Chapter 9: Damsel in distress

Amara:

I had never run so fast from another person before. But there’s no way that I can explain what just happened to anyone, especially Kell. I imagine that he’d drag me loony been if I did.

Unfortunately, I can’t really avoid talking about what happened because Juliet and Haley are waiting for me by my locker, looking extremely worried, which makes me feel guilty.

Haley throws her arms around me and utters. “Amara, what happened?”

I shake my head and continue to walk. “It was nothing. Nurse Donovan said that I must have fainted because I hadn’t eaten, and my sugar was low.”

Both girls frown in consternation but don’t question me further. Adding credibility to my lie, I head to a vending machine, buy a granola bar and eat it quickly. “I have to go take pictures. I’ll meet you guys in class.”

They both hesitate at first, then they nod their heads and head to class.

I don’t faint during pictures this time. Of course, I have to explain why I fainted to a few people, but everyone seems to accept my excuses. As the day progresses, I can’t stop thinking about Kell hearing me say Sophie’s name.

How do I explain that?

The weekend comes quickly after that. Luckily, I don’t have any nightmares, and everything is mostly back to normal. To my relief, I didn’t have to tutor Kell on Friday due to a photo club meeting, so I was able to avoid him. Too bad that I spend nearly the whole weekend thinking about him and the visions.

Regrettably, I can’t avoid my mother as easily. Throughout the weekend, she continues to pressure me into finding a partner for the dance. I evade answering her and distract her as best as I can, but I know that I can’t avoid her for long. Soon, she becomes preoccupied with having me run through pageant auditions and filling out the pageant’s entry forms.

Juliet and Haley sleepover that Saturday night. We spend most of the night watching Pitch Perfect and making prom plans. To our amusement, Haley brings up Carrick. It’s pretty obvious that she’s head over heels for him. It’s cute how she talks about him. It also keeps me distracted from the cold permeating my body.

I’m less stressed and more prepared by Monday morning. As I make my way down the hallway, my shoulders shudder, reminding me of the rising coldness in my body again.

The shudders are so bad that I have to stop by my locker and put on a cardigan before I get to class. The sweater helps a little, but I know that I need to get home and take a hot bath before it gets worse.

Unable to bear the cold any longer, I take a hot shower after gym class to temporarily avert the chills. But by mid-afternoon, regret weighs on me for wearing my sky blue summer dress with its slim shoulder strings and beige flats.

Body shuddering, I make my way to my next photography assignment. Mr. Avila told the photo club last week that we would be meeting on the football field. The late bell rings, reminding me that I have to get to class. Hauling my camera bag, I rush to the field. My classmates are waiting patiently as Mr. Avila explains his morning expectations.

I’m nearly out of breath by the time I get to the field. Everyone is standing around the bleachers prepared with their camera. As quickly as I can, I lay my bag down and listen to Mr. Avila’s instructions.

Unfortunately, the sky isn’t as clear today as it was yesterday. Storm clouds form in the distance, creating an ominous gloom. I inhale the smell of grass and earth as it permeates the air. I know it sounds weird, but I love storms. I love how the wind chimes and the dew of condensation collect over the flowers and plants. It makes me recall dark rainy nights from my childhood. Years ago, when I was about six or seven, there was a slight drizzle in the air, and I wanted to go outside. I remember stepping out in my frilly white nightgown and standing under the sky as rain showered down on me. I felt like angels were showering me with their love. Unfortunately, my nanny spotted me and told my mom. Mother was horrified and fired the next day and replaced by a sterner, stricter nanny. I was never allowed to be out in the rain again.

As Mr. Avila continues to talk, I remove my camera from its bag and adjust the lens. The field is pretty full at this time of the day. Cheerleading, track, soccer, and football tryouts have just begun. I watch as Tiffany saunters by in her cheerleading outfit and cringe when she opens her mouth and screams at the new recruits. She is such a bitch. I don’t know how Juliet deals with her. Juliet is also a cheerleader. She tried to get me to join last year, but I’ve never been one for organized lady dancing. A few of the girls even asked me to take the Captain’s spot after the other captain graduated. I don’t want to blow my own horn, but I’m a great dancer. I just don’t see myself doing it as a sport. I remember last year’s head cheerleader, Nevaeh Rivera’s squad, won regionals. That’s another reason why I didn’t join the team. I kind of got the feeling that Nevaeh didn’t like me very much.

I’m snapped from my thoughts when Mr. Avila claps his hands loudly and yells. “Okay, everyone, today we are going to work on action pictures. I expect you to take action pictures of team tryouts. Action pictures are very difficult to take, but if you do it just right, you can capture an amazing moment forever. Roam the field and pick subjects as you go. Remember, kids, keep your shutter speeds high!” He says excitedly. “This will be part of your portfolio. So I suggest giving it your best. Now go!” He says, waving his hands over the field.

Striding through the field, I gaze around in hopes of finding subjects to photograph. The field is gigantic and packed with hopefuls.

Our school mascot is the Arcata Angel, so there's a large angel painted in the middle of the field. The angel is as imposing as the statue located in the front yard of the school, with its gleaming metal body armor and large white wings extended on his back. There’s also a large screen that stands off in the distance advertising our mascot and our teams. Several whistles blow around the field as students bide for coveted spots.

I get low on the ground to take a few pictures of Juliet and a few of the girls in the cheer squad mid-jump. The girls look great in their black and silver cheer uniforms. Their uniforms are traditional with sleeveless black cutoff tops that show their bellies and short black pleated skirts. Juliet gives me a thumbs-up as she twirls around to continue her routine.

Smiling back, I walk around and take pictures of track students running around the track until I eventually make my way to the football team’s section. The boys are all large and sweaty. They also look extremely tired and haggard as Coach puts them through their paces. However, my eyes are glued to one person.

Kell Cross is standing in formation with the other football players. He’s shirtless and wearing simple gray basketball shorts, and his hair is damp as sweat drizzles down his face, neck, and muscled chest. Chest heaving, he leans down with one hand on the ground and the other on his back. His strong legs are positioned for a play. One bent in front, and the other stretched behind his back. As he and his opponent stand face to face, I lick my lips as I watch a drop of sweat glide sensuously down his neck.

My body is no longer cold. Instead, a kernel of heat sparks in my womb and spreads throughout my body. Heat devours me, creating a blaze inside my body. It’s as if I jumped in a vat of lava. I quickly take off my cardigan and toss it into my bag. It’s as if the cold I felt earlier never happened. I can’t take my eyes off him. He’s so beautiful and masculine.

Lifting my camera, I take a couple of pictures and groan when his lips open to take a deep breath. His lips look so plump and welcoming that my heart stutters. The urge to walk up to him, straddle him, and kiss him is almost too overwhelming.

The coach blows the whistle as Kell, and his opponent collide. The other guy flies back like a puppet cut from its string. The impact is almost animalistic. They look like two powerful lions in the middle of a fight. Kell takes a step back, wiping the sweat from his brow and closes his eyes. I can’t help but eat him up with my eyes. His tattoos stand in sharp contrast with his tanned skin. It kills me that I don’t know what the tattoo on his neck says. The one on his shoulder looks like vines running down his hard muscled peck, and his body is sculpted like a granite statue. As I imagined, he has six-pack abs and corded muscular arms and legs. He’s not skinny or fat. He has more of a swimmer’s build, and he’s perfect.

Unmoving, I watch as the boys do the same move several more times. The coach seems ecstatic at what he sees because his eyes glow with elation. After a few more drills, the boys take a quick break. Coach pats Kell on the back excitedly and mumbles something that makes Kell smile. Smiling widely, the coach moves away with a lofty jaunt leaving Kell to recover near the watering station.

Kell must sense my presence because right then, he turns to meet my eyes. I look down as shock reverberates through my body. Embarrassed at being caught staring, I quickly pull my head down and pretend to adjust my camera and fiddle with the dials until a pair of large Nikes appear in front of me. I inwardly groan when I come face to face with Kell. All I can do is hope that he didn’t notice my absorption in his tryout.

Angling his head to meet mine, Kell gives me an arrogant smile. “Hey, beauty queen watching the show?”

I shrug my shoulders. “N-n…n-no…I…Mr. Avila asked us to take action pictures, so that’s what I’m doing.” I stutter nervously. I want to slap myself for stuttering. Can I be any more of a dork?

Kell lifts the bottle to his lips and takes a few swallows. My mouth dries at the sight of his Adam’s apple moving in tandem with his sips. I can’t believe that I’m jealous of a water bottle. After a moment, he sighs in contentment and lowers the bottle.

“How are you feeling?” He asks with a concerned frown.

I shrug my shoulders as I try not to stare at his muscled chest, abs, and the v of his pelvis.

“I’m fine.” I sigh out as I pull at the string of my dress, which keeps sliding down my shoulders. But it’s a hopeless task because it continues to fall down my shoulder again.

My body feels sensitive as sweat builds on my cleavage and back. I hadn’t felt this warm in a long time. Kell’s eyes focus on my movements intently, which makes me even more nervous.

He shuffles in place and clears his throat, placing his hand on my bare shoulder to gently lift the string back in its place. My chest tightens, and my breathing becomes ragged at the contact. It’s as if his touch ignited every nerve ending in my body. A deep throb of need awakens inside of me, and my heart beats a wild drum in my ears. I've never been so painfully aroused.

Oblivious to my entranced stare, Kell slides his fingers caressingly down my shoulder and gazes deep into my eyes. I internally groan as I try to think of something to say, but my mind is a complete blank. Trying to regain control of my emotions, I tighten my hands around the camera and try to calm my beating heart.

Kell looks down at the camera, takes it from my inoperable hands, then looks back at me. “So you’re a photographer? Are you any good?”

I nod my head and take a step back, running my hand nervously across my bare neck. “Yes, I am…at least I think so.”

His smile widens as he scrolls through my pictures. My face burns at the thought of what he’s seeing. Most of the pictures are of him. After a few moments, his face becomes serious, and his jaw begins to tick. His eyes are smoldering when they meet mine. I nearly swallow my tongue when he leans down and whispers, “I can do some more private photos for you if you want?”

Feeling mortification replace my arousal, I bite my lip and snatch the camera from his hands. “No, thanks. I’m fine.”

His lip quirks. “Are you sure? I mean, it looks like I’m your favorite subject.”

My breath hitches. Damn him for being so sexy. “Don’t be so conceited; there are also pictures of other athletes in there, too,” I say defensively.

He simply chuckles and points to the camera’s screen. “Yeah, but I don’t think you took close-ups of their chests and mouth the way you did me.”

I am beyond embarrassed at this point. I’m sure if I were paler, I’d be beet red. Not wanting to humiliate myself further, I straighten my spine and change the subject. “So why are you joining the football team?”

His eyes penetrate mine for a moment, but he shrugs and lets it go. “Mr. Moody asked me to join a club or sport as part of my rehabilitation from my bad boy ways. And since I’m not much for clubs, but am strong and fast, I thought, why not football?” He shrugs his shoulder, which only works in emphasizing his strong physical state. He’s definitely perfect for football.

The breeze suddenly stirs, blowing my dress and a few strands of my hair around haphazardly. Tendrils of hair whip around my mouth, and eyes nearly blinding me. I use one hand and wrap it around my head in hopes of taming the wild locks when suddenly, Kell reaches out and helps me push a few stray strands behind my ear. My body shivers at the contact of his fingers on my neck. As we struggle to tame my hair, our hands become tangled. We both stop at that moment, unmoving as if hypnotized. Our fingers brush hesitantly, reluctant to let go of the little contact they are getting. I don’t know how long we stand there before Coach blows the whistle and startles us from our hypnotized trance. We both jump back, startled. I’m sure we look like two kids caught with our hands in the cookie jar.

Coach blows his whistle again and screams above the crowd. “Get your butt back here, Cross. We still have a few drills to run!”

Kell waves good-naturedly at the coach and yells out. “Coming, coach!”

He never takes his eyes off me as he walks backward and tells me, “I’ll see you later, beauty queen.”

Not wanting to give him a reaction, I tighten my lips and give him a businesslike smile. “Yeah, see you later.”

Thankfully, the rest of the day is not as eventful, and if it wasn’t for the cold that begins to seep back into my bones, I’d have had a pleasant day.

My body shudders, and my bones begin to ache. It makes me wish that I was near Kell again. I just don’t understand why the cold vanishes when I’m with him. Relief swells through me when the last bell rings. Without another thought, I make my way down the hallway to pick up my bag and head to the library.

Regrettably, Haley hails me down before I can reach the sanctuary of the library. As always, she’s wearing her usual perky smile. She looks really young with her hair in a high ponytail swinging back and forth. “Hey, girl, Juliet and I are going out for some much-needed mani-pedis. Are you down?”

I shake my head with regret. “Sorry, Hay, I have to tutor right now. And I can't later because my mom set up a meet with her style crew for the pageant. I’ve been putting it off for a while, and she’s becoming impatient. Maybe we can chill tomorrow.”

She scrunches up her brows and pouts. “Aw, that’s too bad. I wanted to hang out.”

I shrug my shoulders. “Trust me, girl, I’d rather be with you two than sit through hours of primping and prodding. Hopefully, I can wrap up this pageant stuff quickly so that I can get on with my life.”

Her brow furrows pityingly as she follows me down the hall. “Fine, I forgive you. But you better make it up to me soon. So, how’s tutoring going with Kell Cross?” She asks with a twinkle in her eyes.

Keeping a cool façade, I stare straight ahead. “It’s okay.”

Haley jumps excitedly. “Come on, Am, admit it. Kell Cross is hot. You know Carrick and I are going out tonight, right? He asked me out this morning.”

I chuckle at her excitement. “You are? Wow, that’s great. Where is he taking you?”

Haley smiles impishly. “We’re going to watch a show in the park. It’s going to be so romantic.” She sighs with dreamy eyes. It’s cute how she folds her hands under her chin and looks up towards the ceiling. I envy her so much. I wish someone would want me that way.

Thoughts of Kell and me, together, sneak into my mind at that moment. I almost have to laugh at my own musings. Kell just doesn’t look like the type to go on dates, which is a stupid thought since I don’t think he even likes me. I mean, he flirts, but that’s who he is. I know that he doesn’t mean anything by it.

Unaware of my distraction, Haley gives me a warm hug and mutters. “I gotta meet. Juliet. See you tomorrow?”

I nod my head as I make my way down the hall. “Yeah, see you. Have fun, you two.” She waves happily and prances away with a light-hearted jaunt. Haley is such a sweetie.

I think about Kell as I make my way down the hall. I don’t know why I can’t stop thinking about him. But I do know that I have to get my body under control. The last thing I want is to embarrass myself in front of him more than I already have. “It’s just a stupid crush. He’s just messing with you.” I whisper to myself as I open the library doors. Even though I know this, my body and heart refuse to listen. Stupid body and heart!