Luke.” I say his name on purpose. I’ve noticed if people don’t like someone or have a conflict with someone, being addressed by name by the person can ignite something. I am looking for any sign at this point. And I get it.
As soon as I utter his name, he jerks his head to face me. He lifts his chin slightly in defiance. He puffs his chest. His eyes, his coal-black eyes, pierce mine. But then he half smiles and nods once. But it comes too late. He recovers too late. I have my answer. He has a problem with me. But what? And why? And, most important, how is this going to complicate my getting close to Eri if he is her obsessed platonic-yet-boyfriendy bodyguard?
Conversation continues but is centered on Patrick and when he is going to come back around toward the end of the race. Finally we see him. His team is out in front by two hundred yards at least. His team strokes the way a millipede simultaneously moves its legs. The boys glisten in the sun, and the water glints off their oars. They make such a beautiful spectacle that once again my surroundings distract me.
“Quite a sight, isn’t it?” Eri has moved beside me as the crowd shifts to watch the end of the race.
“They don’t look real.” I glance over as I say this and am surprised to see that she is looking directly at me.
“Real. Humph. Privileged, smart, athletic young men in water sports. They aren’t real.” She keeps throwing me these loaded statements. She wants to tell me something. I can feel it. And then there’s Luke. There is so much going unsaid right now. I have to take a deep breath. Maybe a few. It’s usually about this time that I go into somebody’s brain just to do something to someone.
“They won! They won! Oh, Patrick! Oh, honey!”
Frances identifies the screaming woman as Patrick’s grandmother, and I watch as Patrick is surrounded in seconds, and our group is kicked back a few feet as family members take their places closest to Patrick. Frances says at most meets it can take fifteen minutes or more for them to get their chance to congratulate him.
The sun is low in the sky before the group is loading up to return to Preston. No one says the obvious to me, and that is, “You can leave any time, Leesie. You’re not coming back with us.” No one seems in a hurry despite the fact that it’s going on seven o’clock, we haven’t eaten, and we all have a ton of homework to do. I decide to initiate my exit before they do.
Leave while the party is still good and don’t overstay your welcome.
“I’m gonna head home, guys. Thanks for the invite today. It was a lot of fun. Congrats again, Patrick.”
“You’re leaving?” The urgency in Eri’s voice takes me by surprise. It must have taken Luke and Daisy by surprise as well because they look over at her with raised eyebrows and silent concern.
“Uh, yeah. I was going to. I mean, I’m starving and I have a lot to do before tomorrow.” I make sure I say “was going to” and throw in an “I’m starving.”
“I’m hungry, too. Maybe you could show us a place around here to eat? Or a place by you?” She hangs on to the second question. She wants to go by my place. Check out where I live. Maybe she’s just curious about what it’s like to live in the city. Maybe she’s still on this “How does a kid with no parents live?” kick. Maybe she’s seeing if I check out. Suddenly I feel like I am the one being Navigated. Who’s the center of a mission here, Eri or me?
“Sure. There’s a diner by me. Only about ten minutes west of here. Who wants to go?” I look at their faces, hoping to be able to tell if they all really want to go or if they’ll feel obligated to say yes because Eri initiated the whole thing.
“I’m too hungry to make it home. We’ll all go, right?” Patrick answers with a smile so wide with victory that no one would dare refuse him. In fact, no one really bothers answering. They just turn and head to the cars in obedience. I wonder if
As soon as I utter his name, he jerks his head to face me. He lifts his chin slightly in defiance. He puffs his chest. His eyes, his coal-black eyes, pierce mine. But then he half smiles and nods once. But it comes too late. He recovers too late. I have my answer. He has a problem with me. But what? And why? And, most important, how is this going to complicate my getting close to Eri if he is her obsessed platonic-yet-boyfriendy bodyguard?
Conversation continues but is centered on Patrick and when he is going to come back around toward the end of the race. Finally we see him. His team is out in front by two hundred yards at least. His team strokes the way a millipede simultaneously moves its legs. The boys glisten in the sun, and the water glints off their oars. They make such a beautiful spectacle that once again my surroundings distract me.
“Quite a sight, isn’t it?” Eri has moved beside me as the crowd shifts to watch the end of the race.
“They don’t look real.” I glance over as I say this and am surprised to see that she is looking directly at me.
“Real. Humph. Privileged, smart, athletic young men in water sports. They aren’t real.” She keeps throwing me these loaded statements. She wants to tell me something. I can feel it. And then there’s Luke. There is so much going unsaid right now. I have to take a deep breath. Maybe a few. It’s usually about this time that I go into somebody’s brain just to do something to someone.
“They won! They won! Oh, Patrick! Oh, honey!”
Frances identifies the screaming woman as Patrick’s grandmother, and I watch as Patrick is surrounded in seconds, and our group is kicked back a few feet as family members take their places closest to Patrick. Frances says at most meets it can take fifteen minutes or more for them to get their chance to congratulate him.
The sun is low in the sky before the group is loading up to return to Preston. No one says the obvious to me, and that is, “You can leave any time, Leesie. You’re not coming back with us.” No one seems in a hurry despite the fact that it’s going on seven o’clock, we haven’t eaten, and we all have a ton of homework to do. I decide to initiate my exit before they do.
Leave while the party is still good and don’t overstay your welcome.
“I’m gonna head home, guys. Thanks for the invite today. It was a lot of fun. Congrats again, Patrick.”
“You’re leaving?” The urgency in Eri’s voice takes me by surprise. It must have taken Luke and Daisy by surprise as well because they look over at her with raised eyebrows and silent concern.
“Uh, yeah. I was going to. I mean, I’m starving and I have a lot to do before tomorrow.” I make sure I say “was going to” and throw in an “I’m starving.”
“I’m hungry, too. Maybe you could show us a place around here to eat? Or a place by you?” She hangs on to the second question. She wants to go by my place. Check out where I live. Maybe she’s just curious about what it’s like to live in the city. Maybe she’s still on this “How does a kid with no parents live?” kick. Maybe she’s seeing if I check out. Suddenly I feel like I am the one being Navigated. Who’s the center of a mission here, Eri or me?
“Sure. There’s a diner by me. Only about ten minutes west of here. Who wants to go?” I look at their faces, hoping to be able to tell if they all really want to go or if they’ll feel obligated to say yes because Eri initiated the whole thing.
“I’m too hungry to make it home. We’ll all go, right?” Patrick answers with a smile so wide with victory that no one would dare refuse him. In fact, no one really bothers answering. They just turn and head to the cars in obedience. I wonder if
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