“Yes. People are going to panic.”
“Will they get out before the bleachers fall?”
“Yes.” I leaned across the hood of Chay’s yellow car; my cheek rested on my outstretched arm.
We heard the fire alarm blare inside the school. An announcement was made to calmly exit the building. I was right—everyone panicked. People ran and screamed. They pushed and shoved to get out of the building. Some were pushed into walls, getting bloodied noses. Others took elbows to their face or gut. Some were knocked to the floor and nearly trampled. I watched the vision play out like a movie. The last of the students were just stepping off the bleachers when my vision showed the entire structure collapsing.
The images faded. The relentless pain slowly eased. Sights and sounds returned to normal. I opened my eyes and saw the oddest colored eyes staring back at me.
“Hey.” I smiled.
Chay let out a breath and smiled back at me. “You feeling better? Tired, I’d bet.”
“Yeah. To both.” I reached out and touched his temple lightly. “Have I ever told you how beautiful your eyes are?”
“No.”
“Remind me to tell you when I’m not so tired.”
Chay laughed. “Okay. But I think you kinda just did.”
“Nope. When I tell you, we’ll be alone and I’ll be awake so you can kiss me. A lot. And then you can tell me mine are beautiful—”
“Because they are.”
“And then you can kiss me some more.”
Chay smoothed a piece of hair behind my ear, his gaze holding mine. “Have I ever told you I love how your mind works?”
“I don’t know. I’m too tired to remember. Write that down for later, too.”
“Did everyone get out?” Muriel asked quietly.
I nodded. “I think so.”
“Thank God.” She grabbed Drew’s hand.
“Um, I gotta get outta here,” Drew said.
We looked at him then, and I burst out laughing. He looked like a Smurf. Blue paint covered his right side from his hair to his knees.
“I forgot the alarms sprayed paint to keep students from setting off false alarms.” I laughed harder.
“Yeah, well, they do. And I’d like to get lost before the panic wears off and someone notices.”
“Well, you’d better run,” I said, laughing even harder. Tears stung my eyes, and I wiped them away with the back of my hand.
“Yeah.” He took off for his car. “C’mon, Muriel!”
“Geez, I’m riding home with dopey Smurf. You know, he’s one of the reasons they spray blue paint, right? He and his dipshit friends let off so many false alarms their freshman and sophomore years that the school had the paint deterrent added. Serves him right.”
“Muriel!” Drew yelled.
“See you later.” Muriel took off after the giant Smurf.
I laughed so hard I snorted, which made Chay laugh.
11
Breakfast
Date day. A thrill ran up my spine when my phone rang at eight Saturday morning. I was getting used to his early morning phone calls. And even though I was more of a night owl to his early bird, I looked forward to them.
I answered the phone on the first ring. “Hey.”
“Did I wake you?” His voice was still gravelly from sleep, and I could hear the rustle of his sheets. I closed my eyes and imagined him stretching in bed.
“Nope. This morning I was up before you.”
“Amazing.” He chuckled.
“I know, right? I surprised myself. I guess I’m getting used to the early hours you keep.” I smiled and stretched under my warm quilt.
“Stranger things have happened. So, are we on for breakfast?”
“Wow! You’ve just started inviting yourself, haven’t you?”
“Yep.”
“Yeah, same time. But it’s my turn to cook this week. You can come a little early if you wanna help.”
The phone clicked in my ear. Four minutes later, the doorbell rang. I laughed.
I guess he’s helping me cook.
I ran down the stairs while brushing my teeth. When I opened the door, I froze. “What are you doing here?” I asked around the toothbrush. Foaming toothpaste oozed between my lips.
“Not who you were expecting?” Xavier asked.
“No.” I opened the door and motioned for him to come in before running back upstairs to rinse my mouth and run a comb through my hair before Chay got there.
The doorbell rang a second time just as I stepped off the bottom stair into the foyer. I inhaled a large breath, stealing myself for what I knew was going to be dramatic fireworks.
Oh, this is so not going to end well. Chay and Xavier sitting around the same breakfast table is not a good idea. They barely make it through lunches at school without tearing into each other.
“Someone here?” Chay gestured to the car parked in our driveway.
I walked outside and closed the door softly behind me. “Chay, remember when we talked about the trust thing and you not getting jealous?”
Chay ran his hand through his hair, resting it on top of his head. “You’re kidding, right?”