COUNTING STARS

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Ariel’s P.O.V

*Ring!* I looked over my shoulder at Barney’s locker but she wasn’t there, my eyes scanned a few inches ahead from the spot catching her over by the water fountain being googly eyed with some boy. I shook my head smiling; Barney gives almost every guy a run for his money she’s such a tease. I slammed my locker door and gradually made my over to them, the guy moved his eyes towards me letting Barney know that I was behind her. She turned around for a second. “His names Sam Travis, isn’t he cute?” I smiled awkwardly as he looked at us and nodded.

I watch her go from fan-girling to calm in a second. “Listen, I’ll talk to you later kay?” He nodded at her then me and made his way pass us. She linked her arm around mine and carried me on down the hallway all happy and gullible. “Why are you so happy? He’s just a boy” I said. “Well that boy has a name and he’s taking me out on a date will you be okay tonight?” No I’m not. “Yeah sure I’ll have Jesse” Right then and there brining up that name reminded me of last night, I still sore too and I wish I could badly tell Barney but…..even closet friends can sometimes judge and I just don’t need that right now. As we reached the front door exit a group of rowdy guys came running out before us bumping into our shoulders. My book fell out my hand sliding somewhere outside I couldn’t see where it went. “Hey asshole’s watch where ya going!” Barney shoved them in the shoulder out the door.

As the uncalled for stampede died down Barney and I were finally able to walk outside. “Hey did you see where my book went?” She started searching around on the floor for it as well as I. I went off the beating bath searching all down by the steps, she grabbed my arm tightly. “Ariel….” She whispered my name like a secret. I was listening but I was still searching around for my book. “What did you find it?” She didn’t answer but just tug again on my arm ripping my eyes away from the floor I looked at her but her eyes were looking at something else. I followed her gaze and it landed upon that guy…..Harry. He observed the book on the floor and bent down to pick it up; he checked both sides of it before wiping the access dirt off. Barney grabbed my arm pulling her mouth towards my ear. “Looks like somebody else found it….” He opened the book; I

assume he was looking for a name. “He must be an everyday hero, first he gives me his spot in the office and now he’s saving your book…..meet your superman Ariel” I bumped her in the rib, she shot out giggling. “You know I’m with Jesse” Her laugh quickly faded away. “Yep….so you’re going to let a good thing go to waste, I mean if you don’t want him I’l--…” “Barney…” I grabbed her arm as she walked a footstep ahead. “What? Are you telling me…..you want the new kid? Ariel nobody has ever caught your eye besides mister lover boy Jesse” I kept my eyes on Harry.
“He’s…..different just, not him Barney” She tipped the corners of her lips into a smile. She came back standing next to me; we both watched as he held the book tightly and walked over to his run down car. “Look at that….he even kept the book; do you think he’s going to return it?” I

slightly parted my top lip from the bottom. “He has no choice, he knows who’s is it…..because I wrote my name on the inside” Her mouth fell open slightly as well. Why did he keep the book? He could have turned it in to the office. Even though I barely knew him – he keeping my book made me feel special in some way. I imagined plenty of girls threw their selves at him today, but I got the last word out of it.
Harry drove away and I was still staring at him. I wonder when he’s going to return my book.
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I lay in the back of Jesse’s truck; he was groping on top of me planting smooth kisses along my neck going down towards my collar bone. His hands slid around my hips pulling me in closer to him, I didn’t know what to do with my legs so I wrapped them around his hips locking my ankle. He removed a hand and brought it down towards his pants the sound of him unbuttoning and unzipping his pants made me breath even deeper. He then circled his hand up towards my belt brining it out the loop and losing the hold around my jeans he yanked the belt out of the loop holes and threw it above my head. “Wait….” I whispered. He brought his mouth back up to my neck increasingly heading for my jaw line, my weakness my favorite spot.

He wasn’t listening to me….of course. He unbuttoned my shorts but I shoved his hand away, he brought in down to my thighs moving his hand up along my length and back down. He then tried again for my zipper “No….” He completely stopped -- sitting up; he ran his hand through his hair. He looked down at me “What’s wrong with you…..you weren’t acting like this last night” I scrambled up into a sitting position; I rubbed my arms circulating heat to the Goosebumps.
“I just don’t feel like….doing it tonight” He sighed and jumped out the car. The thing with Jesse is I never know what he’s going to do next. He zipped and buttoned up his pants, I grabbed my belt scooting out of his truck I did the same. I buttoned my shorts and tried sliding my belt around my hip. Jesse got inside the car angry as fuck; I slowly made my way to the passenger side. I pulled the handle but it wouldn’t open, I tried it again. I looked up at Jesse but he was too busy stuck in his own thoughts. “Jesse! Open the door”

I grabbed the handle one more time. “No Ariel…..have fun baby” He started up his car and revved it letting the dirt smoke up into the air then he darted down the street away from me. I looked around on the floor picking up a rock; I threw it at his window a crack formed to the glass. He instantly stopped his car and jumped out. “You bitch!” He slammed his car door and came towards me; grabbing me up by the arm he removed a hand and slapped me across the face. I instantaneously held my hand up to my cheek massaging the stinging pain, I felt my cheeks fluster with warmth. “Now you stay here…find your own way to the party!” I stood there watching him walk away, my eyes stained with water but not one tear slipped out.

He jumped back into his car and continue heading on down the road. I was left there in the dark; the only thing that shined was the stars in the sky. I looked up watching them sparkle like bright dots, I wonder if one of those were Bobby. Bobby was like a star to me, I looked up to him everything he did I tried to do I could still hear the ringing of our conversation in my ear the day he died.

“You can’t do everything a guy does Ariel...” Bobby picked up the rocks off the ground and began throwing them into the water one by one. Watching them skip of the lake. “Yes I can dork….” I picked up some rocks copying him. “Then how will guys ever try to impress you girls?” I laughed. “Us guys simply have a role of protecting you girls, now we can’t do that if you’re already like one of the guys….you can practically help yourself….Dude!” I punched him in the arm playfully. As I stumbled back a bit I fell down onto my butt, my hand dug into

something sharp. “Ouch!” Bobby instantly dropped the rocks coming over to me. “Are you okay?” I wiped my hands off. “You know….I’m a big girl I can help myself” He smiled while shaking his head. “Just because you’re a big girl now doesn’t mean that I can’t protect you…knuckle head!” We both started laughing.

The laugh faded away in my ears. “I miss you Bobby…” I lingered my eyes at the sky for a few more seconds till I gave up knowing that he could never answer back. I started my way down the same street Jesse went on.

Who’s going to protect me now?

Notes