Stella

“Clarke?”

“Clarke?”

“Huh?” I suddenly snapped out of my trance, looking up into the striking blue-green eyes of my friend, Ray.
“Daydreaming again?” A smile stretched out across her lips.
“Yeah, daydreaming about not being here.” I let out a small laugh and leaned all my weight onto my elbow, my face resting in my hand.
“You love school, shut up.” I rolled my eyes at her comment. I don't ‘love’ school. I just would prefer to pay attention in class, unlike everyone else. “Anyway, did you hear what I was saying?”
“No, not at all.”
“You’re a handful. I said Zack invited me to his band practice, and I don’t wanna be the only girl, will you please come? Please please please?” She put her hands together, tilting her head and giving me the puppy dog eyes.
“First of all puppy eyes don’t work on me.” She stuck her bottom lip out, “Second, I’ll go with you only because I don’t want to be home alone tonight.” She smiled and clapped her hands together.
“Mama Carey won’t be home?”
“No she’s going to her boyfriends house, he lives like two hours away. But he’s her first date since dad left so I can’t complain.”
“I’m glad for her! You and your mom both need some.” I made a disgusted face at her comment.
“Please don’t refer to my mom as ‘getting some’” I help up air quotes. She laughed and slapped my shoulder.
“Anyway, be ready at like 3:15 and we’ll walk together.” I nodded and we locked pinkies before the bell rang, dismissing the last class of the day.

I looked down at my shoes while walking towards the senior lockers. She’s kinda right, I haven’t even had a boyfriend, and I’m in twelfth grade. Suddenly I felt a force on my back, throwing me forward, my backpack and its contents scattering across the floor.
“Shit! Jack you ran into her!” Laughter followed as i tried to collect what had happened.
“Watch out!” I yelled at the boy who looked at me with sudden wide eyes. I caught my breath for a split second, before realizing this asshole just ran into me.
“It wasn’t me! It was him!” He pointed his finger at a lanky boy who was on the floor.
“Well you both need to watch out then!” I hissed at them, bending down to collect my things from the floor.
“Let me help,” The boy with the eyes said. He grabbed my folder and picked it up, upside down. Everything inside falling out and creating and even bigger mess on the floor.
“Good one!” I spat as I scrambled to pick up the photos.
“These are cool!” The third boy, who I didn’t even realize was standing there said.
“Did you take these?”
“Yes. Now give me.” He smiled at me as he handed them over.
“Nice meeting you too!”

-

About an hour later I was walking towards a strange house with Ray at my side.
“So tell me more about Zack.” I bumped into her shoulder and her cheeks turned red.
“Well, the band he’s in is really good. They’re called All Time Low. He goes to a different school, so you’ve never met him. And he’s just really sweet. And like crazy hot dude.” I snorted at the last sentence..
“Sounds perfect for you, I just hope I get along with his friends because I have a feeling I won’t be seeing much of you.” I wiggled my eyebrows at her and she laughed, slapping my shoulder.
“I think this is it.” She pulled out her flip phone, I assume texting Zack.
“He says to come in and go to the basement” She looked up from her phone and shrugged.
As soon as we walked into the house we could hear loud music coming from below us.
“Oh hi! Are you the girls they’re waiting on? I’m Rian’s mom. That door over there is what you’re looking for.” A woman babbled as soon as she saw us.
“Uh, thanks!” I said as we opened the basement door.
As soon as we got down the stairs my heart dropped.
It’s the boys that bumped into me at school. That I was incredibly rude too.
“Awe! Hey sunshine!” The lanky boy said to me.
“Do you know each other?” Ray asked.
“Long story.” I mumbled.
The only guy i didn’t recognize came up to hug Ray, I assume that’s Zack. He seems sweet.
“This is Zack, Zack this is my best friend, Clarke.” I heard someone whisper my name from behind him, but I shrugged it off.
“Hey! Nice to meet you, This is Rian,” He pointed over the the guy sitting on the drums, “This is Jack,” The boy who ran into me. “And last and definitely least, Alex.” He pointed at the boy with the eyes.
Both Ray and I waved and took seats on the couch.
“We’re gonna jump straight into a song, so you two just relax.” Alex winked in our direction. “We’re All Time Low and this ones called Coffee Shop Soundtrack!” Alex and Jack both jumped right before playing the first chord.
Should I write myself, out of the history books?
And mark a place in time for every chance you took..
I’m slightly surprised at just how good they are, and his voice is something I did not expect to come out of him.
“Did you like it?” Zack asked, out of breath from the bouncing.
“Yeah you sounded amazing!” Ray gushed, He smiled at her and looked down shyly.
“What about you, sunshine?” Alex asked. I looked up at him.
“Hm?”
“Did you like it?” He reached his hand around to scratch the back of his head nervously.
“It was good.”
“Does it make up for me plowing you in the hallway?” Jack asked.
“What!?” Ray and Zack asked at the same time”
“Nice wording dumbass.” Rian said from behind his set.
“He means, does it make up for knocking you over earlier?” Alex reworded.
“Yeah, as long as it doesn’t happen again, and you,” I pointed to Jack, “Update your vocabulary.” He smiled at me, showing teeth.


--

After a few more songs the guys eventually settled down and started chatting about what kind of plans they all had for the weekend.
“Who wants to watch a movie?” Rian asked. Everyone said yeah so he got up to find one.
As soon as they picked out something I had no interest in everyone got settled, Ray and Zack layed down on the sofa together while I sat on the end of the couch, Alex next to me and Jack and Rian squeezed together on the other end.
“Didn’t think we’d be this close did ya sunshine?” Alex guestered to how close the four of us were together on the couch. I just laughed and turned my attention to the room. I hadn't really paid much attention to it before. There was an old pool table behind the sofa and a small area for instruments next to it. The couch was adjacent to the sofa and the TV directly in front.. There were a few game consoles around the TV, cords everywhere. Rians leaned up and switched off the lamp that was illuminating the room leaving us in the dark while the movie popped up.

About halfway through the movie I looked over at Ray and Zack, and caught them sneaking kisses. I smiled at them and turned to look at the guys, as I turned I saw Alex’s head snap back forward.
“Alex scoot the fuck over, you’re in my space!” Jack yell-whispered.
“Shut up Jack, what do you want me to crush Clarke?”
“You’re already crushing on Clarke so you might as well!”
“Shut up! I am not!”
“Yeah right sunshine. Definitely not flirting.” I felt my ears get hot as they argued.
“You guys know I’m right here, right?” I added in, watching Alex’s face lose the color.
They both looked straight ahead, Jack smiling and Alex with a look of horror on his face.
I leaned closer to Alex so only he could hear, “It’s okay, don’t let him embarrass you.”
Suddenly Jack reached around and grabbed Alex’s hand, moving it to behind me on the couch.
“There. Stay like that so that I have more room.” Jack sighed, smiling to himself.
Alex looked nervously over at me but I just nodded, so he kept his hand there.
A few minutes later, and after many seen glances from Alex, he dropped his arm so that it was around my shoulders instead of on the couch. I slightly panicked so i looked over to Ray, to see her smiling back. She motioned for me to get closer. I shook my head and mouthed a ‘no’ back and she nodded for me to look at him. He had a really scared look on his face, staring straight forward and really tense. I instantly felt bad for some reason.
I gave in and rested my head on his shoulder. I instantly felt him relax into it.
How did i get here? 12 hours ago i was sitting in class listening to Ray ramble on about her new boyfriend and now i’m sitting under the arm of some guy I just met.
He scooted a little bit closer, if that was even possible and tightened his arm around me. We both shuffled to get comfortable, making more room for Jack.

-

After the movie was over Rian flicked the light back on, realizing it was still a little light out, since the sun doesn’t set until after nine. Alex kept his arm around me even as everyone else shifted away to sit up and stand. Ray giving me a happy look before turning her attention over to Zack.
“You guys wanna skate to the park?” Zack suggested, stretching out his limbs.
“Yeah! I’ve got extra boards so the girls can try to skate!” Rian yelled, getting up to find them. All the boys jumped up to find theirs, and I suddenly missed the feeling of an arm on my shoulder.
“They know you can skate, right?” Ray whispered to me.
“No, but this is gonna be funny.” We both gigled and went to follow the boys


“Here we go, one for you” He handed Ray a board, “And for you.” We both thanked him and started walking toward the street, where the rest of the guys were already riding around.
“So, how do you ride one of these?” I asked cluelessly, glancing over at Ray to see if she’s gotten where i’m going with this.
“Let me show you!” Alex hopped off of his, or should I say tripped. “Here put the board down.” I did as told and waited for the next instruction. “Put one foot on the board, and just push off with the other.”
“Okay,” I glanced over to see Ray nudge Zack to watch.
“It’s okay if you fall we won’t laugh that hard.” Jack said.
I shrugged my shoulders and pushed off, taking off down the street “Come on, you guys are slow!” I called over my shoulder. I saw Zack and Ray laughing and the rest of them with dropped jaws.
“How’d you learn to do that so fast!” Alex yelled trying to catch up with me. I stopped and waited for them all, smiling.
“I’ve been skating since I was fourteen.” His eyes went wide, then quickly he broke out into a big smile.
“We should go skating together sometime,” He asked quietly so only I could hear. “If- if you want too.” He put his hand up, scratching the back of his head again. He must do that when he’s nervous.
“Yeah sure,”
“I’ll get your number later,” We both blushed and turned back to watch everyone else walk up.
“Ray cant skate.” Zack laughed.
“Sorry I’m not like that Tony guy like you all.” Ray pouted. We all laughed and decided to walk around instead.

-

A little while later Ray and I decided it was time to go home.
“Wanna sleepover?” I asked as we walked home.
“Yeah sure, my mom won’t care.” She shrugged.
“So how was your night with Zack?” I smiled at her and she blushed.
“It was good. He’s really sweet and I like him alot.” I’m happy for her, she never seems to have any luck with guys. I mean, me neither but at least she tries with them. “How was your night there, flirting with Alex much?” My face turned bright red and she laughed.
“I was not flirting I don’t even know how to flirt.”
“Trust me you were both flirting!” Was he flirting with me?
“Really? I mean not that I care but-”
“Shush, you care. He’s cute and I can see that he’s into you.” We got into my house and ran upstairs.
“Nobodies ever been into me before, you really think so?”
“That’s because you hide from everyone. Did he say anything else to you?” Should I tell her about our plans to go skating?
“Well, kinda”
“Spill the beans!” She started bouncing on the bed.
“He asked if I wanted to go skating sometime, and then said he’d get my number but he never did.” She started squealing.
“You’re definitely gonna start dating! This is so exciting!”
“He never got my number doofus.” She thought for a second and started typing on her phone.
“I’ll have Zack give it to him!”
“No! He’ll think I’m the one who did it!”
“He won’t care!” I cannot believe she did that.He’s gonna think i’m weird or something.”See?” She flipped her phone around
Zack- he was freaking out about forgetting to get it haha
Really?
“Really?” I asked. Just then my phone buzzed from beside me
Unknown number- clark?
“He texted me!” I yelled.
“Let me see!” Ray grabbed the phone, “He spelled your name wrong.”
“I don’t care,” I glanced up at her, “It’s kinda cute.” Ray’s eyes lit up.
“Awe! You do like him!”
“I don’t like him. He’s just not bad looking.” She rolled her eyes and motioned for me to text back.
Clarke- Alex?
Alex- yup, zack gave me your #
Clarke- yeah i know, ray gave it to him, btw its clarke
Alex- oh shit, i cant spell
Clarke- its cool
Alex- soo when do you wanna skate
Clarke- i dont care, whenever
Alex- sunday?
Clarke- sure thing, who alls gonna be there
Alex- just me n you? If thats ok?
I can picture him scratching the back of his head.
“What's he saying!” Ray grabbed the phone again, reading the messages. “Awe! Clarke! It’s a date!”
“No it’s not he probably just wants to hang out.”
“Yeah right, text him back!”
Clarke- sounds fun x
Clarke- what time?
Alex- 2? Meet me at the skate park a few blocks from rians. Look for the best looking guy there, thats me ;)
“Oh god Ray.” Her eyes got wide.
“What?”
“He flirted back!”” I flipped the phone around to show her. We both squealed this time, and for the first time I felt like a regular teenage girl.
“I’m so proud of you!” She pretended to wipe a tear from her eye. I smacked her hand and laughed.
I’m actually pretty excited for Sunday.

Notes