Dreams Or How I Live My Life in Daydreams

Rumors

"You're the talk of the whole school?" Nara said, slurping the last of her Frappuccino until she sucked air.

The rattling grating her already frayed nerves, Autumn tore the paper off the straw, folded it, and tossed it on the table.

"What the hell happened that's got everyone's tongues wagging?" Nara said. "I even overheard Timothy talking about it."

"Timothy!" Autumn screeched.  She slapped her hand on the table. Conversations ceased, eyes turned in their direction.  Groaning, she buried her face in her hands. "Great. Just great."

Nara tugged her arm. Autumn peeked through her fingers.

"Tell me what happened," the redhead said. "You'll feel better talking about it."

Tears threatening to spill from her eyes, Autumn nodded. Where would she be if she didn't have a friend who stuck by her through thick and thin like Nara?

She removed her hands from her face and exhaled.

"This is what happened," she said, explaining everything from the mentos and soda incident at the cafeteria to the talk at the park.

Done speaking, she picked up her to-go cup and chugged it.

Nara leaned on her elbows, her palms cradling her face. "That's quite a pickle that you're in," she said.

Autumn snorted. "Tell me about it." Replaying the day's events over in her mind, she threw her head back. "Why did I agree to go to the dance with Maddox?"

"Didn't he ask you before?" Nara said. Autumn shot her an agitated look. "Yes. I turned him down flat."

"So, what changed?"

Autumn shrugged. "I don't know."

"Do you like him?" 

Autumn scoffed. "Hell no! He's not my type. Not in the slightest. We have absolutely nothing in common."

"Okay. Okay," Nara said, gesturing for her to simmer down. "You don't have to convince me. I heard you loud and clear."

Glowering at the patrons watching them like they were some kind of spectator sport, Autumn rose to her feet. "Let's get out of here," she said. "I'm right behind you," Nara said, tossing her cup into the garbage on the way out.

*********

Maddox skimmed through the magazine aimlessly, his thoughts elsewhere. Biting his lip, he smiled.

A lighthearted chuckle pierced the silence in the air. He jerked his head up.

"Okay. What's her name?" 

"Name?" 

"Only someone you're crazy about would have you bursting at the seams."

Maddox opened and closed his mouth. He couldn't wisecrack his way out of it. "Okay. You got me."

"I'm listening," the dark-haired woman said, her full attention centered on the boy seated in front of her.

"Autumn," he said. "Her name is Autumn."

She grinned. "How long have you known Autumn?"

"Since middle school," he replied. His eyes softened. "She's the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

The woman's mouth parted, awareness dawning on her. "You're in love with her," she said.

Maddox seized the arm of the chair, shook by the clarity of her words. He knew what he felt for Autumn went beyond a crush. He could never find the right adjective to describe it.