Aubrey, the Star

18: radar

Aubrey

★

radar - "a method of detecting, locating, or tracking an object by using beamed, reflected, and timed radio waves."

It was Saturday and I was busy tackling the root of all evil: homework.

Midterms were a month away and I was very stressed. Chellgren was kicking my ass. The fact that it was a private school made it even worse. These teachers expected students to go above and beyond. Back in California, if I missed a homework assignment, no one was on my ass about it. Here? I got shit from everyone about everything.

Talk about culture shock.

I was going through my biology homework. We were currently learning about evolution. There was some dude named Darwin that deemed everyone unfit or something like that. Some other guy tried to figure out genetics with a box and letters because it completely made sense that way. Not!

My body was sprawled across the bed with my feet up when Charles called my name from downstairs. A groan escaped me. Just because I easily excused myself from homework didn't mean I wanted to talk to anyone.

Charles knew my first day of work wasn't the best yesterday. I came home an hour earlier than I was supposed to, replaced the bandages on my hands and stomped up the stairs to my bedroom.

I didn't even bother to come down for breakfast this morning. Charles was nice enough to slide a granola bar under the door, Beth made a comment about me having to suck it up, and Charlotte was somewhere being a backstabbing bitch.

Charlotte has been in her room crying a lot lately. I only knew that from casually eavesdropping. Sometimes, I just so happened to walk by her door and listen to it. Then, I'd stop to make sure that I really heard her and whatever else that could be going on. Maybe that's not eavesdropping at all? Call it being in the right place at the right time.

I ran down the stairs barefoot. My toes cracking against the floor. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but a curly blonde-headed boy with a striking smile talking animatedly with Charles wasn't it. And I mean, it wasn't it at all.

When Charles saw me walking down the stairs, he placed what looked to be a reassuring hand on Jameson's shoulder before heading back into the living room. That man didn't even give me a fleeting glance...

"We've reached a new level in our friendship," I said, jokingly. My feet stopped walking halfway down the massive staircase. "House visits are our new thing?"

"I didn't want to wait until Monday to see you." Jameson sighed, shrugging his shoulders. He looked shy, kicking away at the air with his foot lightly. A bit awkwardly. That wasn't like him.

"You wanted to see me?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

As if on cue, Jameson took a couple steps closer to me. His curls were unruly in a messy ponytail. He looked like the essence of summer. A god of sun with ocean eyes. I gripped the staircase railing - hard.

"Tianna told me what happened at Duffy's yesterday." Jameson explained. My eyes widened. "Mickey told me that you were the new cashier and I should've come to the diner after the game to check in on you. Tianna told me about the whole coffee mishap. How are your hands?"

"Oh!" I gasped, remembering the bandaged hands I sported. They were wrapped in white gauze and smeared with petroleum jelly. There were only a few small welts that should be gone within days. I waved my mummified hands at him. "No big deal."