The Whale - 12. Part II, chapter 4

- IV -

Two or so hours later, we were in the back seat of my car, and we were completely out of breath. I laid my head in Faith's lap and closed my eyes when she started stroking my hair. I thought that we'd have to go back in fifteen minutes or so, and almost growled at the thought.

"Hey, does Amy look strange to you lately?" she asked me suddenly, and I opened my eyes.

"Who?" I asked with confusion and looked up at her.

"Amy," she said. "Amy Bauer?"

"Who the hell is Amy Bauer?" I frowned, and Faith sighed.

"A girl from your class," she said patiently, and lightly thumped me on the head when I just blinked in confusion. "Jesus, Luke... The new girl? The one that came in September? Amy Bauer? Oh, come on!"

A new girl? Wait a second.

"You mean the whale?" I sat up and ran my fingers down to her flat stomach.

She shivered and pulled on her shirt.

"Stop that," she said sternly. "We have less that fifteen minutes left."

I sighed. She was right. Faith buttoned her shirt and reached for her hairbrush.

"The whale?" she frowned suddenly, after running the brush through her hair.

I laughed and shrugged.

"Yeah, that's what I call her. The whale."

"Ass," she muttered with a small smile.

"I know," I sighed and reached for my shirt that was laying somewhere in the front seat. "What about her though? I left her alone a long time ago."

"Left her alone?" she frowned. "Russell, what did you do to her?"

I finally found my shirt.

"I was bored, Faith," I said. "I had to entertain myself somehow... I might've picked on her a couple of times... But I left her alone when I saw you," I finished, and she smacked me on the head with her brush.

"Picking on the fat kid," she said with reproach, and I just shrugged. "Anyway, does she seem strange to you lately?"

"I don't know," I buttoned my shirt and grabbed the hairbrush from Faith's hand. "I don't even look at her. Why?"

She pulled something white out of my hair and I almost started kissing her again, but I managed to stop myself.

"She keeps staring at me all the time," Faith said. "And then she'll stare at you whenever you talk to me... Luke, I think she suspects something."

I snorted.

"Right. Nobody has a slightest clue, and the whale all of a sudden figures it out... I don't think so!"

She shook her head.

"Seriously," she said, and quickly started putting on her makeup. "She acts really strange lately."

I shrugged.

"Who cares," I said. "Maybe she is obsessing about hamburgers when she is looking at you."

"Ass," she laughed. "Actually she has lost a lot of weight, have you noticed?"

She was putting on her lip gloss and I sighed, thinking that all I wanted to do right now was to kiss it off again.

"No," I said finally. "I haven't noticed. Faith, I don't even look at her. I don't care if she goes to size zero one of those days."

"Hmm," Faith said and ran her tongue over her lips.

"Oh, for crying out loud," I muttered. "Connor, do you want to miss the rest of the day or something? Because if you keep doing that, there is no way in hell you are going back to that school..."

She looked at me, and I could tell that she was really tempted. Finally, she sighed and put her little mirror away.

"No," she said with regret. "I want to but I can't..."

"Then stop licking your lips," I growled and she laughed.

I drove back, and she got out right before we got into the parking lot. I couldn't help myself. I grabbed her arm right before she was about to get out of the car, and pulled her back in. I was kissing her slowly, and she buried her fingers in my hair. I almost started to unbutton her shirt again, when she pushed me away.

"Knock it off," she muttered and got out before I could catch my breath.

I sighed and drove into the parking lot. I guess I am not skipping history today. Might as well just go there, and then wait for Faith to be done with her stupid class.

That night was freaking magical. Seriously, it was so good that it felt unreal. It was almost 9:30 in the evening, when someone rang the doorbell. I moaned.

"Just ignore it," I said without letting Faith go.

She did, but then the bell rang again.

"Dammit," I growled and she got off the couch.

"I'll be right back," she sighed. "Probably the neighbor kid locked himself out of the house again. I got the extra key for him because he's done it at least five times by now... Be right back, okay?"

"Okay," I sighed and she walked away.

I almost lit a cigarette when I heard her say, "George?!"

I dropped my lighter. You kidding me? Williamson?! Jesus! I got up and tiptoed into the kitchen, hoping that she would kick him out as soon as possible.

"Hey, Faith," I heard him saying. "I just wanted to stop by..."

I gritted my teeth. You dirty old bastard!

"Umm," she said uncertainly. "Now is not a good time, really. I am kind of in the middle of something..."

He sighed.

"Faith," he said. "I feel really uncomfortable about this morning..."

Yeah, no shit! You should!

"It's quite all right," Faith said quickly without letting him in.

"Look, this is silly of me, probably, but..." he sighed again. "Faith, I would be really happy if you would have just one dinner with me."

I swear to God, I will kill this bastard.

"George..." she said tightly. "I would love to, but I can't. As I said this morning, I am involved with someone..."

Yeah, and this someone will break your neck, you damn buffoon! Get out!!

"I know," he said quickly. "It would be just a friendly dinner, I promise. Or lunch... Or even breakfast," he laughed, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Oh, George..." Faith sighed. "I really can't, I am sorry... I have to go now, okay? I am seriously in the middle of something."

He sighed again, this time deeper.

"Okay," he said finally. "I understand. I hope it won't be awkward between us now..."

"Not at all," she said quickly. "It'll be just fine, George!"

"All right... I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't mention this to anyone."

I fought a mad desire to start laughing out loud.

"Absolutely," she said firmly.

"Great... Well, good night then..."

"Night, George," Faith said and shut the door.

I heard her locking it, and came out of the kitchen. She looked up at me with a small smile that was driving me crazy ever since she gave it to me for the first time.

"The principal doesn't have any principles," she said, and I laughed.

"I will make his life miserable if you want me to," I said, and she immediately shook her head.

"No, Mr. Bully! Don't."

"Mr. Bully," I repeated and grabbed her by the wrists. "Is that what you really think of me?"

"Yup," she nodded. "Russell, you are a bully..."

I kissed her mouth.

"You are the worst bully I've ever met..."

Now I was kissing her neck.

"And you are the most bullheaded person ever..."

I slid my mouth down to her chest, and she gasped slightly and pulled my hair.

"You are... A most stubborn... Irritating..."

I was pulling her shirt off with my teeth.

"Bully... Ever..." and then she stopped talking.