pink, dressy tank top that showed stomach at Skarlet. Skarlet put the shirt on and looked at the mirror to see her hip piercings and dangling dream catcher belly button ring. "So sexy," Ivy said when she turned around with some black pumps in her hands, placing them in front if my feet.
Skarlet smiled, sliding her feet into the pumps, "I might steal this shirt from you."
"Keep it, I have another shirt exactly like that one." Ivy told her.
Skarlet smiled and put her hair up in a high pony tail. "What are you going to wear?" Skarlet asked.
"My skin tight dress," Ivy answered happily.
Skarlet turned around and faces the small mirror on Ivy's desk. She took the liquid eyeliner and did a little wing after using a light pink eye shadow. Skarlet heard the ruffling of shoes as she placed eyeliner on her bottom lids, giving herself a bold, sexy look. Ivy smiled, "Now I'm impressed."
"Thank the dozen of makeup tutorials out there," Skarlet said looking at the clock. "Better hurry, Eddy is going to be here any minute."
Skarlet looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. "You sure this isn't too much?"
"Skarlet if I was a lesbian, I would go down on you in a heartbeat," Ivy said standing up from her desk.
Skarlet's phone vibrated in her back pocket. She looked at it and grabbed her jacket, "He is here."
Ivy and Skarlet walked out of the house and got into Eddy's car.