Runaway

Chapter 1

© Sweetslover8 2013. It is illegal to copy and/or steal.

~Uploaded August 27th, 2013

"Corey? Corey, are you there?"

I opened my eyes and tried for a charming smile. Jess, Tania and Lily were sitting by my sides at a table in a little cafe. They were all looking at me with strange expressions.

"I'm right here, Jess." I straightened in my way too soft seat and fixed my blouse. My butt was going numb and I didn't like it.

"Not mentally you're not", Lily said. "Where do you go when you space out like that?"

You wouldn't believe me if I told you, I thought. I rested my chin on my fist and said non-chalantly, "Oh, nowhere really. Just thinking about this dream about a guy I had the other night."

They immediately seemed to forget about my earlier space out and latched onto my words like their lives depended on it. Ah, the gullibility of some teenage girls.

"Dream? What dream?", Tania inquired.

"More importantly, what guy?", Jess demanded. Then she added in a low voice that only we could hear, "Is it him?" She nodded her blond head to something behind me. Amused, I turned.

Two tables behind us sat four guys. How convenient. But I knew which one she was referring to. The tall one next to the window with hair like spun gold. Jonathan McMurray. He was our high school's golden boy: tall, handsome, quarterback, made honor roll every year and as sweet as possible. But he wasn't my type. At all.

He was too nice. He played hard on the field, in every sport possible, but when it came to mixing girls and boys in sports, he suddenly lost all of his game. He didn't want to hurt any of us "poor, defenseless" girls. I don't know about you, but I find that insulting to my entire existence. The girls have less game then a five-year old playing tic tac toe.

I turned back to my friends' hopeful faces, and shook my head. "Nope, not him. Sorry." I saw their faces deflate faster than a popped balloon.

"What? But he's perfect", Jess said with a swoon. I just rolled my eyes.

"Maybe not for dear Corey", Tania said. She looked at me with her intelligent brown eyes. "Was it Mystery Guy again?" It was amazing how out of all of them, she knew me the best. Up to a certain point of course. Just like any of the people I befriended, they all had to be kept at a distance. I just let them think they knew me inside and out.

I faked a blush. "Yeah, it was him again." Tania smiled.

"You mean the stranger you dream about every now again?", Lily asked.

"The one who takes you out on a date and just as he's about to say his name, you wake up?", Jess said.

"Yep, that's the one." It was one thing that I didn't lie to them about. I really did have dreams about a tall handsome boy whenever I slept. Lately, they've been more frequent.

Lily spoke up. "Corey, we know you really like this random guy you dream up, but this is reality. And in reality, Jonathan is the best there is and is walking over here. Like right now."

I could hear the guys get up from their table and walk behind us. I occupied myself by taking a sip of my smoothie.

"Hey girls", the guys greeted. It was Jonathan, Francis, Sam and Les. Jonathan was looking at me with a charming smile.

"Hi", the girls replied all giggly. I just gave a little wave and returned my attention to my smoothie. Lily elbowed me in my ribs. I shot her a look. She nodded her head towards Jonathan. I raised a brow, then shook my head.

"Hey Johnny?", Lily asked. "Corey wanted to ask you something." I choked on my smoothie and doubled forward.

"Hey, are you alright?" I felt a hand on my back, rubbing soothingly. I swatted it away and sat up straight again, shooting Lily a glare that could fry her on the spot. She shrank back a bit. But then Jess took over.

"Yeah, Corey. Why don't you ask him now, while he's here? You are leaving tomorrow so why not?" Damn it, I was stuck. And Jonathan was looking at me with such a hopeful look that even I couldn't say no. And this is from the girl whose been skydiving in the Himalayas.

"Fine." The girls and the rest of the guys seemed surprised.

"But I'm not asking him anything with a crowd." I stood up and faced Jonathan. "You, me, outside, now."

I started walking towards the door, not caring whether or not he followed. But he was. I heard him whisper to Sam, "She is so hot when she orders people around."

I ignored the comment, though hearing it did make me stand up a bit straighter. I pushed open the door and walked about ten feet away before turning around. Jonathan was smiling at me with perfectly white teeth and a hopeful grin. He's liked you for awhile, I recalled the girls telling me last week at his birthday party. And yet, he didn't have the guts to ask me out.

"So what is it that you wanted to ask me?"

Even though it was literally impossible for me to be nervous, I felt a trickle of sweat go down my back. I ignored it. "Yeah, I was wondering if you'd like to see that new horror flick at the movie theatre. With me. Tonight."

"You mean The Conjuring?", he asked. "That looks awesome. I didn't know you liked horror movies."

Neither did I. It was either that or watching a romantic comedy and I didn't want to give him any ideas.

"Yeah, I'm a fan", I shrugged. "So is that a yes?"

"Definitely. So I'll pick you up at seven?"

"Actually, I'll meet you there. Is that alright?" There was no way he was coming over to my house. I looked at him with "the flirt eyes". The girls showed it to me. It involved big eyes, a lot of lash fluttering and a slightly pouty mouth. It was basically a girly version of the classic dog pout. I had never actually tried it on a guy before so I didn't know if it would work.

It did. Jonathan seemed to stumble for his words for a moment before saying, "Sure. That's fine. I'll see you at seven." He smiled brighter than before. I sometimes wondered if he was part robot and had a dial that controlled LED lights in his teeth. Right now, they were shining as bright as New York City at New Year's.

We walked back to the cafe at the same pace, which was my pace. Over the past two years, I've learned that girls don't normally walk the way I usually did, like I was marching instead of gracefully gliding from one place to another. I stood with my shoulders back and chin high, slowly swinging my hands and hips in a flowing motion.

The girls looked at me through the café window with expectant looks. I nodded. I could almost hear their squealing from behind the glass. And Jonathan was starting to gravitate uncomfortably close to me. Maybe this wasn't the best idea after all.