What's-His-Face (Part 2)

Chapter#?? - Linette

As I walk down the hallway next to Kairos, he veers off to the right to go talk to his girlfriend, Sabra Parlan. I shrug and cringe as he hugs her the way he usually does. Why must boys hug girls from behind and rest their arms on- I just think it's stupid is all... But maybe that's because I'm single and alone and all that jazz. My phone beeps as it receives a text message from Mekia Leilani.

Mekia: Hey, Linni... I was wondering if you want to hang out after school?

Me: That's fine.

Mekia: Cool!! I can't wait!! :D

Me: Yep, sounds fun.

I put my phone away as I continue down the hallway, listening to different students have their conversations as I pass by them. I hear my name a few times, but pay no mind to the words that are said about me. "Let them think what they want, Linni... Don't worry about it." I look to the left and see Kairos walking next to me.

I smile at Kairos as we walk to the band room together, talking about the differences between my honors classes and his. "I still think drop-ad for you into college prep was a bad idea... I mean, YOU of all people! I can't believe it! You're so smart!"

"Tell that to my teachers. Ya know, the ones who gave me B's." Kairos rolls his eyes at me and laughs, which in turn makes me laugh. Kairos grabs his instruments from the storage room and heads outside with me. Once we're outside, he reminds me that I have a fundraising event tomorrow with Dalton.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mekia hug Everett Chaylen, and then she gets in his car. Well, I guess she forgot about hanging out. Oh well, I don’t care. Kairos’s words ring in my ears and I look back at him right when I hear the word ‘fundraiser.’ “What’d you say?”

"You know, I might come to that fundraiser. How long is it? And from what time to what time will you be working?" Kairos puts his things in his mother's car and I do the same with my mother. As both of our motherly figures sit and talk about who knows what, Kairos and I discuss our classes again.

"All right, Linni, time to go!" I say goodbye to Kairos and get in my mom's car. She smiles at me, asking me about my day and what all happened, how my quizzes went and things of that nature.

-------------> The Next Day

My phone buzzes:

Dalton: Are you excited about today?

Me: Yeah! I can't wait!

Dalton: Me either! It's going to be so much fun!

Me: I bet! Are you nervous?

Dalton: A little...

Me: Don't be... You'll do great!

Dalton: I hope so... I have to go plan, see you soon!

Me: Ttfn!

I put my phone away as my mom pulls in the parking lot of the seminary. "Good luck working here for those seven community service hours! Your dad is coming to pick you up around eight or so... Give me the details about everything tonight!"

"I will... Love you, Mom!"

"I love you too!" I walk up the stairs as my mom pulls out of the parking lot, and then I'm inside, working with Dalton and his family to raise money. I don't see much of Dalton, except for when he comes in every once in a while to check on money statistics and to see how his family is doing. Kairos comes and stops by with a few of his friends, but he soon leaves as well.

Dalton walks into the room and grabs a piece of pizza as his mother puts a dollar bill in the money box next to me. He walks over to me and sits down in the seat available to the right of me. "How's everything going on your end?"

I smile at Dalton and nod. "Pretty good... Your brother's been keeping me company. He likes to take care of the money..."

Dalton raises his eyebrows at me and says, "Well, don't let him take any." We both laugh at that. "Thanks for helping me again... And don't forget to come see me play basketball at some point tonight!"

"I will, I promise."

Dalton leaves after finishing his pizza, leaving me by myself (except for the few people still eating and his mother).

A few hours later...

I'm exhausted by time the end of the fundraiser is near. I put the broom away after sweeping the hallway and the staircase, and then I go inside the gym. I see a group of people crowded around someone on the floor, and that's when I realize that I don't see Dalton among them - he's the one injured.

Dalton's holding his ankle, and he looks like he's in a lot of pain. "Hey, Linni! How was the fundraiser?" I look up to see my dad walking towards me, smiling.

"It was good, but Dalton just got hurt..." I watch as Dalton stands up, and with the help of his parents, walks over to a chair, sitting down in it. He stretches and walks around a bit, and that's when I realize that he had a cramp.

Finally, the seven hour fundraiser is over. I walk over to Dalton's mother and pull out my community service form. "You wouldn't mind signing this for me, would you?"

"Of course not! Dalton, could you come over here for a minute? I need your help..." After they finish filling out the form together, Dalton pulls me over to the side and gives me a hug. Since he's taller than me, my head went straight to his chest and his rested on my shoulder. I let go of him, but he didn't let go of me. And we're still hugging? Okay...

Dad speaks up after Dalton goes back up to announce the end of the fundraiser. My dad tells me that it's time to go if we're going to get to my grandparents' house before 10 o'clock. After I get in my dad's car, I find out that while Dalton and I were hugging, Dad turned around about halfway into the hug.

"What?! You really did that? Why?"

"I just... I didn't want to scare him." My mouth drops and Dad begins to laugh.

Fathers... I don't understand them either. It's like they strive for embarrassing you in front of any boy. That way, there's no chance that you will ever have a boyfriend! Or they scare the boys away by their fatherly intimidation..! I don't get it!! Why? You have to grow up sometime, but I guess still being in high school... That isn't really the time to grow up. I mean, before you now it, high school will be over. And then you're off to college, and you're, well... You're gone.