Indigo (13 page)

KENNEDY

I wait until she walks into the auditorium to let a huge fucking grin overtake my face. Getting her phone number feels like another victory, because it’s obvious to me now she doesn’t let a lot of people into her life. Although she did drop the f-bomb on me. I can’t help but wince recalling the moment. Fuck friends. I know is she’s undeniably beautiful, sweet and a few random facts about her and that hardly satiates my curiosity. Perhaps being a friend is the best way to go for now, even if the thought of not kissing her anytime soon makes me severely depressed?

I feel a mix of relief and anxiety when I realize that Indigo doesn’t know that the Dean is my mother. I probably should have mentioned it, no, I definitely should have told her, but how could I when it could possibly end things between us before they even begin? Next time. I’ll tell her next time. It’s not like I can hide it, so I might as well tell her before it’s too late and she finds out on her own. It’s good I’m letting her cool down first though.

As I find a quiet spot in the courtyard to settle down and draw, I think of the picture I saw of Indigo dancing, the one that was taken before she was kidnapped. The desire to capture that peace on her face, to give her that look again has been something that I’ve wanted to do since I saw the moment I saw it. Finding a bench near the trees with great light, I take a seat and pull out my pencil and a sketchpad and start to draw.

I recall the sweep of her face, the curve of her body in my mind, and I get lost, as I always do, in my art, and now in her. It’s the first time I’ve drawn someone in a while, and I’m not surprised that I chose this photo to start with. I wonder for a moment if she’d let me draw her in person. I put the question away in the back of my mind, pretty convinced that she wouldn’t at this point.

So distracted by the drawing in front me, my phone startles me. Searching my bag for it, I frown when I see that it’s my mom. Thinking of Indigo, I answer it.

“Hey Mom.”

“Hey honey, where are you?”

“Outside, drawing for class.” I know the answer will piss her off.

I was right, she sighs. “How are your other classes going?”

“Fine, but actually, that’s something I wanted to talk to you about. One of my Professors told me that you declared my major for Law behind my back. I hope that’s not true.”

There’s a stretch of silence on the phone, and then, “Honey, we talked about this.”

“Yes, and the last time I was in the conversation, I said I was still undecided. How could you do that without talking to me first?” I feel my anger at her build up as the implications of what she did washes over me for the hundredth time.

“I wanted to give you a good standing with your Professors, so they knew you were serious about pursuing a worthwhile career. I couldn’t have them thinking you might choose art.”

“I might choose art!” I shout out the words, and a few other students sitting around nearby turn to look at me. My mom doesn’t say anything and I know she’s taken aback at my outburst.

“Why don’t we discuss this later when you’ve calmed down,” she says stiffly. “There’s no need to be rude with me.”

I try to ignore the guilt creeping in over yelling at her. I’m all she has after all. “Yeah, okay, I’ll call you later.”

We hang up, and I feel marginally better just not having her on the line. I look back down at my drawing, knowing that art is where my heart is, and it’s what I want to do and pursue with everything I can. But letting my mother down, and going against one of her biggest wishes isn’t something that will be easy to do.

Sighing, I pack up my stuff, knowing my mind is no longer in the right place to finish Indigo’s drawing.

INDIGO

“So, why are we going again?”

Sabrina doesn’t answer my question until she walks out of the bathroom a minute later. “Apparently it’s the place to be on a Saturday, besides, we can check out a lot of the upperclassman.” Sabrina, her mind always on men.

When she texted me that morning and insisted we go to the football game, I at first told her no way, the thought of the crowd giving me goose bumps. It took at least 20 text messages to convince me, and now here I am, going to my first college football game.

“Are you sure this has nothing to do with Shawn?” I smirk at her, walking to my closet to grab a light jacket. “Have you put him out of his misery yet?”

I hear her sigh behind me. “I texted him back a few times last night, but I still feel the same. It’s too early to get involved with anyone, and that’s why we’re going to this game, so we scope out some new faces on campus.”

“All right,” I tell her, knowing that going to this game has more to do with Shawn than she wants to admit. “Let’s get going then.”

I barely take notice of the perfect weather when we walk down the hill toward the field, because I’m distracted by how many people are there. “Do you mind if we stand by the fence or something off to the side? I don’t want to go up into the bleachers with all those people.”

“Fine by me.” She agrees, and we ending up finding a spot to the left of the bleachers, right in front of the food stand.  I lean my body against the fence, my fingers clasping the chains. The scene in front of me is just like every high school and college football movie I’ve ever seen; Players in matching uniforms running around on the field, while the crowd raucously cheers them on. Others just here to see and be seen. I feel like an imposter, like I’m watching myself at this normal event from above my body, but for Sabrina’s sake, I tell myself that I’m going to try and have a good time.

Wrapping my arms around my midsection to ward off the slight chill, I turn to Sabrina. “So how much do you know about football?”

“Pretty much everything,” she admits, surprising me. Her eyes watch my expression and she rolls her eyes. “I do have a brother you know!”

“Well tell me the basic rules, I feel lost at sea here watching this.”

For the next ten minutes, Sabrina outlines the basic game of football. She teaches me what a down is, and what it means when they say things like first and ten. I’m so into her explanation that I almost don’t feel my phone buzzing in my purse.

It’s a text from a random number. Hesitantly, I swipe my finger across the screen to read it.

Kennedy: “Hey, it’s Kennedy. What are you up to?”

Feeling relieved that it’s someone I know, I text back immediately. I feel the small smile on my face, realizing that I’m happy to have heard from him. I gave him my number on Wednesday, but he hasn’t called or texted until now. Since he did ask, I felt a little anticipation for the past few days, wondering when and if he would say anything.

Indigo: I actually came to the football game. How about you?

Kennedy: Let me guess, we’re losing?

I glance up at the score board, and see that it says 21-0, and after a second I decipher that 0 is under HOME.

Indigo: Yes, by 21 points. That seems like a lot.

Kennedy
:
It is, especially for the first quarter. I learned my freshman year the only reason to go to these games is for the food.

Indigo
:
The food does smell really good, I might get one of everything.

When I don’t hear back from him right away, I put the phone down to look at Sabrina, who I see is in a conversation with a couple of guys who are crowded around behind us.  I lean one side of my body against the fence, so I don’t feel so caged in, and try to appear friendly. I probably look like a goof just standing here, hoping to be included. The scar seems to pulse on my face.

“This is my friend Indigo.” Sabrina introduces me, and I try to act interested as the three guys tell me their names. They are all looking at my scar, recognition in their eyes, but that’s to be expected I guess.

One guy in particular keeps attempting to hold my gaze, and feeling uncomfortable, I turn back around towards the game once the introductions are over.

“Hey.” I turn unsurprised to see that he moved up beside me. He’s leaning both forearms on the fence, looking down into my face.

“Hello.” I keep my eyes on the game, a little nervous. Not that there’s anything wrong with this guy, he’s actually kind of cute with his dark hair and light eyes, but for some reason I’m just not interested. My hands come up to my cheek and lightly touch my scar.

“I didn’t see you here last week, I would have remembered.”

I meet his gaze for a brief second and try to smile. “We didn’t come last week, this is the first time I’m here.”

“I haven’t seen you around campus either, what’s your major?”

“Dance,” I answer, then feeling as if I have to I ask him his, I do.

“Business.” His body is turned in towards me, and I try to inch away without being obvious. When he doesn’t elaborate, just stares at me, I look behind him in an attempt to find Sabrina. I pause for a moment when I see that she’s now talking to…Shawn?

Light eyes gets my attention again when he says, “If you don’t mind my saying so, you are really beautiful--“

I blink as he suddenly disappears from view, and in the space of just a second, I’m looking up at Kennedy. He’s carrying a tray of food, and seemingly uncaring of the fact that he just rudely pushed his way between us. Keeping his back toward Light Eyes, he smiles down at me and I hone in on the dimple by his lip. I’m ridiculously happy to see it.

“How did you get here so fast?!” I take out my phone for a second, and see that he never answered back my text. “That was like, not even five minutes.”

He shrugs and smiles lazily. I can see his eyes running over every part of my face, lingering on each for just a second, before he answers. “Maybe I was already here.”

“You didn’t say so when I told you I was,” I scold him playfully.

He looks out toward the field, and I can tell he’s trying to hold back an even bigger smile. We’re both smiling like a pair of crazies. “I’ll be honest, I couldn’t resist. I wanted to see if you would run screaming from your phone if I texted you.”

I chuckle, trying to keep the blowing strands of hair out my face, “I gave you my number didn’t I? I wouldn’t have if I didn’t want to talk to you.”

I can tell my answer pleases him, and he moves in a little closer toward me. His nearness makes me feel warm in the windy air, and I resist the urge to lean into it. Me? Lean into someone’s embrace?

“Hungry?” He thrusts the tray he’s been carrying between us, and I’m a little startled at how much food is on it.

“Don’t tell me that is one of everything?” The smell reaches my nose and my stomach almost growls. I can’t imagine how much this must have cost.

“Yes,” he tells me. “Now are you going to help me eat this or what?”

Even though I’m a little embarrassed he’ll see my appetite first hand, I don’t hesitate to dive in. “Thank you,” I tell him, after I’ve had my first bite of popcorn. “It was sweet of you to bring all this over.”

“And with such perfect timing,” is his response. I know instinctively he’s referring to Light Eyes, who now, as I look behind Kennedy, is gone.

I hold back a laugh and pretend to be stern. “That was very bold of you, you know.”

He tenses, and halts the bite of food that was on the way to his mouth. “Are you mad? Did you want to talk to him?”

His obviously nervous tone, and worried eyes make my heart skip. “No.”

“Good,” is his only answer. “Now what brings you out to the game today?”

He looks at me with concern, as if he knows it’s something I wouldn’t be comfortable with. His expression speeds up my heart.

“Sabrina,” I say truthfully, once I swallow my mouthful. “She wanted to come, and I wasn’t doing anything else so she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“I didn’t really want to come today either,” he admits. He takes a sip of his water then offers me the bottle. I turn down the intimate gesture with a quick shake of my head. “I’m working on building a case for the speakers in my car, and wanted to concentrate on that today.”

Remembering he liked to build things, I’m interested to hear more. “What do you have to do for that?”

“It’s not too hard,” he says offhandedly. “Mostly just wood and Plexiglass. I got the new speakers this summer but didn’t have a chance to install them yet.”

“I’d love to see it when you’re done,” I tell him truthfully. The wind is still blowing my hair across my face, and we both laugh as a few strands end up stuck in the cheese fries.

With gentle fingers, he pulls them out carefully. “Whenever that is,” he says, answering my question from before. “Hey wait, did you ever get to go to Home Depot?”

“No. I still want to though.” I glance up at the sun and try not to let dark thoughts about why I had to go in the first place ruin my mood.

“Let’s go now,” he says suddenly. “Let’s bail on this game, we’re going to lose anyway.”

Being totally alone with him seems like way more than I can handle, but a curious part of me wants to. Not only that, I do have to go to the hardware store.

“But Sabrina…” I say, not wanting to just ditch my friend.

We both turn to look at her and see that she and Shawn are whispering to each other, oblivious to anything else going on around them.