“Lils, we need to talk.” Carter called to her from his locker.
Lilah sighed. It wasn’t like their lockers were close together. No. He was trying to talk over 10 feet away through a crowded hallway. It was a surprise she could hear him at all. Shaking her head, she ignored him and pulled out her calculus book. She was not going to respond to his down-the-hall summons.
“Aww come on Lils. Don’t be like that.” He hollered, singing out his twisted version of her name. Again. She noticed several people looking between the two of them now. It took several more loudmouth attempts on his part before he sauntered over. Leaning against her open locker door he tried again, this time in a soft singsong voice, “Lils.”
With a deep breath she faced him. “It’s Lilah, Carter.” He had persisted in calling her Lils since he’d first met her freshman year. And now, 3 years later, no matter how many times she’d told him otherwise, he remained consistent. Not once had he ever said her real name. Not that she’d ever tell him but over the years she had grown to like her nickname and the attention he gave her. Most of her irritation towards him was more like their own personalized form of greeting. Yet she was stubborn in her dislike of him.. It was as if whatever relationship they had would dissolve if she ever changed her opinion of him, or admitted it out loud. And so they were considered school-wide as the school’s frenemies.
Some people were considered most likely to succeed, others the class clowns, and yet her name would forever be linked to Carter’s.
Maybe this year would be different.
Carter tugged her hair hanging over her shoulder. “Hey. Pay attention to me. I came all the way over here.”
“What do you want Carter?” She absently started pulling out books out of her backpack. Her hands needed something to do.
“You gotta help me.” He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her full attention to him. She looked up, startled.
“With what?” She swatted at his arms to make him let go. “What’s with you today?”
He leaned in close. “I have a new neighbor.” He whispered, still sounding urgently panicked.
Lilah instantly relaxed. “She cute?”
Carter stopped, tilting his head to the side. “How’d you know it’s a girl? Have you met her already?”
“No.” Lilah chuckled. “If your new neighbor was a guy you wouldn’t be coming to me to solve any problems.”
“You are too smart for your own good sometimes Lils.” He chucked her chin.
“I’ve heard that. Your point?” Lilah folded her arms.
Carter looked about ready to take another jab when he reined himself in. “About my new neighbor.”
“Yes?” She goaded. “Spit it out.”
A shrill pouty voice halted their conversation as the blood drained from his face. “Carter!”
“It’s your soulmate calling.” Lilah whispered, watching him cringe.
“What?!” He whispered back.
“She yells through the hallway too. Congrats. I’ll send a flower for your wedding, k?” She was finding an odd thrill in teasing him. Usually she was at the end of his teasing. She was enjoying the turnabout. So much so that she even went so far as to nudge him with her shoulder.
“No!” He pulled her in front of him as if he could hide behind her. His well-toned, track star build wasn’t easily hidden by her petite dancer’s body.
“What is wrong with you?” Lilah attempted to look concerned but couldn’t manage to hide her smile. “Is there a problem in paradise? Does she have a little crush you can’t shake?”
“Not so little.” He shuddered.
“And you want me to do what? Protect you?” His sheepish nod and hopeful smile tugged at her sympathy. “Oh alright but you’ll owe me big.” She relented. Lilah didn’t have time to say or ask more before the girl appeared, standing disturbingly close..
Lilah blinked rapidly in shock. The garish, all pink ensemble Carter’s new neighbor was wearing as she bounced on the balls of her feet in front of them was painfully bright. In seconds Lilah felt old compared to the girl who looked like she had just stepped out of a cartoon.
“There you are Carter!” The girl proclaimed, moving in for a hug.
Lilah could feel Carter move to duck behind her and she quickly stepped in between them to make it look like she was moving forward naturally to introduce herself to the newcomer. She heard Carter’s small sigh of relief and found herself wondering what on earth had happened between the two of them. Sticking her hand out Lilah managed to stop the colorful girl from sidestepping her to get at Carter. “Hi I’m Lilah. It is so wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you!”
Flattered, the girl stopped trying to reach Carter and stared up at Lilah. “Carter talks about me?”
Lilah could only stare. The girl’s attention was all over the place. “He forgot to mention what year you are though.”
“Oh silly Carter.” Again, the still nameless girl moved to get closer to Carter but Lilah easily blocked her without making it look like she was. “I’m a freshman.”
Nodding politely Lilah turned to Carter, “We should get going, we don’t want to be late for class.”
For the first time in their history together Carter didn’t say any smart aleck remarks or call her Lils. He only nodded quickly, calling over a quick goodbye to the pink girl. Together they made their escape, but only after the girl gave Carter a rather embarrassing clingy hug that left even Lilah cringing. Once they rounded several corners they both sighed in relief.
“You’ve got quite the new neighbor there Carter.” Lilah laughed. Instead of laughing, Carter pulled her into him and gave her a big Carter bear hug. Usually whatever hugs he forced on her were tight and uncomfortable but not this one. This hug was almost nice. She was beginning to involuntarily relax into his arms. When he loosened his hold he didn’t fully let her go and pulled her in for a kiss that seared through her in shock.
When they pulled apart Lilah stared in stunned surprise as Carter tried to shrug it off with only a hint of a chagrined blush at his own impetuousness. “Thanks for your help back there Lils. You’re my hero but don’t let it get to your head. We don’t want it to get big or anything.”
