All Those Words

Chapter 23

Asa

  "Asa," Calysta says in a sing-song voice as I enter the house late one Friday evening.

It's the end of March and the weather is finally bearable. It's hot during the day and cool in the evening and early morning. So despite being drained from attending school during the day and then going straight for my part time job in the evenings, I'm relatively in a good mood because the cool air on my walk home felt just right.

  "You sound happy," I say, shutting the front door.

I look around to check whether anyone else is downstairs and when I see that no one is, I place a quick kiss on her lips. She lets out a soft squeal of delight and I can't help but smile. She's changed so much since I met her. She finally finds it easier to go out and even talk to people she meets along the way. She keeps her head up and smiles way more often. She's made a few friends in school who she talks to in between classes and we sit with them at recess. Even Sydney nods at us in the hallway or greets us sometimes. She doesn't avoid us like she used to after her break up with Shaun. She seems less depressed as if she's finally moved on with her life. And although Calysta had said she didn't want to be friends with her anymore, I can see her letting Sydney in a little.

And our secret romance at home has become less secretive because Trixie and Lennon already know about it. They're courteous enough not to mention it or tell anyone about it so the only people we're really hiding it from are Calysta's parents. And I can see that she doesn't want to hide it from them anymore. She seems to think that they'll understand and allow it. After all, she's going away to college in a few months so it won't be like we're living together anymore.

  "Florida State offered me a scholarship." She puts her arms around me like she isn't afraid of getting caught or maybe her parents aren't home yet. "Dad sent in the deposit so I guess that means I'm going."

I hug her back tightly and my heart swells for her. I know that my words can't express how happy I am that she's finally made her decision so I act on them instead. I hug her so close she buries her face in the crook of my neck. I whisper my congratulations in her ear and she shivers against me. That's when the front door flies open and we jump apart. Mr. and Mrs. Harmon and looking at us in turn. Calysta's face turns various shades of red and I try to keep my cool. They couldn't have seen anything, right?

  "What're you two doing in front of the door?" Mr. Harmon asks and Calysta opens and closes her mouth like a fish. "Did you just come in, Asa?"

I nod quickly, trying not to look as relieved as I feel. "Yeah, I just came in and Cal was telling me about her accepting Florida State's offer."

  "Oh," he says and I force a smile and step further into the house. "We're so proud of her."

I nod, agreeing and I watch them remove their jackets, hanging them on the coat rack. Then they walk past us as if they didn't see a thing. Calysta shoots me a look as soon as they turn their backs on us and I shrug. She still looks slightly terrified and I kind of find it funny because she's the one who suggested telling them in the first place. But I bite my lower lip to keep from laughing and head into the house.

At dinner, Trixie yammers on about what she and her friends did at school. Lennon tries to tell everyone about the test she took in which she scored an A minus. Shale tells stories about his new friend at school and barely even stammers. And Yuna swings her feet happily as she eats, her shoes colliding with the table, making everyone's glasses of water slosh about. Calysta seems to being enjoying the food Mrs. Harmon made too much to even get involved in the conversation and I feel the air still around me. Mr. Harmon has his eyes fixated on me as he chews, making me so nervous it's a wonder I don't choke on the herbed chicken I'm eating.