Bruised Knuckles

11. a very important date

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I jolted awake and immediately shot up in bed, rubbing my fingers over my face. My hair still felt damp from last night, but it could have been the humidity seeping into our house from the rain pouring outside. I smacked the alarm on the floor between my bed and Devian's bed, trying to get my eyes to focus on the blurry red digital clock.
9:21 AM.

"Shit, fuck!" I blurted through clenched teeth, running my palms along my mattress to find the clothes I was going to wear today. I was already late, since I wanted to get to the library right when they opened at 7:00. I was starting to feel frustrated as my hands couldn't grasp or find the clothes I placed in my room last night.

I got up from my mattress, wearing nothing but boxers and tousled hair. The door to our room was already slightly ajar, making it easier and quieter for me to slither out into the hallway. I danced on the very tips of my toes, slowly bouncing down each step in hopes of making it sound quieter than moving quickly. I made a beeline to the washing machine and dryer once downstairs, opening up the basin to find the outfit I wanted to wear, crumbled and intertwined with several other articles of clothing. I refrained from cursing, simply pulling what I thought was in my room out of the dryer.

I didn't even bother to head back upstairs. Instead, I got dressed in the middle of our living room. I realized I had to brush my teeth anyway, but time was starting to stress me out. I found a travel size container of mouth wash in the kitchen, hurriedly sucking almost the entire contents into my mouth. I swished vigorously, as the directions said, spitting it into the skin where most of it just sprayed onto the counter and window. Not like I was going to kiss anyone today.

I grabbed my jacket and flung it onto my arms, wiggling around a bit so the jacket felt right on my body, if that makes any sense. I did a double take at the entire kitchen and living room, quietly meandering my way out the door once the coast was clear.

Morning air and rain hit me immedaitely, sending humid shivers down my spine. I forgot it was raining, and I was too stressed to go back and get an umbrella. Getting soaked in rain will probably provide a better excuse to Axel if I do show up late. My shoes started running along the wet pavement, much to my dismay, and soon my breath was hitching. I didn't realize how hard it was to run when you really didn't want to run. If this was baseball practice, I wouldn't be this exhausted after only a few minutes.

I finally reached the town's library. It was a small building, with very odd hours of operation. I caught my breath as I reached the front doors of the establishment, pulling them open with all the force I could muster up. I took one deep breath once inside, catching the attention of the librarians behind the desk. One older lady with red glasses attached to a chain smiled at me, her lips quivering. I smiled back half heartedly and began searching the room for Axel. I didn't see him by the entrance so I ventured further inside, each wet movement sounding ten times more audible in the quiet environment.

I finally found him, sitting at a study table in the back corner of the room. I began making my way over to the corner, sucking some of the rain water off of my lips. Despite this, droplets from my hair continued to drip onto my nose, ultimately landing back onto my lips and chin.

"Hey," Axel said once he must have heard my sloshy footsteps. He exchanged smiles with me, sitting up a little straighter than before. I awkwardly sat down in the chair next to him, finally pushing my hair back with my fingers to stop the droplets from falling.

"You're soaked."
He stated the obvious. I shrugged and leaned back in my chair, shaking my hair off so it wouldn't wet the table.

"Just a little, it started down pouring halfway here," I told him while wringing part of my shirt out now. I literally was soaked head to toe, the feeling of heavy clothes becoming a bit uncomfortable.

"We can go back to my house," Axel offered while he scanned my soaked clothing. My eyes darted to meet his at the comment, gulping quietly without even meaning to. I blinked my eyes a few more times than necessary before answering, "Um, yeah, if you want to."

Axel seemed to nod in agreement, gathering the notebook he brought with before standing up. I followed in his footsteps and caught a glimpse of his car keys, hanging loosely on a black keychain and a picture of a toddler.

"You already know where I live, won't take long to get there," he said with confidence as he pushed the library doors open. I propped the door open for myself and soon felt the familiar pressure of tiny raindrops landing on my head. Of course I know where he lives, I grew up here.

His car felt and looked new, smoothly gliding over some of the bumpiest roads around our town. I sat in the passenger's seat and spent a few seconds glancing out his window just so I could study his profile while he concentrated on the road. Every few seconds he would bite his lip, and I admired the way they immediately plumped back after being pushed down by his teeth. He was unlike anyone I have ever seen here in Brookside.

I felt my nerves rattle into my stomach and ribcage, causing a surge of excitement as I realized I was in the car with him. I was the one he wanted to tutor, and I was the one he ultimately talked to on his first day here. He seemed so content and calm in school, but out of the classroom he was mysterious and unpredictable.

Maybe I was just infatuated with the new boy, but I couldn't be the only one.