Chance Encounters

MARK’S POV PT 2

I awoke by my father screaming his head off at Matt. “What the hell.” I mumbled managing to roll out of bed I seen the time and seen that it was time for me to go to school. It is my last year at Mallow and I couldn’t be happier. “Matt shut the hell up and listen to dad.” I mumbled, the light shined through the cracks, stumbling to the bathroom I struck myself up a shower.

“Here breakfast is on the table I’ve got to go to prepare for a dance recital,my students are waiting.” My mother said throwing eggs and bacon on a plate before shoving a piece of toast in her mouth. “Also boys,it’s your first day back please go to school I don’t want to hear your father’s mouth.” She said picking up her purse and keys. I turned and glared at Matt. “Bro I swear if you get us both beat from dad I will beat you again my damn self.” Matt slumped in his chair. Both of us were driving now so at least I didn’t have to take him to school. I stood by the kitchen counter shoveling eggs into my mouth. I finished chewing and grabbed the milk jug from the fridge. Unscrewing the cap I took a big swig. “Eww Mark,the rest of us drink from that too.” I shoved it back on the shelf and took off for the door. I got into my 442,and rummaging around I realized that I didn’t have a pen,or a notebook. I rolled my eyes,the last thing I needed at this point was to be late. I backed out of my driveway and caught a glimpse of a truck going the opposite way,must be Skye,wonder why she was going that way when it would be easier to go the same way, unless she had the balls to skip the first day. I shrugged and continued on my way to school.

I pulled into the parking lot,chaos and crazy as ever, I took a spot next to Larry. “Hey,look at this!” He exclaimed, his glove box was set up with an alarm along with his hood ornament. I sighed and rolled my eyes,typical Larry always was up to something and took mad scientist to the extreme when it came to electrical. “That’s cool Larry.” I mumbled. May and her crew pulled up next to me of course driving their daddy’s coupe d’vill. “Oh my gosh Mark!!” May screeched from the driver’s seat. I glanced at Larry who looked like he was hiding a laugh. “Yes,it’s me.” I muttered. She hopped out and wrapped her arms around me. Her perfume punched me in the nose as I slumped down and refused to show any type of affection back, I only did it as a solid for my brother. “Please, May, for the love of Christ get off of me.” She huffed as her arm retracted, “God what’s your problem Mark?” She asked. I started walking and Larry followed me. May stood behind to talk to her friends.

Larry and I walked down the halls,it was crowed elbow to elbow of people catching up after the summer. “Hey Larry,I’ll probably see you in shop class if not definitely after school.” He nodded and we went into our home rooms. The teacher stood at the board talking about the same things as last year, “Remember to come here every Monday and Thursday before first hour,here’s this year’s schedule, I’ll call you up one at a time…” he droned on and on. The girls were giving me looks,I appreciated it,but didn’t want it. The teacher called my name, “Mr.Collins I’d appreciate it if you would pay attention and get your schedule otherwise you can just stay here all day.” My face turned a shade of red as I walked up to the front of the class. I took it and sat back down. Great,looking like an i***t the first day of school, good job. I glanced at it and seen my next class was auto shop. I smiled,more time to work on my projects. The bell rang and I was bolting out of home room to go meet Larry. “Hey,what hour did you get shop?” I turned to look at what the noise was and of course it was May and her group all giggly and obnoxious. “Mark come over here I wanna show off how cute you are!!” She yelled seeing me standing with Larry. Hun and I looked at each other both confused as to why she felt the need to point me out in the hallway. Reluctantly I walked over. “Oh my gosh May!” One girl screeched, “He’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!!” May smiled, “I know and he’s mine.” She said with a smile. I gave Larry a puzzled look, “Uh May…” I was cut off by a teacher yelling at us to get to class.

I walked into the auto shop,same as last year and the teacher knew the majority of us from last year. I sat in the back row,Larry sat next to me, we were all in the classroom connected to the shop. Out of the corner of my eye I caught someone sitting up front drinking out of a thermos. “Dude,Larry there she is!” I whispered. Larry whispered back, “The neighbor girl?” I nodded, “Yeah the one with the pretty truck,bro she’s in our auto class! Maybe you should talk to her,I doubt she would be mean and not talk to you.” The teacher cut me a glare as he walked in, can’t say that he liked me too much last year I did a burn out in his shop and smoke filled the hallways. He droned on until he threw in the obligatory first day safety video. I took Larry’s note book and began to write notes to him. I think we should attempt to talk to her, we both seen her wrenching. We have that in common. Larry took it and read it,giving me back a note in his almost too perfect handwriting. Yeah,but how, I’m not too good at walking up to people and just starting a conversation,plus what if she doesn’t want to talk to us or is so tired of people pointing out her truck that she tells us to go to hell? I shrugged at his response, I personally think that it didn’t matter.

The bell rang and I seen her bolt out,I followed,not too close as I didn’t want to draw her attention yet. Her flannel and boots stuck out in the halls,she almost looked like a farm kid and definitely wasn’t from around here. May came running up to me,”Come sit with us,you can bring your friend I’m sure he would like it!” She squealed out of excitement. Groaning I followed her,honestly the urge to beat the lights out of my brother was getting stronger and stronger, the more I had to deal with her. Larry and I followed them to their cars and out of the corner of my eye I seen her truck leave the parking lot, which wasn’t hard it was candy apple and the only truck here. “Who is that girl?” May asked, I shook my head as I tuned into their conversation,thankfully Larry had my back. “It’s my new neighbor.” He said barley picking at his sandwich. “Who the hell drives a truck,it’s so obnoxious.” Dawn said. I pulled out some chips from my car along with a warm cola, lunch of champions I thought to myself. “Do you even know her name? And why is she just now transferring schools?” Dawn asked. May chimed in, “Yeah it’s strange to get a new senior.” I shrugged, “Who gives a s**t it’s not like she’s doing anything much less bothering anyone.” I got a glare, “How do you know?” Larry grumbled underneath his breath,”Because I see her outside wrenching on her truck by herself,and she’s in our auto class.” May looked at me and huffed, “Well she better not touch my man.” She grabbed my arm while saying that, thankfully the bell rang and lunch was over.

The last few hours of my day dragged on. Finally the release bell sounded and we were out. I hopped in my car waved at Larry and went to go back home. For a strange reason I decided to go circle by Larry’s house and seen her pull in to her driveway. “Hey!” I shouted over the exhaust of my 442, she turned around and walked to the tailgate of her truck. “I never did catch your name!” Her face turned red highlighting her honey colored eyes, “It’s Uh Skye.” She stammered through her sentence. Honestly I could tell that she wasn’t from around here. “My buddy Larry lives two houses down from ya.” She nodded,and responded with “That’s cool.” I looked at here, “Hop on in we will all hang out,maybe get to know each other better.” She hesitated and got back in her truck,throwing on the e-break and shutting it off. She walked back over to my car and got in the back passenger’s seat. “That’s a nice looking truck did you do anything other than the trans?” I asked. She nodded and explained how she did the body work and paint on it. I looked down,it was a really pretty truck and impressive that a girl actually knew and liked doing that type of thing. We went to go get Larry,but his father was screaming at the top of his lungs,loud enough to where I could hear it over my exhaust. “Yeah I’m not going to get involved in whatever is going on there.” I said, adding “Come up front since Larry won’t be joining in.” She climbed up front impressively maneuvering so her boots didn’t hit my seats or dashboard. She looked at me with a bright red face, “Sorry,I’m not used to hanging out with people.” I chuckled a little bit, “Wait,you are serious?” She nodded and told me how the majority of her time was spent wrenching,training dogs or fishing. I was impressed, “That’s so freaking awesome!” I said as I drove to a gravel pit, “Should have brought my fishing pole.” She said with a smile. “I think it’s incredible that you like to wrench,especially when everything is against you being a female in the field.” She smiled, “Why thank you,never thought of myself as special. Just doing what I like to do.” I time the back of her hand and kissed it.

She laid across the bench seat with her head on my lap,I could tell that she was exhausted. “You don’t mind do you?” She asked. I smiled and shook my head, “Of course I don’t.” She fell asleep. I did my best to not wake her up,driving carful and avoiding any of the holes in the gravel road. We pulled into her driveway and I gently shook her awake. “s**t,what time is it?” She asked rubbing her eyes as she sat up. “It’s 2:30 am.” I softly said. She apologized for passing out on me like she did and I told her that it wasn’t a big deal. She told me she would see me in shop class and pecked me on the cheek before she got out.

I drove back to my house. She was really fun to be around and we had a good conversation to boot. I am looking forward to seeing her again.