Chapter 5

"Sheryl?" I call out when I walk into the bookstore. There is no answer. I flip on the lights and peer into the back room. I guess she isn't here.

I turn over the sign in the window so it says 'Open' then I sit back behind the counter. I grab my backpack and begin my math homework.

Even though I am actually really good at math, I honestly hate it. It bores me to death. My mom actually told me that she hasn't used math for over eighteen years. So what's the point of this?

The bell jingles, and of course Lizzie walks inside. She wears rainbow leggings and a green top. Her blonde hair falls in ringlets.

"Hey, Liz," I say.

"Hi there. Guess what?" She says with a huge grin.

"What?" I ask.

"It's my birthday in two weeks!" She squeals.

"Oh, that is so exciting!" I say.

"Yes, it sure is! I'm going to be nine!" She exclaims.

"Are you having a party?" I ask.

"No, I just want a cake."

I laugh. Of course, the cake. "Oh, yes. Cake is delicious."

"Especially chocolate cake. With rainbow sprinkles!" She says.

"Mmmmm, that does sound good!"

She laughs and then skips to the bookshelves in search of new books. I smile as I watch her.

The bell dings again, and someone I didn't expect to walk in comes. Jack.

"Jack?" I ask, in shock.

"Oh, hey Jordan," he says casually.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

He walks up and grabs the first book he finds, which just so happens to be a science manual.

"You know, just gettin' books. Been coming here for a while now," he says, leaning back awkwardly against the shelves.

I laugh, a little too hard, and say, "I've been working here for about four years now. Since I was a freshman. And I haven't seen you even once."

"That's because I wear an invisibility cloak when I come."

"Makes sense. Don't want the star player to be seen in a bookstore, now do we?" I say with a hint I mockery in my tone.

"Exactly, that's too embarrassing." He smirks at me.

"Really, why are you here?" I ask. I notice Lizzie peering around the corner of the bookshelves, her green eyes wide.

"I want a book."

"You? A book?" I scoff.

"Yes. Any book of your choice. I want it."

"The one you're holding," I say, amused, and raise my eyebrows. He looks at the science manual.

"Ha-ha. Very funny," he says.

"Hey, you said 'any.'"

"Do you hate me?" He asks, putting the science manual back in its spot. Thank you, sir, for not putting it on the floor.

"Not necessarily."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asks.

"It means, I don't even know you, therefore it is a 'pass' on that question. But so far, you have eaten your homework, hidden in a bathroom, and walked out on me."

"Don't forget my compliment," he says.

I roll my eyes.

"Can I tell you something?" He asks.

"No."

"I don't eat homework anymore. You should be proud."

************************************

Saturday, my day of peace. Thank goodness, I seriously don't have to worry about anything.

I make myself some scrambled eggs and jam toast. While I eat, I think about death. How I can die at any moment. Some murderer guy could walk in now. And I can be gone like that. It's strange really. Also a really great thing to think about while eating.

I turn on 'American Idol' and sit down to watch it. I find this show very amusing in the auditions because of the untalented people. That's pretty much the only reason I watch it. As some guy wearing gangster attire shows up on the screen, my phone goes off. Ray.

'Hey, what are you doing tonight?'

'Important stuff. Like watching 'American Idol' and 'AFV'.''

'Of course. Who doesn't love that show, honestly?'

'My idiot brother. He thinks its all planned beforehand.' And I get to hear all about his theory whenever we watch it. Therefore, I shall never watch it with him again.

'I've never met him.'

'Well duh you haven't, for many reasons. You haven't been to my house. My brother is in college.'

'Thats not many reasons, that's two, I'm afraid.'

'They are very good reasons, therefore they count as four each.'

'Whatever you say.'

The man on American Idol trips over his own foot and face plants into the floor. As he stands up, he hits his head on the microphone. I start to laugh. I laugh so hard I choke on my spit.

'I just almost died.' Tis a true statement.

'Uh, doing what exactly?'

'Laughing.'

'Death by laughter.'

'Technically death by American Idol.'

I get up to grab some more toast. I smear my strawberry jelly on the bread and smell it. You know, just in case. And, as expected, it smells like strawberries.

I look at my phone. Another text from Ray.

'Can I ask you something?'

'Uh, yeah. Is it going to be something like 'Whys the sky blue?''

'No, I'm serious.'

'Alright, have at it.' What on earth can he be talking about? It honestly beats me.

'Do you want to go to my mom's smoothie shop today?'

I freeze and look at my screen. I read it again to make sure it's real before answering.

'Yeah, sure. What time?'

'Noon okay?'

I look at the clock. It says that it is ten right now. That gives me two hours to get my frizzy nest I call hair looking decent. A difficult task.

'Yep, sounds good.'

***********************************

I look, once again, at the reflection in the mirror. My brown hair is curled and I am wearing white jeans and a blue knit top. Even though I know this is not a 'date,' it's a friendly get together, I still feel like I should look nice.

The clock says '11:47.' Ray could be here any minute. I grab my purse and run down the stairs.

"Jordan, where are you going?" My mom calls to me when I walk into the kitchen.

"This guy Ray is-"

"You're going on a date? I never thought I-"

"No, mom. We're friends, okay?" I say.

She sighs. "Alright. Whatever you say."

I nod and walk into the living room to wait. Then, ten minutes later, at exactly noon, I hear a knock at the door. I brush off my jeans and wall over to the door.

"Hey, Ray," I say. He wears jeans and a red v-neck t shirt with a jacket over it. His brown eyes find mine.

"Hi. You look nice," he says.

"Oh, thank you," I say. "Uh, you as well." Stupid, stupid, stupid. Really, Jordan? You as well?

"Shall we?" He asks, gesturing outside.

"Let's."

We walk out to his car that is parked in my driveway. He walks me over to the other side and opens my door for me. I smile at him and get in.

While we drive, he turns up the music. He flips through a bunch of stations before stopping it and gasping. I start laughing and he starts singing.

"Turn down for what? An na na na na na na na na na na, turn down for what?"

And I start to sing along with him. And then there's a stop light and we roll down the windows in the car, receiving quite strange looks from the cars on either side. I stare down this boy who can't be older than ten as I scream the song. He stares at me, horrified. I give him the 'call me' sign. Then I start laughing as we pull into the smoothie shop.

We get out of the car and walk inside. I instantly am overwhelmed by the delicious smell of fruit. There's strawberry, banana, blueberries, cantaloupe... Cantaloupe! Sweetness.

"Hey, Ray!" A lady who I presume to be his mom says.

"Hey mom, this is Jordan," Ray says.

"Hello Jordan, nice to meet you," she says. She wipes off her hands on a towel and comes to shake my hand.

"Hello."

"So, what do you guys want to drink today?" She asks, walking back behind the counter.

Ray gestures for me to go ahead. I walk up to the counter and look at the sign above. So many choices... So many... Oh, so much pressure...

"Can I please have a medium strawberry banana?" I ask. I silently apologize to the cantaloupe. But I promise it that I'll get it next time.

"Sure thing."

I pull out my wallet and grab out a five dollar bill, but Ray takes it from me and shoves it back in my purse. I frown at him and pull it back out.

"No, I'll pay," Ray says. "Can I get a medium mango?"

A few minutes later, we both walk out with our smoothies. At first, I really, really wanted to eat in the outdoor tables. But, you know, I must have forgotten that its below forty degrees and I would rather eat, or, drink (if you feel the need to get all technical on me) the too-thick-to-actually-be-considered-liquid smoothie in the heated car.

"Smoothies in the winter. Yum," I say, slurping the already half empty smothered fruit.

"What other time of year would you have them?" He asks, taking another drink.

"Definitely not summer."

"Nah, that's just a lame stereotype of smoothie drinkers."

"Tis the truth."

We start driving, the music playing in the background. I look out the window and watch the city fly by. The gray sky is practically demanding to put me in a bad mood, since it has a tendency to do so. So I close my eyes.

"Do you want to go somewhere else?" Ray asks after a while.

"Uh, yeah, sure."

"Hmmm, laser tag?" He asks, looking at me with a grin.

"Keep your eyes on the road. Unless, of course, you feel the need to kill us both. But I hope you know that I'll come find you in the afterlife and beat you."

"Is that a yes or a no?" He asks, looking straight ahead.

"A yes."

***********************************

When we get into the laser tag place, we buy our tickets and get into line. We just so happen to be behind a group of eight year old boys at a birthday party.

"Wow. Are we versing them?" I ask, motioning to the kids in front of us.

"I suppose we are. But hear me in this statement, we are going to take these eight year olds down," Ray says.

"Obviously."

A worker comes out of the little secretive door and ushers us inside. We follow him and grab out bests and guns.

"Alright. This is a free for all. Everyone against everyone. We all understand how this game is played, yes?" The worker, whom I know by his name tag is named Larry, explains.

"Ready. When you enter, you will have thirty seconds to take your positions before the game begins. Then you will have fifteen minutes of shooting."

Then he opens the door and we all run inside.

"Allies?" Ray asks me once we are all inside.

"How do I know I can trust you?" I ask suspiciously.

"You don't."

"Alright. Lets go kick some little kid butt!" I say, and we run up the stairs and crouch in a corner. The neon lights reflect off my white jeans, so it makes me stick out.

"Begin," a loud voice says.

Suddenly all I hear is the 'pew pew pew' of laser guns. I see figures running towards me. I shoot at random, turning some of their blue vests red. I can't help the insane laugh that escapes my mouth.

Ray and I get out of our hiding spot and run across the room. We find a group of boys directly in front of us. One kid spots us and comes at us. So like any mature senior in high school would do, I tackle him.

I shoot him repeatedly, whenever his vest lights up again. I start laughing. I can't help it, seriously.

The kid yells at me like a maniac to get off him, and threatens to tell his dad. I sigh and climb off of him. Then I shoot him. The end.

We continue running around and shooting the kids with our lasers. I show no mercy to these kids.

I see a little boy in front of me, aiming his gun, and I do the most awesome ninja roll you will ever see. Except for the fail part that I was shot. By multiple people. So was Ray.

And we were also shot when we attempted to get away. Then the boys cornered us and just shot us over and over, before we could do anything.

I shove them out of the way and full on sprint up the stairs. I shoot them all from above, Ray helping me. We do the whole knuckle punch thing.

Man, I never knew I can have so much joy in crushing kids dreams. Well, then again, maybe I did...

That is, until we go outside once the game is over and see we lost by thirty points. Man, we are so awesome.