Sarah's Journey to Love

3

EVAN’S POV

            Sarah was in a mood yesterday, I hope she is in a better mood today, I liked her smile, and the way she blushes when she gets embarrassed. I pulled himself out of bed, I was still tired, I didn’t get home until late last night from work, I still had grease on my arms and face. Walking down the hall to the bathroom, I could hear my parents fighting yet again I rolled his eyes as I enters the bathroom. Jumping in the shower letting the warm water hit my body, once I was sure I was clean I got out and headed to my bedroom, the house is quit, I am sure that my dad has gone to work, and my mother, (God that woman) was hiding in her room, smoking, and drinking or maybe even passed out, making a note to myself to make sure that I check on her before I leave so she doesn’t burn down the house. After getting dressed I walked into the kitchen and my phone beeps.

                        Hey son I’m going to be working late tonight, before work can you check on your mother thanks.

                        Yeah, I can dad, I will be working late as well

                        Okay sounds good sorry about this morning.

            I pour myself some coffee and then a cup for my mother even though I know she won’t drink throw some bread in the toaster once it is ready I put it on the plate and butter it, with my mothers cup of coffee in hand and toast I head down the hallway to my parent’s room. I walk in I put the toast and coffee down on the bed stand next to her, she rolled over and looked at me with hate in her eyes.

            “What do you want?”

            “Nothing I brought you in some coffee and toast, try and eat something today, I have to go to school but I will be back to check on you, before I head to work.”

            “I am not a child I don’t need you checking on me, you little s**t. I am your mother, I don’t need a babysitter.”

            “Yes mother.” I am short with her and it comes out rude, I know what will come next.

            “Don’t talk to me that way.” With that she smacks me across that face with her hand.

            I walk out the door, and I hear say something else, but I could making it out with the door closed, I keep walking I grab my back pack before heading out that door, that garage door is still open, I get on my bike, leave closing the garage door on my way.

            I really hope that Sarah is in a good mood today, I don’t think I could handle in being in a bad mood after dealing with my mother. I pull into the school parking lot, I see Sarah and her friends talking, and laughing that is a good sign. I lean up again my bike, watching them and smile to myself.

            “Hey man.”

            I turn and see Mark walk up to me and smoking a cigarette, he was lean, with dark brown shaggy hair, and deep dark brown eyes, he was wearing dark blue jeans, and a black t-shirt. He runs his hand through his hair. Looking just as tired as I feel.

            “What’s up?” I nod at him.

            “Work is killing me, I am falling behind on homework, I didn’t get any sleep trying to get it all done.” He sighed, finishing his cigarette and throwing it on the ground. We both worked at the same body shop, I was lucky unlike him I was able to do homework in between cars that I was working on, Mark was always busy, the boss pulled him harder, he did a lot more work than I did, I worked on the smaller jobs, oil changes, changing out tires, and other little things, because of that fact I was able to get homework done. The boss also let me stay later, to finish up homework before leaving, I would make sure that the shop was always clean before leaving, he has even let me say in the apartment that was above the shop.

            “I guess that is what happens when your dad owns the shop and pushes you hard.” I shrug but look at him with sympathy in my eyes. He just nodded. Eva walked over to us, she is Mark’s girl with a big smile on her face. She gives me a nod.

            “Eva.” I say and then look down at the ground.

            Eva wraps her arms around Mark’s neck, he wraps his arms around her waist. They stay start making out, and I pull myself off my bike and start walking up to the school. I pull my Axe out of my bag and spray myself I hate smelling like smoke. I walk pass, Sarah and her friends I think about saying something, but I keep walking with my head down.

            I can feel Sarah turn to look at me, but she doesn’t say anything either. I head to my locker and but myself in there, the bells rings, and people start walking into the school, I start walking to homeroom. I get there before anyone else today, I slide into my seat that is in front of Sarah. I take off my jacket and lay it on my desk. I see Sarah and her friends walking in they are laughing, and her laugh sounds like music. God, what is it about this girl that draws me too her? I mean yeah, she is pretty, and her smile makes me smile, but her noise is always in a book, she is shy, and can be mean. She was nothing like the girls that he normally is drawn. From what I can tell she has no tattoos the only piercing that she had was in her ears, the girls I normally go after were bad girls. Sarah was almost nerdy, and from what I can tell she has never been in trouble.

            “Hey.” I feel someone touch my shoulder bring me back from my thoughts. I look to see some girl that I don’t know.

            “What’s up?” I say back to her.

            “I am Isabella,” She giggles trying to be cute, but I can see right through it. She grabbed my arm, “wow you are strong. So, I was wondering would you like to come to a party with me tomorrow night?” I see her look at Sarah giving her a crusty smirk. I see Sarah’s face out of the corner of my eye she seems shocked and mad all at the same time.

            “No, I don’t.” I pulled my arm away from her hand. I could see the disappointment in her eyes.

            “I don’t date fake blondes.” I added.

            “I told you that your roots are showing.” I hear behind me. Isabella flips her hair from her shoulder and huffs away but to her seat.

            I look at Sarah and give her a small smirk, she smiles back, I turn back around facing the front of the class, Mr. Schimt walks in and everyone takes their seat. He tells the class to do whatever they want if they don’t get to loud. I lay my head down on my desk and close my eyes. I was almost asleep when I feel someone touch me, I jump a little, and feel my back tighten up. I turn around to see that it is Sarah touching my back, she quickly pulls her hand back.

            “Look, I just wanted to say sorry.” I hold up my hand cutting her off.

            “Never say sorry, it makes you look weak.” I say turning back around. As I lay my head back down on the desk, I hear her sigh, and mutter “I don’t know why I try to be nice, screw people.” Under her breath. I can’t help but smile to myself. I don’t know why I didn’t just tell her it was okay, growing up my grandfather always told me saying sorry makes you weak and to never say it. Maybe that is why I was always in fights that and I didn’t back down from people, no one scared me. I felt like an ass, and feel like I should say something but I didn’t I spend the rest of the hour with my eyes closed, and I can hear Sarah’s voice, as she talked to her friends, it was soft and kind, full of life unlike yesterday when it was cold and full of hate, her eyes were dark brown and cold like she didn’t have a heart, and today they are back to light brown with a green ring on the outside, with warmth, almost inviting. When the bell rang Sarah got up and walked quickly out the door.

            “Look, I know she was rude yesterday to you but don’t have to be an ass. If she tells you that she is sorry it is because she truly feels bad about something, she doesn’t just go handing them out to people.”  Standing in front of me is one of her friends Tina I believe her name is.

            “Whatever, I don’t care.” I start to walk away but I feel someone pull on my arm.

            “She really is sorry.” The other one says letting go of my arm. She shakes her head and they both walk away.

            I head to my next class, only a few more class and I am done with the day I leave at lunch time, I only need a few credit before I can graduate high school, before school start I came in and talked to the principal, she wanted to make sure that I won’t be getting into trouble like I did at my last school, I knew that I wouldn’t as no one here knows my mother. She said for someone that had missed so much school I was on track to graduate and that I could graduate early if I wanted to or I could start taking college classes for free on the community college in town, my dad and I talked about it and I went with the college classes, I would be dumb to pass that up. I already knew what I wanted to do, I loved working on cars and bikes, I knew that I wanted to do that for the rest of my life, my dad I know want me to work in an office like him, work smarter not harder is what he would tell me growing up, but he understood that it made me happy and as long as I was happy he was okay with it.

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            I walk out of the school, I stop to see that Sarah’s hood it up on her car, she is bent over trying to see why her car won’t start.

            “Hey sweetheart what seems to be the problem?”

            I see her jump a little, “To be honest I really don’t know, it won’t start, and I need to get home, I left my laptop at home and I need it for my next class.” She signs. I nod. Pulling out my phone I still have forty minutes until my college class starts.

            “I can give you a ride.” I close her hood and grab her hand. Take her to the back of the parking lot next to my bike I see Mark and Eva making out next to his. I roll my eyes. They stop when they see Sarah and me.

            I hand Sarah the helmet, at look at Mark, “Hey I am going to be late for work, Sarah’s car won’t start, I am going to swing by the shop after class and get the truck and take a look at it.” Mark nods.

            “You want me to get on your bike?”

            “Yeah, haven’t you ever been on a bike before?”

            I see her face turn red telling me no, I help her with the helmet and get on my bike swinging my leg around and hold out my hand to help keep her balance as she climbs on. After she gets on, I start the bike I can feel her grab on to my waist tightly, and I can’t help but laugh. After leaving the parking lot she tells me how to get to her house talking louder than she needed to when we get there, I hold out my hand to help her off.

            “Do you want to come in for a minute while I grab it?”

            “Sure, why not.” I say with a smile on my face.

            She opens that door letting me walk in first. There are blankets on the floor of the living room and pizza boxes on the table that is pushed up next to the couch. She looks a little embarrassed, “Sorry about the mess, Tina, Karen, and I had a sleepover last night and passed out before I could clean up.”

            “So that is their names?” I smirk at her, and she smiles. Not a very warm smile but I will take it she grabs the pizza boxes and throws them away.

            “Can I get you anything?” she added from the kitchen.

            “No, I good thanks.” I say looking around the living room, she comes back from the kitchen, looks at me and then the ground, leading for the stairs. She comes back carrying a bag.

            “Alright I am good to go.” I nod and we walk out the door, making it back to the school parking lot I pull up next to her car, turning my bike off.

            “Look, you don’t have to look at my car it is fine, I’ll call, and have it taken to the body shop in town it is fine.”

            “It’s fine don’t work about it.”

            “I don’t want to make you late, for work.” I hold up my hand to stop her from talking. I get off my bike as I do, she leans up against her car. I smile at her.

            “It is fine don’t worry about it, it's fine the boss loves me.”

            “Are you sure it will be okay?”

            “Yes, I am sure. If I can’t fix, it here I will take it to the shop myself okay.”

            She smiles a real smile at me and shakes her head, I reach out and grab a piece of hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear. I can tell that she is nerves as she looks at the ground. I take my hand and using the knuckle of my pointer finger, lift her chin, she looks me in the eyes I step closer to her wanting nothing more that the kiss her, but the bell rings and she pulls her head away.

            “We better get to class.” She says with a weak smile, blushing.

            “Yeah, you better get inside, you don’t want to be late.” I swing my leg back over my bike.

            “You aren’t coming?” She looks at me. I don’t say anything and start my bike and back out of the spot. As I pull away, I see her walking back into the school.