FIRESONG [Chapter 2]

Laughing, I let James pull me across the street. We stopped in front of the old green bus stop across from the mall, panting. Jai and Benny were across the street, alternately laughing and screaming their rage at us. Cars whizzed past us, their drivers staring in indignation at the crazy teenagers who dared to cross the road in the middle of rush hour. 1

It had been three hours since Benny and I arrived at DQ, and James and I had been flirting the entire time. It was the first time that a guy had paid me any attention at all while Benny was also in the vicinity, and it felt kind of nice. 2

James turned to me, his eyes sparkling with mischievous delight. Without any warning, he tackled me to the ground. Grass tickled my back. 3

“Well, Terra, I think now that those two are properly ditched –,” he started to say – and then a little ringing and vibrating started up in my pocket.4

Mentally, I smashed my cell phone on the ground and scattered the pieces into the hot summer wind. This always happened to me! At exactly the wrong moment, something would happen. My phone would ring, a friend would walk in, or I would remember I needed to do homework. You name it, it’s all happened to me. 5

James’ eyes lost their sparkle, and he stood up. 6

“You should probably get that,” he said, looking down.7

“Yeah, I probably should,” I muttered. Digging the phone out of my pocket, I held it to my ear, “Yeah?”8

“Where are you?” said a curt voice – my mom.9

“I went to go get ice cream with Benny after school,” I said, avoiding the subject.10

“You should have been home ten minutes ago. Get walking, young lady. I expect to see you in half an hour.”11

Before I could reply, the line went dead. 12

I looked up at James regretfully. If my mom hadn’t called, what would have happened just now? Acting on a whim, I dug through my pockets and felt my fingers touch a pen.13

“I’ve got to go home,” I told James, “But here’s my number.”14

I grabbed his arm and with the pen I wrote my cell number on it in big letters. Reaching up, I brought James’ face down towards mine and kissed him on the cheek.15

“Call me,” I whispered in his ear.16

Then I ran away, not wanting to look back to see his expression. I couldn’t believe what I had just done! The adrenaline from it was still running through my veins, making me feel a bit high on life. Thoughts were racing through my head. Would he actually call me? Did he like me? What exactly had happened these last few hours? 17

It was all a blur to me. I remembered Lila giving me my Skor blizzard, and James and me going to sit in a booth in the corner. Somehow, Jai and Benny had appeared, their differences sorted out. James and I had sat beside each other, thighs touching, feeding each other blizzard. A blizzard fight had started. I touched my sticky cheek. I hoped Mom wouldn’t mind. 18

We had gotten so loud that poor Lila Abrahams had had to throw us out, blushing hotly under Benny’s furious gaze. And that was how we had ended up at the mall, where James had whispered very sexily in my ear, “Let’s ditch these losers, beautiful.”19

And I had let him drag me across the busiest street in our little town.20

What was I thinking?21

I realized that I had arrived home, and shaking my head at my own stupidity, I dug my house key out of my bra . As soon as I set foot into the house, my mom was standing in front of me, tall and imposing. 22

"What took you so long?" she boomed, "And what is that on your cheek!" It wasn't a question. 23

I sighed and waited for the tirade to wear down. Whenever my mother was worried, she always let it out like this. 24

"I've been waiting all afternoon young lady! I expect more of you! I’ve been worried out of my mind! You are sixteen, and with age comes responsibility.”25

You could just about hear the exclamation marks clang into place. At times like this, it's best to apologize and get it over with.26

"Sorry mom," I squeaked. 27

My mom’s expression softened and she sighed. 28

“What am I going to do with you, Terra Dasarian?” she asked wearily.29

“Sorry,” I repeated.30

“I accept your apology,” she said. Then she gave me a long look. “Well?” 31

“‘Well’ what?”32

“Your report card. I know you got it today.”33

I had been dreading this moment, but luckily I had a strategy worked out exactly for this situation. Keeping my eyes down, I dug my report card out of my bag. I handed it to my mom and darted around her and up the stairs before she had a chance to look. I opened my door, ran through, and threw myself against it. I hated to see the expression of disappointment that crossed my mom’s face every time she saw my marks. 34

The problem was that my entire family was smart. My older brother had gotten into every university he had applied to. Next year he was going to Brown. My mom had been a model student all her life and gone on to become a doctor with a thriving business. My dad didn’t come from a rich family, so he had worked really hard all his life and got into Harvard on full scholarship. 35

The point is, none of them understood why I didn’t get good grades. It was so effortless for them, so when they saw that I wasn’t doing well in school, they assumed it was just laziness holding me back. We always ended up having a gigantic fight about my study habits. 36

I knew they meant well, of course, but sometimes it’s hard to see someone else’s point of view when they’re yelling at you.37

There was a loud thump from the stairs – my mom sitting down heavily .38

I slid down the door, letting out a breath that I didn’t know I had been holding. I was so, so glad that she hadn’t come upstairs to try and talk to me. I relaxed, and let my gaze travel around my room. My walls were unadorned by posters, my bed was neatly made, and my carpet was completely clear of clothes. 39

My gaze fell on my computer, sitting neatly in the corner. It was humming quietly to itself. Smiling to myself, I got up and typed randomly on the keyboard. The monitor lit up.40

As soon as I logged on, a little jumping man came on the screen, waving his arms and legs wildly. The little speech bubble coming from his mouth said, “You’ve got mail!”41

It was probably from Martin. Immediately, all the worries and tension that had been building up inside of me flowed out. Why would anyone in my position be upset? Martin had e-mailed me!42

I always got so excited over an e-mail for Martin – and it was kind of easy to see why.43

Last summer, my family and I had visited France. We had stayed with my moms’ friend from university. Her house was an hour and a bit from Paris, and the little town that she lived in had been just about the greatest place I had ever been to.44

Even better, she had a nephew one year older than me living in the same town – Martin. He and I had become fast friends from the moment that we had met each other. We had spent every day together, wandering around town, bothering the shopkeepers in the little stores, making trouble with his group of friends. Although Martin was the only one in our group who could speak fluent English, I developed a sort of relationship with the others as well, using a little bit of Frenglish and a lot of body language. 45

Martin was always my closest friend in the group though. By the end of the summer, I was ready to stay and go to school in France, just so I could stay with Martin. I guess you could say I was a little in love with the guy. 46

When it became apparent that I couldn’t convince my parents to stay in France any longer, I gave Martin my e-mail address over our last chocolate éclair together. We watched the sun go down, and then he walked me back home and we put after-bite on all the accumulated mosquito bites from the evening. 47

The next day, my dad had to carry me to the car, then through the airport and into the plane. I refused to move by myself. I couldn’t stop crying the whole plane ride home.48

If it wasn’t for the wonders of technology, we would have completely lost touch. As it is, we go on webcam almost every weekend, and share every detail of our lives. Not a week goes by that I don’t get a long e-mail from him. And it’s still not enough.49

I was so depressed, that by the end of first semester, my parents had become desperate. They promised me that I could visit Martin this summer, but because they’re parents, they must have felt that it was morally wrong just to let me have what I wanted; they said I could go on the condition that I got good grades for second semester. 50

I was overjoyed! Thinking about my summer in France gave me something to look forward to. It wasn’t just France though. It was the thought of seeing Martin. I guess you could say I’m still a little in love with the guy.51

It was times like this that I was so glad that Benny was my friend. Even if my grades wouldn’t live up to my parents’ idea of ‘good’, Benny would make sure that they would let me go to France anyway. If Benny wanted to go to France with me, she would do anything short of murder to get me there. I would get to see Martin in the flesh, finally! I was so ecstatic at the thought that I almost forgot that it was Benny who would be coming with me.52

Sick with excitement, I clicked the little dancing man on my computer screen. 53

And my phone started ringing. It was Benny. It’s like life is targeting me!54

I flipped the phone open and held it to my ear. 55

“I’m kind of in the middle of something,” I said, glancing at the computer screen (which was still loading).56

“No, you’re not! I have the greatest news!” squealed Benny.57

“Yeah?” I asked cautiously .58

“Yeah! Okay, so listen up.”59

“I’m listening! Can we just get this over with?”60

“Okay, but you’re going to be happy once you hear this! So James and Kai and me were just sitting there before you left, and then you’ll never guess what he said - “61

I pushed my chair away from the computer all ears. All thoughts of Martin flowed out of my mind. “What did he say? Spill, Benny, spill!”62

“He said he thought I was really cute and asked me out!”63

I resisted the urge to scream. For the first time ever, a guy had shown interest in me while Benny was in the vicinity. And it turned out that – what? That the guy was just using me to get to Benny? That Benny stole the guy who I was obviously flirting with? I felt like I was going to throw up.64

“What are you going to say?” I asked, bile rising in my throat. 65

“Um,” said Benny, sounding uncertain, “Do you mind if I say ‘yes’?”66

I laughed coldly. “Why would I mind?” I asked bitterly, “Go ahead. I’m happy for you – but I’ve got to go. My mom needs me to help her with something.”67

I hung up before Benny could say anything else, and threw myself on my bed. After a while, I grabbed a pillow. I curled my body around it in an effort to quell the stomach-churning sensation in my belly. 68

The computer hummed on, forgotten.69