Find You in the Dark

time pretending that Daniel's blase attitude toward her didn't hurt.
    “You heading home?” I asked her, trying to change the subject. Rachel shook her head. “Nope. I've got to be at work in fifteen minutes. I'm going to have to change when I get there. Sorry. You staying for cross country?” She asked me, pulling her keys out of the front of her book bag.
    “No, practice was canceled. I was hoping you'd keep me from feeling like an unsociable loser and give me something to do.” I pouted playfully. Rachel laughed. “You want to get together over the weekend? Maybe see a movie or something?” She asked me. Then she looked down at her shoes, suddenly finding them really interesting. “I'm sure Daniel will be with Kylie, so let's not bother asking him to come.” Rachel added, her voice getting all wobbly when she said our friend's name. I didn't address the issue again, and instead smiled brightly at her.
    “Sounds good. Call me when you get home tonight and we'll make plans.” Rachel nodded and we parted ways, each going toward our respective cars. It was nice having my wheels back. The two days of being without them had been torture. I was lucky that I only needed a new battery, so I was able to pay for it and the towing without having to bum money off my parents. Though that didn't change my desperate need for a job ASAP.
    I was thinking about going home to look online for gainful employment when I saw him . Clayton Reed. By now the school parking lot was pretty much cleared out and it almost seemed as if he had been waiting until he could sneak out without anyone noticing. But, of course, I noticed.
    One thing was definitely certain. Clayton seemed to be making a supreme effort to avoid contact with the rest of the human species. So it wasn't surprising that rumors were flying like crazy about him. Aside from the one that Daniel had told me, I had also heard that he was in the Witness Protection Program. I had also heard some girls in my English Lit class, saying in breathy whispers, that they had heard he had a terminal brain tumor and had come to Davidson so he could get treatment at the hospital at the University of Virginia that was twenty minutes away. I had rolled my eyes at that one. Then there was the rumor that he was actually an indie rock star and was laying low to get some down time from the craziness of fame. It really depended on who you talked to as to what story you heard. I was certain that none of these scenarios were remotely accurate but there was something very mysterious about Clayton, that was for sure.
    Why did I feel this persistent need to see him? To talk to him, and figure him out? Maybe it was the feeling of kinship at the way he shunned everything high school. Maybe it was the way he was shut down with everyone else but would breathe fire when he spoke to me. Yeah, he was a dick during our two interactions, but he was passionate and furious and so different than the closed off persona he exuded the other ninety-nine percent of the time.
    So when I saw him walking across the parking lot, I went on some halfcocked instinct and made my way toward him. His head was down and his hands in the pockets of his signature green army jacket. He must have gotten a new MP3 player, because I could see the wire of the ear buds peeking out from his collar.
    He was oblivious to everything around him, so he didn't notice me until I was standing right beside him.
    “Whoa. Stalk much?” He asked, yanking the ear buds from his ears in irritation. What was it about me that coaxed this reaction from him? He never ignored me. No, he acted as if my one purpose on this planet was to annoy the shit out of him. He was testy and terse and not displaying any of the social aversion he showed at school. And I loved it. I was such a freakin' weirdo.
    But I figured it was time to call him on his attitude. No sense in letting him think he could treat me like that and get away with it, no matter how much I dug his James Dean rebel without a cause shtick. “What is your problem? Have I unknowingly run over your puppy or something?” I bit back, crossing my arms over my chest, doing my best to act unaffected and maybe even mildly intimidating.
    Yeah, that didn't work. Clayton snorted and I swear there was a hint of a smile. I held my hands up, palms out. “Hold the presses! Was that a facial expression other than annoyance and disdain?” I asked sarcastically. Clayton smirked at me, his lips turning up