Black Water - Part One

Black Water

Part One

 

I was drowning in black water and didn’t even realize that he was the ocean.

 

“Have you ever been with someone who makes your soul ache and your body come alive? Someone who you obsessively love and they love you back the same. That was the kind of love I had for Scott. That was the love I’d been searching for since I read Wuthering Heights in 7^th grade. A love so crazy so mad that it overtakes you and reshapes your soul into one. That was the kind of love I could believe in, the kind I would never give up on. Scott was my Heathcliffe and I knew it from the moment he first spoke.”

 

“The bear and the bull.” I heard a voice behind my ear.

“What?” I answered turning around to the dark haired boy seated behind me. Then I heard Mrs. Willis say my name.

“What are the two animals that represent the stock market?” she asked her face reddened.  I cleared my throat and answered “The bear and the bull.”

She seemed upset that I’d answered correctly. I had been reading To Kill A Mockingbird and she thought she’d catch me off guard. I turned around to the dark haired boy and politely responded “thanks but I don’t need you to feed me answers, I knew it already.”

His eyes danced with amusement as he leaned in and said “I know you did.”

My whole face immediately flushed with red. His eyes completely threw me off guard. They were so dark, nearly black and I got lost in them for a moment.

“I just wanted to see if I could break your concentration.” He continued.

“Well don’t.” I responded harshly. I didn’t like the way his eyes made me feel or that he’d interrupted my reading for amusement.

I continued reading for the remainder of class though I didn’t focus on the words of the book. I kept feeling the dark haired boy’s eyes on my back. I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring, and just as the thought entered my mind my wish came true. I bolted from my seat and was out the door in a flash running straight into Andrew.

“Hey babe.” He greeted me planting a kiss on my cheek. “Let me take these books.”

Andrew was my boyfriend and my professional book carrier. I didn’t understand why boys carried their girlfriend’s books but Andrew never let me carry mine. He was like that though, always following those ridiculous guidelines on what a boyfriend should do. He was a sweet guy and the book carrying thing stopped getting on my nerves two years ago.

“What’s this, another book from your smarty pants English class?” Andrew asked looking down at my very used copy of To Kill A Mockingbird.

“No just something I’m reading in my spare time.” I said nervously because the dark haired boy was walking right in front of us now.

“I never did understand you reading for fun. I don’t know why anyone would choose reading as a fun thing to do in their spare time.” He responded and I heard the dark haired boy laugh.

He turned around smirking at me with those dark eyes. Those damn eyes. Then he winked and turned down a separate hallway.

We finally reached my classroom and I was relieved to both be away from Andrew and the eyes of the dark haired boy. Andrew may have been my boyfriend but he was really just a shield; my shield from any other suitors that may have come along the way. He was a basketball player, with good hair and good skin and the right kind of fake persona to please my parents. He was also dumb and a cheater. He didn’t think I knew that he cheated but then again he didn’t know that I was using him either. I didn’t want to date anyone really but my parents wanted me to date. So in order to please them I found a simple guy with a simple mind who wouldn’t get on my nerves too badly.

I found my desk and sat down to resume reading. I read in every class but English class. In English class we discussed every topic under the sun and Mr. Newsome had such a passion for life and culture that I had to listen. However, this was algebra and I would do anything but algebra. I started in on my book when Mr. Daniels my algebra teacher picked up the class phone and told me I was being called to the front office. Everyone in the class room “ooooohed” and I thought to myself graduation can’t come soon enough. I left the classroom not sure why I was being called to the front but also not caring.

When I reached the front office I was told that my Uncle Tom Robinson had checked me out and he was waiting outside. Of course this was a character in the book I was reading and I had no uncle who was waiting for me outside. However, I was intrigued by who might be outside. I walked outside and saw a cream colored corolla with the passenger door open. Inside sat the black haired boy. He looked at me with those black onyx eyes and said “Get in.”

I stepped backward. He was crazy I thought and then I told him so. “You’re crazy, I don’t even know you.” And I turned to walk away.

“Oh come on where’s your sense of adventure. I know you have one, I’m not a rapist hence the Tom Robinson.” He said with a sparkle in his eye.

I don’t know what came over me at that moment but I felt my body move toward the car and then I was strapping myself in. When I got in I heard Band of Horses playing which happened to be one of my favorite bands. For a minute we sat in silence and then he started singing along to the song. His voice was like caramel soft and flowing perfectly. He sang better than Ben Bridell and before I knew it I was singing with the dark haired boy. Then all at once it hit me, I’m singing in a car with a boy whose name I don’t even know. What the fuck was I doing?

“Uhm excuse me what’s your name?” I asked turning the music down.

“Scott, and you’re Elizabeth.” He answered.

“How do you know my name?”

“Well let’s see we have two classes together Lizzie.” He replied laughing to himself

“Do not call me Lizzie and oh that makes sense.”

“So Lizzie, you like books right? I see you reading a new one every other day. So you must like to read.”

“Yes I like to read Scotty.” I replied squinting at him angrily.

“Well I’m glad cause you’re going to love where we are going.”

“Where exactly are we going?” I asked

“You’ll see don’t worry, just sit back and enjoy the ride and the music.”

Unbelievably I did exactly what he said I sat back and enjoyed myself. His mix CD played a variety of music that I loved. From MGMT, Vampire Weekend to Fuel and Counting Crows. I sang every single song that played and felt so relaxed. Scott sang with me and every now and then he would just look over at me and smile. I took notice of him more in that moment. His hair was thick and black as night, he had beautiful tan skin that I’m sure would be soft if I reached out and touched him. His scruffy beard made him look like a hipster that and the fact that he was wearing a cardigan. However it was his eyes that intrigued me the most. They were so black and yet they had brightness to them.

“Alright get ready to scream.” He said as he pulled into a parking lot that housed an old building.

“What the hell is this place.” I said completely unsure of what I was doing. Here I was with a boy I barely knew and he’d taken me an hour away from home to a building that looked like it might collapse at any moment.

“You’re going to love it trust me.” He said getting out of the car. He came over to my door where I was sitting with my arms crossed over my chest like a child. I was not getting out of the car.

“Come on Lizzie, I promise once you see the inside it will completely change your mind. Remember don’t judge a book by its cover.” He said opening my door and grabbing my hand to pull me out. I was right his skin was soft, very soft.

I slowly gave in to his pulling and got out of the car and for a moment he continued to hold my hand. Then he turned and started for the brown door that led into what I was sure was going to be my death. When we walked inside I made an audible gasping sound. It was unbelievable there were books from the floor to the ceiling. You could barely walk around there were so many books. I started looking at the titles and realized there was everything from Hemingway to Koontz to John Green. Everywhere I turned there were more shelves, tables, and piles of books. I was in heaven complete heaven.

“Told you.” Scott said as he disappeared behind a shelf of books.

I followed him around the corner and watched as he scanned through the books trying to find one that he wanted. He looked so perfect right there, at peace. He grabbed a book and brought it over to where I was standing.

“Here this is one of my favorites and I think you’d really enjoy it.” He said as he handed me my favorite book.

“Yeah I like this one too. I’ve read it several times.” I replied as I traced the title with my fingers and then handed it back to him. All of the sudden I felt very uncomfortable and my stomach ached.  Just then Scott reached out for my hand and the aching got more intense.

“Come on let’s find you a book to take home.” He said and pulled me along. I followed him again and I had the strange notion that I’d follow him anywhere.