Catching Fire

Chapter Nine

Chance and I had really grown close ever since we spoke about the unspoken thing. It was weird for me to be open with someone else about something I had been quiet about for so long. Julian still had no idea that we spoke about the unspoken thing and he was far from catching on about Chance's boo, Tyler.

I made sure never to bring up his "boo" either. I didn't want Chance to get any bright ideas like a double date, or a chill session,!or whatever he could conjure up in that crazy mind of his. I wanted him to be happy way over there and let me be me way over in my own world.

The unspoken thing being spoken didn't mean things had to change. At least it didn't in my book.

Friday's were considered my day of rest and I always attempted to do just that. Nonetheless, I always failed. Even as a child I struggled with the concepts of sitting down, taking a nap, and simply resting. Whether I chose to run around or try and maintain a conversation during nap time I was always active.

Now I make the choice by doing school work or popping into the office, never just staying home or resting.  Those options would only happen after an extremely exhausting week or a mentally draining one. Similar to this past one except he was on my mind.

His conversation that was filled with pleasantries and humorous puns. I enjoyed just reading through our message thread where we talked about the crazy things of the world, the beautiful voices of R&B, the lack of good shows on TV, and our weird and random desire to be naked throughout the day. He never failed to cause a smile to plaster itself onto my face.

"What's got you smiling in that phone?" Deanna popped up next to me.

I quickly slid my phone in my pocket and tried to think of a lie. "The joke of the day girl. Wanna hear it?"

"Mhm. What is it?" She said waiting.

It was me. I was the joke of the day. I was only funny when I was being shady and I couldn't think of anything. My mind raced as I tried to think of something funny to say. Then I thought of something funny that spread throughout the office this week.

"What time do ducks wake up?" Excitement brewing as I couldn't wait to finish the joke.

"I don't know. What time?" She paused unconvinced that this was actually what had me smiling.

"At the QUACK of dawn!" I added extra emphasis for effect.

A silence fell between us before we both busted out in obnoxious laughter. While relief came out through my laugh, her laugh was filled with pure light and humor. We did draw some stares, but nothing we cared about in the moment.

"Okay well you're free to continue smiling at your phone then Tarion. See you later." Deanna wiped away tears before walking to her destination.

I waited until she was far enough and checked my surroundings to make sure I wouldn't get any more surprises. I eagerly pulled my phone back out praying a reply from him was awaiting me.

JoJo: I hope you are as excited about tomorrow as I am.

My blood warmed my cheeks up as the smile formed. Every text sent an unfamiliar energy through my body. An energy of excitement sometimes, other times it was nervousness and anxiety. Sometimes I was just plain sexually frustrated. Something I had never felt before. It was rare for me to feel any type of sexual energy.

I never felt anything more than handsome at times and that only occurred after a haircut and only lasted at most for two weeks. I hated being introduced to new feelings by new people. Like when new friends make you feel excited to hang out with them again or when new interests make you excited to meet them. A concept I hated to think about. It made my stomach do jumping jacks at the mere thought. A stranger whom I had never met was making my skin rise with goosebumps and my lips twitch into a smile with a simple text.

I walked around campus breathing in the air waiting for reply after reply. I tried to kill time for the day without stepping into work.

"Well hello, sir." The husky-shaped shadow came into my view. The greeting came from a deep voice I recognized from the jump.

"Well hello JuJu." I looked up from my phone.

"I miss you, Tarion! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever." His masculine walls falling as he continued to speak.

"I just saw you Wednesday." I chuckled at his dramatics.

"Right, but you know the trio hasn't hung out like all week." He flailed his hands openly.

He was right that our crew hadn't been together in a while which was rare for us. It was just that he was unaware of the reason why. I wanted to share the reason why, but I knew better than to open up that can of worms.

"Try talking to Chance. Let him know what's up and we can just chill at my place." I suggested.

"How come y'all don't come to my place?" Julian asked with a hint of offense coming from the question.

"Julian, you live behind God's back. Ain't nobody doing all that." I dismissed the notion.

"I stay like ten minutes away." He pointed in the direction of his apartment.

I turned on my heels to note that the conversation was about to end.

"Talk to Chance. Bye JuJu." I sent him off with a wave before making the unexpected decision to enter into the science building to continue what I actually wanted to do with my day.

The brief conversation with Julian had actually interrupted my happy thoughts of JoJo. I wanted to daydream in peace all day if I could. Commercial free and uninterrupted.

"Hey Tarion!"

The reality of it all becoming a daydream itself.

~*~

I had spent my one free weekday roaming through campus. I shot half-smiles and strong waves whenever a familiar face passed. Some mild conversations arose generally framed around "how's your semester going," or "you going out this weekend?" I tried to answer both questions with a hint of please-leave-me-alone and a dash of but-don't-hesitate-to-speak. Somehow those seemed to be the only conversation starters I would get and every time I gave the same response. "If you see me you see me. If you don't you don't."

As the sun shined brighter in the sky, I decided to find a place of solitude until I was ready to go back to my apartment. I hoped to find a place no one interrupted my thoughts or daydreams. I climbed the stairs into the library and began searching for a quiet corner.

He had started his shift at work, so I knew I wouldn't be hearing from him until later in that day. In the meantime I wanted to spend some time lost in my thoughts. Even if my thoughts were only of him. I walked speedily through the library, so that any familiar faces would breeze by me and hopefully not speak. I wanted to be alone with my thoughts. Something only Chance would understand. Also something Chance would never let me do.