P. Hoover - Solstice

It’s why my mom starts a greenhouse wherever we move. She says it’s her contribution to keeping the earth healthy. To keep the smaller species of plants from going extinct. To replenish them after the trees grew big and blocked their water and sun. To help preserve the big trees for when they eventually die out, too. My mom really does care about the earth. Sometimes, she talks like eternal summer is something the world should embrace, but at the same time, she does whatever she can to help things return to normal. A normal that I’ve never known, since it’s been summer my whole life.

I manage to zone out for the rest of lecture, and blessedly, Mr. Kaiser doesn’t call on me. When class ends, I look toward Shayne, hoping he’ll be looking at me, but he’s already gone. He must have been the first one out of the classroom.

“Nice tattoo.”

I look up and see it’s Randy Conner. He’s standing there with his girlfriend, Hannah Reed, who’s got one hand wrapped around his arm and the other crossed over her stomach.

“Don’t tell me your mom really let you get one,” Hannah says.

“Not quite.” Randy and Hannah don’t normally talk to me; I never knew getting a tattoo would get me attention from the in crowd.

“No way,” Randy says. “You actually went behind her back?” Randy lives next door to the Botanical Haven. He of all people knows how overprotective my mom is. Four years ago, when we first moved in, he tried to come over and talk to me. My mom ended that before it started, threatening to peel the skin from his back if he so much as set foot near the brick fence. Needless to say, Randy never again came by to talk to me. And he told the entire school my mom was a psychopathic lunatic which, whether it was true or not, wasn’t cool at all. It certainly didn’t make starting at a public school very easy.

I nod, loving how his words reaffirm my rebellion. I did go behind her back.

“And you got away with it?” Hannah turns to Randy. “I want to get one.”

“Your mom would kill you,” he says.

Am I really not the only one in the world whose mom is overprotective?

“There wasn’t much she could do once I got it,” I say, and I realize the power of a tattoo. Unless I get cosmetic removal, it’s there to stay.

“Awesome,” Randy says. “But you’re not getting one now,” he adds to Hannah, and they move on out of the room.

I pick up my backpack and head for the door.

“Yeah, nice tattoo.”

Shayne is there outside the classroom. Waiting for me. I almost drop my backpack I’m so shocked by the sound of his voice. The way he says nice sounds like it holds a thousand different meanings, all of which I like. But the best part is he’s saying it to me.

“Thanks.” I attempt to think of something else to say, but nothing comes to mind.

“I waited for you,” he says.

He waited for me. I record the words in my mind so I can play them over and over later. “I see that.”

His smile makes me want to just stand there staring at him, but then he gestures with his head down the hallway. “Can I walk you to class?”

“I have Study Hall,” I say before I can think about how irrelevant that is.

Shayne reaches out and takes my backpack off my shoulder. “Okay, can I walk you there?”

“Sure.” I work to keep my voice calm, like I’m not over-the-moon that I’m being walked to class by the most gorgeous guy in the world. We turn the corner, and at least seven other girls stare our way. I pretend I don’t notice though I can’t believe he’s actually picked me to walk with. I keep wanting to glance over at him to make sure he doesn’t disappear, but manage to control myself.

I wrack my brain and finally think of a conversation starter. “What’d you think of the lecture today?”

God, that’s so lame.

Shayne shifts the backpack so it’s on his other arm. This leaves his hand dangerously close to mine.

“Tedious,” he says.

“Tell me about it,” I say. “If I have to hear Mr. Kaiser discuss conspiracy theory for this entire month, I’m going to pull my hair out.”

Shayne stops walking, so of course I do, too. And he reaches up and takes a piece of my hair between his fingers. “Please don’t. It’s so beautiful.”

And I’m left speechless once again.

He lets go of my hair. “I hear you have plans on Friday.”

He’s heard about my plans? Reese must’ve told him. Maybe they’re friends. I nod and avert my eyes, hoping he doesn’t see what I’m really thinking. I want it to be him instead. I want him to be the one who’s asked me to sneak out.

He touches my tattoo, and the shock from his touch travels up my arm and through my body, sending chills to places I only think about once the lights are out.

“It’s Greek,” Shayne says.

“Chloe says it means surrender . We both got one.” My heart is pounding so hard, I’m sure he can hear it.

“Sacrifice,” he says.

I look down at his hand. “What?”

He traces a letter with his index finger. “It says sacrifice .”

“You know Greek?” Is that the best thing I can think of to say?

Shayne nods, and his black hair settles on his shoulders. “Sure. Doesn’t everyone?”

“It’s not really the most common language to learn.”

“Well, it should be.” He rubs his thumb across the tattoo, and I know he’s feeling the raised skin underneath.

I stop breathing and try to keep the light smile on my face though my knees are about to collapse.

“I like it.” He rubs the tattoo a final time and gives my arm a squeeze, and then he lets go. “Have fun on your date,” he says, and the happiness evaporates from his face.

“Thanks.” I’m not sure what other response I can possibly give. The electricity from his touch still pumps inside me, and I hope it will never go away.

“Be careful. Okay?” His brown eyes darken, and the look on his face from class returns like he wants to tear someone limb from limb. But then he blinks, and it fades.

Careful? “Do I need to be?” I say it half in jest and half not.

Shayne nods. “Yeah, Piper. You do.”

Anticipation and nerves blend together and flutter in my stomach. “Oh.”

He opens his mouth as if he’s about to say something else, but then shuts it again.

“What?” I say.

He shakes his head. “Nothing.”

So I start walking again, but I’m not two steps forward when he puts his hand on my arm and stops me.

I turn and face him.

“Maybe we can get together sometime.” His eyes don’t leave mine as he speaks.

My heart’s going crazy inside my chest. I’m about to pass out. “That sounds nice.” I focus on each word, making sure they come out clearly.

His mouth turns up at the sides. “Maybe coffee.”

I nod and decide against using my mom as an excuse. I skipped school to get a tattoo. I can certainly find a way to sneak in a cup of coffee. “Coffee is great.”

I hope he’ll suggest right now, but he doesn’t. He only turns and starts walking again. And we walk the rest of the way to Study Hall in silence.

Shayne hands me my backpack at the door, and I sling it over my shoulder. I wonder how he’ll say goodbye. I wonder if he’ll name a time for us to get together.

He doesn’t. He makes it simple. “See ya,” he says. And in his simplicity I can’t help but feel I ruined my chances with him. Maybe it was up to me to suggest a time.

“Yeah, see ya,” I say, and I watch as he turns and walks away. I don’t move until he disappears from my sight.