Time After Time

Part 7

A vast grey sky covers my vision as Lucy and I step outside for lunch.

"That's weird, it looks like it's going to rain." I say, gazing up and waiting for a droplet.

"Yeah, maybe then the sophomores will move and we can get our table back." Lucy smirks and I follow her as we make our way around the courtyard, our lunch trays in our hands. Thunder rumbles through the sky and everyone lets out a shriek, it's quite a foreign thing to us coastal Californians. A few people jump up and scurry back inside and we take their empty seats.

"Now if anyone sits here tomorrow, we can claim ownership." I giggle at Lucy's comment and snack on my fries, scanning the premises in search of my Beverly Hills Casanova. "Where's Corey?" My best friend asks and I shrug my shoulders in disappointment.  Is he avoiding me? Maybe he regrets asking me out now. My doubts fill my own atmosphere and I don't realize its begun sprinkling. "Come on, Lux! Maybe we should go inside." Lucy frowns, raising up and putting her tray over her head.

"Oh, yeah, okay." Distraught, I stand up as we walk to the doors.

"Lux!" I raise my head up to see Corey running outside in the rain. "Lux." He stops by me and I notice Lucy turn her head and mouth 'oh my god' before going inside.

"Hi, Corey." I smile, my hair now falling in my face, dripping.

"Let me get that for you." He smiles and grabs my tray for me. "I haven't seen rain like this since I was a kid!" His laughter makes my heart stop as lightning beams down following a roar of thunder.

"Me either!" I grin as he holds the door open for me.

"I hope your fries aren't too soggy." Corey chuckles. "Where do you wanna sit?" No way, he wants to sit with me? At lunch? Where people create their status within the society of the school? Where everyone he knows will now notice me? Where everyone in the whole fucking school will see us together?

"Anywhere is fine." I smile, calmly.

"Does your friend wanna sit with us?" Corey asks as we sit down at a table by the window. I glance over at Lucy who is sitting with Samantha, Brian, and Jinger. She's wide eyed watching us and her mouth is blabbering, so I'm certain she's spreading the news to them.

"No, I think she's okay." I giggle slightly and sip on my apple juice. What do I say? Come on, Lux, the guy of your dreams is in front of you. "So, how are you?"

I ask him at the perfect time, right when he took a bite out of his burger. I'm such a fucking moron. Corey smiles as he holds up a finger and tries to chew his food. 'Sorry!' I mouth.

"I'm doing really good." He swallows, looking into my eyes as he answers me and I quickly look to the side, his gaze making me nervous. "How about you?"

"I'm doing pretty great, actually." I blush, feeling the eyes around the cafeteria on us.

"That's good." I notice Corey look down at my hand, which rests on the table. "I'm really excited to take you out tonight."

"Me too." I reply, looking back up at him. "What movie are we seeing?"

"I was kinda wanting it to be a surprise." He smiles, the side of his mouth rising up slightly. "You do like surprises, right?" Corey nervously asks, his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah! Yeah, I love surprises." I nod my head and look over to see nearly the whole cafeteria looking at us and whispering.

•

"So, what's your next class?" Corey walks beside me through the crowded hallway, towering my height, causing him to look down at me.

"Creative Writing." I respond. "It's upstairs."

"Okay, I'll walk you." He lays his hand on my shoulder, guiding me away from a group of people that I almost ran into.

"Thanks." I smile. He smiles right back at me and I imagine what it'd be like to kiss him. I tuck my hair behind my ear as we walk up the stairs, Corey walking behind me.

Once we get to the door, I hear someone say, "Is that Lux? Whoa, since when was she a richie?" It would have bothered me if it wasn't for the fact that Corey was right next to me. Being a richie is something negative in my eyes, I never wanted to be apart of that crowd. And even though Corey is one, I never put him in the same category. So, if they want to think that that's what I am being I'm walking with The Corey Haim, I don't think I can complain.

"Sorry about that." Corey frowns. "Just ignore 'em."

"Oh, it's fine." I give him a reassuring smile. "Thanks for walking me to class!"

"No problem, Lux." He smiles in a way that isn't with his lips, but with his eyes. His arms extend out and pull me into a hug. The warmth of him covers me and he smells like a Calvin Klein cologne. We part ways as he heads to his next class and I feel light headed as I enter into mine.