The Meaning of Passion

Chapter 3

The rest of that hellish day passed with out a hick up. It’s like life knew it had thrown enough at me, and any more and I would rebel. After fourth hour, Mandy, Paul and I had lunch. Nothing was mentioned about the fact that I have my first three hours with golden boy. But Paul was quiet, more so than usual.

That’s what I like about Paul. He’s quiet and shy with everyone, but it’s only with us that he lets down the wall and lets us see just him. He is quiet, but not shy. He has his reasons for being quiet; he says its because people say so much more when they think no ones listening. Like idle chit chat reveals more than a serious conversation does. That’s just what he says.

But he has those cute boyish looks. His blond hair is kept some what longish, cut just below his ears. His eyes are a baby blue that when you look at them you think you’re looking at the eyes of a girl. He’s thin as a rail, no taller than me and has an almost fragile look to him, but looks are deceiving. He’s held his own many a time in fights.

After lunch we all had independent art for the next two hours, and last but not least I had Chemistry, again an upper classman class, but no Michel in sight.

The next day goes a little better. We still have the same classes, but a seating chart was made for English, putting us a room apart, partners in gym are redone in alphabetical order, and in math, Mrs. Powel rethought her brilliant idea once she saw that he and I didn’t even get along. So in the long run it was a much better day than the one before.

That night I go over to Mandy’s and we have a movie night. The idea was to get my mind off my troubles, but to tell the truth, it didn’t work. For her sake I tried, but half way through Dirty Dancing she knew I was a lost cause.

“I should just leave you be, shouldn’t I?” she looks at me.

“Sorry, I know this usually works, but it isn’t tonight.”

“Don’t worry, things will be ok. I’ll leave you be, I have to call Brian. That should give you a good two hours, how’s that sound.” She smiles.

“Oh god, two hours?” I ask

“Hey, this long distance relationship doesn’t just work with a phone call here and there you know. There’s got to be some interaction.”

“Ok, your done, I so don’t need the picture of you two having phone sex. Just leave it at that and go away.” I smile and laugh.

“Aw, your no fun.”

“Go.” I throw a pillow at her.

“Wish me luck.” She throws over her shoulder as she walks out of the living room.

I shake my head and roll over onto my back and look up at the ceiling. To tell the truth, Mandy is good looking, its just that many guys around here hate how she thinks. She’s mouthy, bossy, and some times a pain in the ass. She has long wavy brown hair that goes all the way down her back. Her eyes are a deep brown, like chocolate, and she loves to joke. Her mind works in totally different ways than most peoples to say the least. And she is thin as a rail and she’s short, and I mean short. She comes up to 5 foot 2 inches right now, and that’s 2 inches higher than when she first got here.

Mandy moved here last year from Kansas. She was so pissed when her parents made her move. She was born and raised there, her whole life was there. A year later she still talked to most of her old friends, and her boyfriend and she are going on two years now. Amazing I know. I don’t even believe in long distance relationship, but with Mandy, it seems to be working. I’ve even meet him, and he seems like a good guy.

She has all the luck.

My phone goes off next to my head and I look at the screen.

A text from Mandy.

‘Brian says you can join us if it will make you feel better.’

I bust out laughing.

‘I don’t think he could handle you and me by him self.’ I reply.

A few seconds later I get another reply.

‘I know right, he can barely hand me by him self. He thought he’d try, you know how boys are, two girls are better than one, or something like that.’

I shake my head again. I smile. That is why I love her to death. Never in a million years would we ever really sleep with each other, but we’re so comfortable with each other we can joke about it.

I pick my phone up again and decided to call Paul.

He answers on the second ring.

“Hey.” He whispers.

“Hey, I know it’s late but I needed someone to talk too.” I roll back over on to my stomach.

“What’s up?” I love that about him, no matter what time it is he is more than willing to talk.

“Nothing really, I just don’t want to be alone with my thoughts is all.”

“Must be some deep thinking. I thought you and Mandy were having a movie night.”

“Yeah, but my deep thoughts got to her. So now she is on the phone with Brian, and I will not repeat to you what she told me those two are doing.” I giggle.

“I can only imagine.”

“I know right.”

“What are you doing tomorrow night?”

“Nothing that I can think of.”

“Good, me and you are going to have a movie night then. I know you prefer my movies to Mandy’s.” he laughs.

“No that’s not true. I love both of your guy’s movies. You hate each others movies, that’s why when we all have a movie night, we watch my movie, because you both like what I pick. And a movie night tomorrow would be great.”

“Good, but we have to have it at your place. Mom’s on the war path.”

I bite my lip. “It’s better than my place.”

“Says you, besides we’re supposed to rotate every time, and the past three times have been here at my house. Your turn girly.”

I sigh, “Fine, but I did warn you.”

“Yes you did, so anything you want to talk about?”

I’m silent. Could he know? Could some one have over heard us yesterday? “Like what?”

“OH I don’t know, how bout what ever it is that has got you so quiet lately.”

“It’s nothing really.”

“It’s coming up you know. A year next week.” He says.

I don’t ask what he’s talking about. I already know. The day my mom died.

“You going to take off school that day?”

“No, I don’t want to stay at home that day. All I’d do is sit around and cry and be depressed. It’ll be better if I’m among the living. It will help knowing the world is still going round.”

“We could take it off together, and hey we could even drag Mandy along with us. No one would really stop us.”

I smile. “I know, but I don’t want special treatment, just because my mom died.”

“It wouldn’t be like that.”

“Yes it would, but thank you for thinking of it.”

“You know I’m here for you.”

“Always.”

“I love you Sydney.”

MY throat closes with my tears.

“I love you too Paul.”

We’re both quiet for a long time, just listening to the other breath.

“I think I hear Mandy coming, I better go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“K, night Syd.”

“Night Paul.”

I hang up and bury my face in my pillow.

***

I stay the night with Mandy and we both are late to school the next day. So went the rest of the day. Ignoring Michel is harder now that I have so many classes with him. One right after the other.

In gym, my partner, Guy, how original a name is that, who names there kid guy? Any way, he’s not to bad at sports, and is nice, quiet, but hey, he doesn’t ask lots of questions.

We played against Michel and Brett, and low and behold, won. It was great. It was a tuff game, and lasted longer than any other. We had the whole class watching at the end. And Guy hit the winning shot. It was a game to 15, and we were pretty much tied the whole game. To say the least we got glares from Michel and Brett, and high fives from the rest of the class.

That was a nice touch to my day.

The rest of it passed quickly. Mandy had to go over to her Biology partners house to work on their project, so I got a ride home with Paul.

Both Paul and Mandy do most of the driving. I have a car, my moms old one, I had it rebuilt, but I don’t like to drive. Every time I get behind the wheel I think of what happened to her and I can’t do it. I freak out and that’s that. No driving for me.

I’m sitting in Paul’s car, heading toward my house.

“So what movie is it tonight?” I ask.

“Wait and see.” I look over at him. “Trust me, you’ll like it.”

I roll my eyes and sigh. “Men.” I say.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Wait and see.” I tell him and smile as he glares at me. He really is a good looking guy. He’s only 16 but you can see he will be a very good looking man once he grows into himself.

We pull up into my drive way and my mood drops. Sitting on the curb is Michel’s new Chevy Silverado. And neither of our parents are home. This should be good.

“I did warn you.” I say as I get out and head towards the front door.

I open it and walk in. I look around, find nothing, and then hear music booming from up stairs.

Good hopefully he’ll stay there.

“Come on, we’ll watch it in the media room.” I say as I lay my bag down.

We pass the stairs and head to the media room. The house is built perfectly. It’s long and only has an up stairs on part of the house. On the main floor you have the master bedroom on one end of the house then the kitchen, living room, a bathroom and then one spare guest room and then the media room. The second level is located above the kitchen and living room.

The upper level only has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. I never did understand why Michel chose the upper level room over the one on the main floor, I mean when you sneak in drunk late at night, wouldn’t the lower level room make more since?

Paul and I enter the room and the noise from up stairs disappears. Got to love the sound proofing.

“So what we got?” I ask as I sit down on the sectional coach.

I look up at him.

He smiles. “Goldmemeber.” He walks over to me pulling out the movie from his book bag.

“God your serious. I should shot you smartass. You know I hate that movie.”

He sits down next to me. “Whatever, by the end of this movie you are going to be laughing so hard, you always do.” He laughs and turns on the TV.

I roll my eyes, “What ever.” Damn he’s right.

He puts the movie in and comes back and sits next to me, closure this time. I lay my head on his shoulder as the movie starts.

Ten minutes into the movie and the door opens and in comes my constant source of agony.

“What do you want, can’t you see we’re watching a movie?”

“Right, so? Can’t you go somewhere else to watch it? The Lakers are playin tonight.”

He plops down two seats from me.

“Um no, we were here first.” I glare at him.

“We’ll I guess you’re going to have to stand having me sit in on your movie. No big deal.” He smiles at me and my temper flares.

“Let’s just go up to your room.” I hear Paul say in my ear. He’s tense, I can tell.

The look on Michel’s face when he hears Paul lets me know he’s none to happy with the idea.

Interesting. I think about it and frown, drawing my eyebrows into a frown too.

“Yeah sure, grab the movie and I’ll get us some sodas.”

I get up right as Michel asks, “Your dad lets you have guys in your bedroom when he’s not home?”

I stop and look down at him. “Not that it’s any of your business but my dad trusts me and Paul. We don’t have a reputation that gives him a reason to doubt us, unlike you.”

“Right, cause Pauly here has pure thoughts when it comes to you.” He smirks.

“Fuck off Benton.” I place a hand on Paul’s chest.

“He’s not worth it. Come on, lets go up to my room.” I take his hand and pull him away, feeling a pair of eyes drilling into my back.

**I know many of you are wanting to read the sequel to this story, and don't fear you will. But, all of my stories have disappeared on the site so I am re-posting my older ones. So hang in with me and trust me you will get to know about "How long have you known my mommy?" Thanks, Redhead.