I got a B! I say my fist in the air and the paper on my hand. My smile spreading across my face. I can play at the game. I gotta tell Ollie, I plan as I walk outside where he waits.
A teacher nearby who heard me frowns; a disappointment plastered on her face.
"Do better, Miller." she says.
"Yeah, do beter Miller." another student says.
Ouch. I guess it wasn't enough. I wasn't enough. Can someone be proud of me even sometimes?! I shove the test on my bag pack and begun walking to Ollie. Yeah maybe I should do better.
Were you proud of me dad?
Are you proud of me?
I see Ollie reading To Kill A Mockingbird while waiting for me on the bench. I contemplate for a second before I approach him. He look at me in the eyes hopeful.
"Hey, how did it do?" he asks.
"Good." I say flatly.
He frowns. I didn't like it and cursed to myself. My heart strings tugs on their own accord.
● ● ●
The repairman said that my car is all fixed and ready to drive, I paid the bill and drive away. This thing is ancient but still work somehow. My dad used to drive this car. When he moved out and live with his new family, he left this old car of his. I'm thankful for the least.
I drive to Ollie's place and plan to hangout with him and possibly with his dad if he's at home. He told me that his dad works for a big pharmaceutical company. He didn't tell what company it was but if I have to guess; it's Green Leaf Pharmaceutical. They have a branch here in our town.
I walk out from my car and knock twice at their door. My eyes darts to the hanging wind chimes on the porch. My hands are inside my Jag's pocket, I can literally feel the cold seeping through my bones. The sky is been gloomy the whole month and it keeps raining since then.
"Come on in." I wags my jacket before entering. Some of the droplets went to Ollie's face that made him giggle. I reach out to his face with the collar of my jacket and wipes them out. He looks me in the eyes, his cheeks tinted with blush.
"You dad here?" I ask.
"Yeah he's in the kitchen making some snacks." he says.
I don't deem his dad can do such stuffs. My dad never made us snacks or whatsoever.
"Dad we're going to my room." he says, which we only earned a nod. His dad must trust him very much. But I don't object, it's not like we're going to do some shady stuffs.
His room is quite spacey. The air is welcoming just like the rest of the whole house.
I sit down on his bed and it feels comfy. I wonder what it feels like to sleep on his bed. Mine isn't that welcoming to say the least. The huge astronomical telescope on his window is an eye catcher. "That's a huge one." I jab at the thing.
"It can magnify up to 400x than the normal ones." he says beaming with excitement.
I nod, since I never used one before. I know. I'm a virgin.
"Would you like to try it out?" he offers and walks to the thing.
"Dark clouds are hanging over the town." I say.
"Right. I totally forgot." he says shyly.
"Perhaps next time."
"Yeah next time."
"Sorry about that. Told ya this town is lame."
"Do you wanna watch a movie or play games on a console instead?" he offers.
"Your room, your choice." I say.
"Okay." he opens the plasma TV hanging on his wall. Movie it is.
"Genre?" he asks while holding a remote controller.
He gave me the remote controller and run down probably going to get some snacks his dad made.
Okay, let's see. I shuffle through the saved movies on the deck. I see a recent movie on the list and click play. I hope he likes romantic comedy. God, I'm such a hopeless romantic person.
"What'd you choose?" he asks his eyes on the screen.
"Oh, a chick flick." he says mischieviously. I chuck a pillow at him I grabbed on the bed. Smells like fresh apples. He crossed his arms to his face but it was too late. We laugh and begun the movie.
We are sitting side by side on his bed. Eyes on the screen. Knees touching, hands holding a big bowl of popcorns. I couldn't ask for more. My heart feels so much contentment. I look at Ollie and smile. He smiles back.
● ● ●
During the dinner, mom asks me about the coming basketball competition in which for the first time I feel scared and excited at the same time. Maybe probably this season will pave my future endeavors. But it will. This is my last resort, no plan B. Basketball is my first and last card. I'm a total useless in the other sort of things. This is the only thing I'm good at.
"Whatever happens, we're here for you!" Mom says with so much adoration. Alex and Connie nods their heads. I smile back at them.
"Thank you guys, I wouldn't be here if it isn't you guys." I say looking back at them as if they are the most important people in my life. And they are.
"And Ollie." Connie quiries.
"Yeah and Ollie." I say.
"He is such a nice boy." Mom says.
"And a genuis too." Alex joins in.
I nod. I couldn't agree more with them.
"Are you guys dating?" Connie suddenly asks and I almost choke on my food. I'd say so dramatic but I didn't expect that; of all people. Whose daughter is this? Come and get her please.
Mom and Alex laughs, I have no idea if they are laughing at me or the idea of dating Ollie.
"No." I say shortly.
"Eat your meal young lady." The idea of dating Ollie stays on my mind. Then again the school knows I don't swing that way. Although, they never seen me with a girl before. My routine was basketball and work. What if they started hating me and cast me out disgusted. Homophobia is still abundant in this small town. At least, in this part of the town.
After dinner, I received a text from Jensen. "Saw you driving today. Where did you go? And by the way, come and get me tomorrow, my brother borrowed mine. K?" I put down the thing and plops down. My eyes darts on my collection. One is missing and a small smile crept on my face.
Today wasn't bad at all. Except that part in the dinner. I go to sleep. I might have to dream about it or rather a nightmare.