Beneath and Beyond

Chapter 6

When Kiedi walked into the school parking lot the following morning she saw Luke and a smile spread across her face. He was leaning on his van with Cooger and of course Jasmine because those two were always together. Luke spotted her and waved her over.

"Hi," she said to them when she reached the van.

"Hi, told you I'd be here," Luke smiled. He wanted to reach out and hold her hand but he didn't want to rush anything so he settled for pushing an unruly strand of hair back behind her ear. She blushed and looked down and Luke's heart lurched in his chest. Sometimes he was surprised by the strength of his feelings for her.

The bell rang for school and Luke locked up the van and they all walked into school together. Luke walked her right to her classroom door even though his class was on the opposite side of the building.

"I'll see you at lunch," Luke said and he couldn't help himself he ran his fingers in her ponytail.

Kiedi bit her lip before answering, "Yeah I guess so."

At lunch Kiedi didn't sit between Kyle and Jasmine as had become usual instead she sat between Carl and Luke.

"So I'll meet you in the parking lot after school so we can go practice?" Luke asked softly.

"Sure but, can you drop off Kelly as well?" Kiedi asked nervously.

"Sure no problem"

"Ok."

"What are you two lovebirds whispering about over there," Kyle asked. Luke knew that it was just to be a pest because all of them except Jazz could hear what they were saying. Luke threw his fry at him and Kyle caught it in his mouth and everyone started laughing. Luke listened to Kiedi's laugh as if he was in a trance. It's like everything in him was in fine tune with her and he found everything about her appealing.

Luke walked her to her Geography class after lunch before going to his. Kiedi sat across from Alicea in Geography and had to endure her cold glare for the entire session. When it was over Kiedi was one of the first out of the room. She rushed to the sanctum of her next class which she didn't have with Alicea.

Just before the bell for the end of school rang Kiedi texted Kelly to meet her in the parking lot by Luke's van. Kelly replied that she couldn't and that Kiedi should go home without her because she was going shopping with some friends. Kiedi wondered what more clothes Kelly could possibly need but decided to keep it to herself and just meet her at home.

The bell rang and the teacher dismissed the class; Kiedi grabbed her bag and went to her locker to collect some last minute things then headed to the parking lot. Luke was already at his van and smiled when he saw her coming.

"Hi," Kiedi smiled back when she was standing in front of him.

"Hi," he replied his boyish grin on his face, then he leaned up and opened her door.

"Thanks."

They drove in compatible silence all the way to the house. Luke got out and opened her door for her again. Kiedi blushed slightly; she wasn't use to such a gentlemanly attitude towards her. She used her key to open the house and stepped in. She called out for her dad but he didn't answer so. Kiedi checked the garage and his car was gone.

"I guess we're alone," Kiedi said to Luke when she came back to the living room. "We can study on the porch, it's cool out there," Kiedi suggested.

"Lead the way."

They sat down on the porch swing and after taking out their play books dropped their bags on the floor. Kiedi got comfortable and crossed one of her legs beneath her; Luke pulled the top button of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves.