Blank Page. - Ash . (lightest ebook reader TXT) 📗

 I looked out the window of the car as Ricky drove me home and tried to keep the tears from falling out my eyes. Once we pulled up to the house, I got out of the car and ran up to the front porch steps. Ricky was behind me soon and unlocked the door for us to enter. When I got settled upstairs, he came to my door and just looked at me like I was broken.

"Rick, I'm alright." I assured him as I walked to close the shades on my window.
"You don't look alright, Dana."
"Look; I'm just going to get through the rest of senior year here with you and Camille. And I won't make a complaint about it again. I promise. Just don't let me go back home. Please, Ricky." I begged and felt the tears form in my eyes again.
 "Ok. I promise, Dana."

I spent another day at home with Ricky and helped him clean until I was transmitted to Reed High School. I walked through the doors on the first day and watched every head turn my way. Once I got my schedule, I walked down the hall to my first period class and stopped outside of the door. I looked through the glass and saw the students laughing so hard that they had tears in their eyes. I knocked softly and the teacher opened the door. She smiled at me softly and opened the door wider for me to enter.

"Class, this is our new student, Dana Richmond. Dana, these is your junior Physics class. I'm Ms. Carlina, your teacher." She said. "Have a seat next to Caleb. Caleb, raise your hand."

A guy with his eyes cast down at the paper on his desk raised his head slightly and raised his hand upwards, signaling me over towards him. I walked past a group of guys who were all whispering about me and one even winked at me. I rolled my eyes and sat next to Caleb. He smelled so good; like soap and a little car oil. I looked at him through the corner of my eyes and stared at every feature of his body. He had nice muscles, tanned skin, and sweat lined his arm gently. The movements of his breathing made his vains jump in his arms and it made me smile slightly.

"You can stop staring already; I'm a human being. I promise." He snapped and then turned the page in his book.

I felt my cheeks heat up and then I looked away from him, burying my face in my arms. And that's basically how every day went from then on. Me staring at Caleb and him not caring, really. Up until it was time for the Winter Formal...

The Winter Formal was supposed to be the biggest dance of the year for all high school students. Everyone was going to be there and they had a week to find a date. I got worried and then a bunch of guys started to ask me. All the while, Caleb lounged around like he didn't care if he went or not. I walked up to his car as he slung his backpack onto the front seat. He turned to me when he heard the clicking of my shoes behind him.

"Hey Caleb, are you going to the Winter Formal?" I asked him after a moment of silence.
"No. Dances are nothing but a waste of time and I've got sports and school to worry about. Not some stupid ass dance." He snapped.
"Ok, what's with the whole badass attitude? Are you some asshole? Because that's how I think of you right now!" I shouted.
"Bye, Dana." He got inside of his car and slammed the door.

I banged on the window until he rolled it down and glared at me.

"Go with me," I said to him.
"No, thanks."
"Come on, it's just a stupid dance. Plus, everyone already has a date and there's only you and I left to find some. So, please?"
"Do I hear you begging?" He joked.
"Don't be a puta, Caleb. Please? I'm asking."
He looked straight out the window and sighed. "One night," he said more to himself than to me. I smiled and kissed his cheek softly.
"See you later, Caleb." I called to him as I ran towards my friend Kendra's car.

So, once I got home, the hard part began. I walked through the door slowly with Kendra trailing behind me, laughing on the phone with her boyfriend. We walked up to my room where I found Ricky waiting for me patiently.

"What's up, Rick?" I asked and sat down on my bed.
"We have to talk about the fact of you walking around with birth control pills," he said in a deep tone as he threw the bottle next to me.
"It's not what you think..." I tried to explain.
"Then what is it, Dana? What is going on?" He shouted.
"They're for my menstural cycle. I have terrible cramps and the medicine in them help my cramps ease up. I'm not having sex," I told him honestly.
"So you carry them every damn day?" He asked.
"I carried them every day so that you didn't find them and do what you're doing right now!" I yelled at him.
He stood there considering my concept and then his facial expression eased up. He sighed and ran a hand over his forehead softly.
"Dana, I'm sorry for getting so angry at you. You're my baby sister and, truth be told, I don't trust a guy in this town to be with you. They're all about one thing and that's about being players." Ricky looked more angry and frustrated then calm.
"Well, you'll have to put up with it for one night in about a week because I just got asked to the Winter Formal," I said.
"Who is it?" He asked in a lower voice.
"Caleb Cole."
"I know him; he works for my friend. He's a pool guy. In fact, he's working now," Ricky said.
"Where does your friend live?" I asked quickly.
"1002 Carler Ave."

I grabbed Kendra's car keys and ran out of the house. I drove down to the address Ricky told me and, in fact, there was a pool guy there. Same height, same skin color, same hair color, and when he turned around, he had the same everything. He didn't see me but I definitely saw him. To me, he looked a lot cuter in a pool boy uniform. I smiled and when he bent over to clean the pool, I took my chance to sneak up on him. I pushed him into the pool and he fell in with a scream. I burst out in laughter as he rose up out of the water, swearing and shaking the water from his hair.

"What the hell! I can get fired, Dana!" he yelled at me.
"Sorry, but you look hot in your uniform. I wanted to cool you off," I chuckled and then couldn't help but laugh again.

He climbed out of the pool and stood over me like a skyscraper. I stopped laughing and looked into his deep, blue eyes. Water dripped from his hair and he looked back into my eyes. Our gaze broke by someone clearing their throat beside us and we looked up to see a taller man, about a few inches higher than Caleb, looking at us. Caleb straightened his posture and stepped back.

"You're supposed to be cleaning my pool, not swimming in it." The man said harshly.
"Sir, that's my fault. He's a friend from school and I was just-," I tried to explain but the man cut me off.
"You're Richard's sister?" he asked.
"Yes," I told him.
"I'm good friends with Richard." He told me and smiled, extending a hand generously for me to shake.
I shook it nicely and then looked over at Caleb cleaning his pool filter. I felt bad for getting him in trouble by his boss but the final question was: Was he really about to kiss me?

I never really worried about my appearance around a guy in my previous relationships. But this time felt different; felt important. Caleb was picking me up at eight to take me to the dance and I had to make sure everything was in place. I fixed my hair into a neat bun at the top of my head and wore the diamond necklace Gram gave me for my birthday last year. I only wear it on special occasions and this occasion was very special to me. My dress was sleek and white with sparkled beading down the V-neckline. It showed cleavage but not that much so that my brother would say something about it. Then came my shoes; white heels with satin bows on the sides of it. Perfect  I said to myself and then walked downstairs to meet up with my date.

Caleb stood at the bottom of the staircase with my brother in a charcoal black tux and a white rose in the left breast pocket. He looked up at me when I descended the stairs and so did my brother. Ricky smiled at me easily and then looked at Caleb.

"No funny shit with my sister, man. Do you hear me? That means keep your hands to yourself at all times," he said.
Caleb cleared his throat and mumbled, "Yes, sir."
"Ricky, stop scaring him. I'll be home at twelve."

Caleb and I got inside of his car and rode to the dance together. We shocked everyone when we walked inside together. Girls shot me looks and guys high-fived Caleb. We didn't dance or talk all that much and when it came time to go home, we went to his car and just sat on the hood. I looked up towards the sky and breathed deeply in the crisp, cold air of December. I could feel Caleb's eyes on me but I was terrified to look over at him; terrified he'd leave