I grumbled, “Yeah,” and took a huge bite of my cheeseburger. I was going to need the energy with this girl.
Me and the guys were gathering after school to load on the bus while they showed me little pieces of paper, all with phone numbers on them. The ‘Misfits’ didn’t have cell phones and it didn’t seem to be an issue to the girls.
Finn couldn’t stop staring at the wad of paper in his pocket. He sneered, “I didn’t need help from you, Johnny boy.” He stared at me, pissed. “I was doing fine on my own.”
I was going to ask what had crawled up his ass, but decided not to ruin the moment when observing Caleb grinning like a fool and sliding the ones he received deep into his pocket as if keeping them safely stored.
Seb held his in his palm. “W-will this g-get me in t-trouble with Blue if I k-keep them as t-trophies?”
Just then, Gage more closely examined one of Ethan’s digits. “Heeeey,” he held up a piece of paper, “Brittany gave me her number too!”
I laughed until wondering why I had no numbers in my pocket?—
“Hey, Nine!”
Fuck. Attempting not to frown as I turned around, I mustered an, “Oh, hey.”
She smirked. No fool. “So, you need me to get straight to the point. Noted.” A hand went on a hip, then it popped to the left for good measure, I suppose. “My choice.” She pointed around the school grounds. “I can have my choice, and I’ve chosen you. Hence, no one offering you their number. Now it’s time to find your intelligence level.”
Clearly, she didn’t have a confidence issue, and somehow it was working for me. The way there was no guessing settled me inside. She was a concrete base. I already knew where I stood with her.
Licking some teeth, my eyes took her in. She had tan skin and dark, slightly slanted, eyes. Possibly Native American. Her lips were full and definitely kissable. But it was her stare, with those dark eyes, that captured me most. The way she studied me as I did her.
Intrigued, I finally said, “I’d like to think I’m not stupid, if that helps.”
“It does. So, what do you choose?”
I chuckled. “Don’t even know your name.”
“Not as important as what’s inside, but my name is Tallulah. It means leaping water.”
Internally, I jolted. Dancing water stars.
She gestured for me to reciprocate the name exchange while telling me, “All I found out was Nine. As you made clear at lunch, that’s clearly not a fave of yours.”
“I’m—” Maddox Gentry, that may mean crazy loon with brain damage. “—Johnny, and it means… well, I don’t fucking know.”
Eyes locked on me as her head turned in question. “You don’t seem to like that name either.”
I exhaled with an annoyed shrug. “Well, it’s what I got.”
As if my lie and pitiful truth, rode on a breeze that spoke to her spirit, she leaned back before saying, “Now I see.” Then she smiled, as if this Misfit now made sense. “So, Johnny,” she approached me, “let me know your choice when you figure it out.” And slipped a piece of paper into my front pocket.
Buses were starting to pull away, making the guys nervous. We were missing our ride to the Weathers’, so I agreed, then ran to catch the bus that was choosing to leave us behind.
As alluring as Tallulah was, I couldn’t help but think of another. One who most likely didn’t exist, yet greeted me with dancing stars every time I was near water.
Once back at the Weathers’, I searched Harmony’s bookshelves to learn about myths. Maybe someone had written about being blown off a bridge, thrown into water, and saved by a mermaid. Maybe if that story existed, I wouldn’t feel so alone. Hey, Librarian, can you hook up your baby boy?
I didn’t find the particular book that tethered me to my imagination, but I did find a book that pertained to Greek mythology. I sat on a couch and opened the book that spoke about the River Styx. A dark river, a boundary between Earth and the underworld— Wait, Styx?
“What are you reading?”
I slammed the book shut and answered Harmony. “Nothing.”
She eyed the closed book in my lap. “Not a ‘cool’ read?”
I lifted a brow at the clear age gap. “What?”
