The Girl Across the Street

The Girl Across the Street 25

After school Kate has an orthodontist appointment and has to leave early so I decide to walk home with Emma. On our way out of the school, Tara comes around the corner wearing a tank top and her dark skinny jeans. Her long blonde hair spills over her shoulders and she sways her hips over to me.

She places her hand on my upper arm and looks up at me through her eyelashes. "Hey Dylan? I was having a lot of trouble with that English essay. You know, Grapes of Wrath is really confusing. Do you think you could, um," she takes a step closer to me and runs her hand down my arm slowly. "Do you think you could help me with it?"

I take a giant step backward and shoved her hand back at her. "If you're having so much trouble then I'd ask Miss White yourself. I'm sure she'd be happy to help. However, I'm busy so I'm afraid I won't be of much help." She looks surprised that I brushed her off so rudely but she doesn't say anything to excuse herself or deny needing Miss White's help. She simply stands wi her mouth slightly agape while I walk past her.

"You might want to close your mouth Tara, it's not an attractive look on you." I hear Emma tell her from behind me.

I can only imagine the look on Tara's face right now. It would be priceless. I don't look back though, I simply slow down a little to give Emma the chance to catch up to me and continue out the doors.

We discuss the encounter the entire way home and decide it's best not to tell Kate about it. As much as I dislike Tara, I really don't want my girlfriend to murder her. At my yard we part ways and I wave as she crosses the street and goes into her house, a light on in her family room. I make my way into my own lit home and see my sister waiting at the kitchen table for me to come home.

"How was it? Did they love it? Hate it? Ignore it?" She asks excitedly.

"Well, the girls loved that I wore pink but I got avoided all day. The guys called me gay a lot but nothing was malicious."

"Do you think it's because you're popular and she was new so no one knew what to think of her?" Cassidy asks, referring to Emma.

"I think there's a strong possibility of that." I reply. "Do you want to come help me pick out another?" She nods and follows me upstairs.

By the time my mother calls us down for dinner, we have something for the three remaining days this week. I come down still wearing my pink shirt and my mom comments on it, coming into the dining room with her dinner plate and water glass. "Dylan that color looks lovely on you dear. I haven't seen you wear it since your school had that pink out for breast cancer last month."

"I just decided to change it up a little bit."

"I wanted to get a pair of hot pink jeans Mom, could I?" Cassidy interjects, bouncing with excitement in her chair.

"I wouldn't even know where to begin looking."

"That's okay! I can try looking online for some!" My mother has no time to protest because Cassidy has already finished eating and is in the kitchen putting her dishes away. "Thanks Mom!"

My father walks in the door as Cassidy gets upstairs and he finds my mother and me sitting at the table with half finished meals in front of us. "Hello!" He looks around. "Where's Cassidy?"

"In her room googling pink jeans." I reply.

My mom nods and stands up, kissing my father. "I left a plate out for you, the pasta should still be warm."

My dad grabs his plate and brings it into the dining room, sitting down at the head of the table.

After I finish eating, I excuse myself and go upstairs to start my homework. Once I'm finished with that, I turn on my computer and hop in the shower while it's loading up.