23Leaps Meant To Be Taken
by BettyBoo
Excuse Errors. I will fix it later.
There is no such thing as accident; it is fate misnamed.
- Napoleon Bonaparte
01. The Day I Collided with the Bull.
I pressed the play button and tucked the iPod back into my pocket. Guess where I was. Perhaps in the comforts of my house? All warm and fuzzy?
Guess again.
I was standing outside the local shop watching the rain pour like cats and dogs. And the lovely part of it all was the thirty-minute walk I had to look forward to in it!
I felt a groan built up when I remembered how I had planned to watch the latest downloaded episodes of Ugly Betty when I saw the post-it note on my bedroom door. I had little choice but to obey my mother and left my home shortly after. Looking back I should've turned around when I smelt the rain in the air and gotten an umbrella. But at the time I thought I could outrun it.
Clearly I was wrong.
I began my journey home while Amy Winehouse blasted out from the headphones. I didn't know if it was just me but it felt like the rain came down a bit harder the second I stepped out. I cursed my dear mother for the misery I was going through but than again I couldn't exactly blame her. I was around eight when my father (or as I like to call him the sperm donator.) left us for a younger, six-month pregnant woman. I got over it thanks to my family. The sad thing about it was our half-brother Cedric, Fredric? - Or was it Thomas? - would grow up never knowing us and my mother had to pick up double-shifts, leaving my brothers and I to take care of the house.
I hurried my way home, dodging a lot of people. Most looked like workers that had recently gotten off work and were on their way home too. Parents pushing strollers were spotted here and there, along with folks carrying duffle bags on their way to the gym. I passed a bus station when a car pulled in. Water splashed onto the pavement and my jeans. I looked down and saw the bottom half of my pants were soaked. "Great. Just great."
The passenger door opened and a young brunette got out. She slammed the door and leaned down, giving the driver a sultry smile. I turned away seeing no point with disturbing the happy couple. I had taken two steps when a person suddenly appeared out of nowhere and collided into my shoulder.
Causing me to stumble and fall into a pond.
"Shit!"
"-ight?" I snapped my gaze upwards ready to give the bastard a piece of my mind when my eyes widened and I realized it was Ciaran Brennan!
"...e...ou...ight?" I saw Ciaran's mouth moving but I couldn't hear what he was saying. Amy was still singing my ears. I pulled the headphones out and like always they got stuck in my braids. I tugged the ends, tugging my braids in the process, before they untangled and fell into my hands. "What?!"
"Eh, I asked if you were alright..."
"Peachy. Just peachy."
"Sure? You took quite the fall." I saw the evident look of disgust on Ciaran's face. I glared at him and wondered if Ciaran was serious. Other than my jeans sucking up the murky water, my groceries could possibly be ruined too.
When I didn't answer Ciaran glanced around. Few people had noticed us and raised their eyebrows in wonder at the teen boy bent over the girl sitting on her arse in a pond. I looked away and I got up. I was already embarrassed as it was. Once I stood on my feet I could feel the dirty water ran down my legs. I tried to brush off the dirt but it only made things worse. "Great...just great." I bent down to pick up the dropped shopping bags.
Ciaran had the decency to hold his mouth when he gave me an once-over. With his tall somewhat lanky build, rumpled collar and dark hair plastered about his head dripping, Ciaran Brennan looked like the total slacker but don't be fooled. This was The Bull we were talking about and the girls at our school would've probably fainted at the sight of this wet Ciaran.
I sighed inwardly and turned to walk away. As much I would've loved to stay and gawk I was cold and wet. My jeans felt itchy and sticky against my skin. Water had entered my sneakers and I was surely to find a little pond of my own if I looked inside.
"Wait!" Ciaran called out and grabbed my arm. I froze up and turned my head, glancing down at his hand and then looked up again. Ciaran stiffened and looked down at the hand holding my arm. His eyebrows shoot up and he quickly removed it. He lifted the hand to the back of his neck and began rubbing it, obviously embarrassed. "Sorry," He muttered, darting his gaze between the pavement and mine. "Look, let me make it up to you."
"No need." I turned to walk away when he stopped me again!
"Do you live around here?"
"Pardon?"
"Look, I have a car and I could give you a ride."
"Uh..."
"It's first and foremost an apology for running into you and causing you to fall. But also, you can't walk home looking like that!" I looked down at myself. So what if the thin trainer-jacket I was wearing was soaked and seemed somewhat see-through? Or that my jeans weren't not only itchy and wet but also had a nice smear across the rear end?
I didn't look that bad! Right?!
"Let me give you a ride." I stared at him and he stared back at me. For an outsider it would probably seem we were having one of those deep moments. But I wondered...did Ciaran just flirt with me?
And I'm not saying this because I'm overly conceited. But wasn't that sentence one of those with double meaning? You know like the one, do you want come in and have some coffee?
"Riiight..." Ciaran grinned awkwardly with flushed cheeks. Oh...did he interpreted the sentence the same way I did?
"Do you want a ride or not?"
I sneezed when removed the towel wrapped around my head. Tiny black braids fell to my shoulders. I looked up and stared at myself in the mirror. I had what was classified as a heart-shaped face. A wide nose with puffy cheeks which gave me a childish look despite my age. Brown lips with hints of pink.
What more was there to say?
If I had to pick what I liked the most it would be my hands and feet (which were currently out of picture.) and my lips. Others would say I picked wrongly and chosen my eyes. They were often mistaken for hazel. But in order to have hazel you would've to have hints of blue and green which I didn't have. Callum told me my eye-colour was called whiskey eyes. Eyes with light brown even golden irises.
Like any teen there were days when I thought I looked rather shagadelic. Put mildly. Attractive. And then there were others days when I wondered who was the mutant staring back at me.
I looked away from the mirror and hung up the damp towel before switching the lights off and left the bathroom. I walked towards my room to fetch a jumper. After gotten home I changed into-
"What the hell are you doing in my room?!" Ciaran startled and whipped his head around so quickly that I thought his neck would snap off. Not that I would've minded at the moment.
I quickly scanned the room for damage control. Sprawling on the unmade bed were four pair of jeans which I had left since morning when I couldn't decide which pair to wear. On the floor was a heap of shirts. And was that a bra hanging for all to behold on the desk chair?!
"Shit! I'm sorry! I was looking for you..."
"Isn't it rather rude to enter other people's room without permission?"
"Usually gals don't have a problem with me being in their room." Ciaran tried to laugh off but judging for my reaction he understood the joke fell flat. I bristled pass him and snatched my bra off the chair. After thrown it into my closet I headed towards the heap on the floor and picked my clothes up, throwing them into the closest too. Behind me Ciaran sighed. "Okay, that came out wrongly."
You think?
I didn't bother to look at him and went towards my computer switching it on. As it started up I could feel Ciaran walk up behind me. "Look I'm sorry for being a bother but I came upstairs to give you this." I turned around and saw Ciaran holding a cup of tea.
I blinked surprised but I took the cup, warmth seeping into my fingertips. I moved pass Ciaran and took a sip. By now you were probably wondering what Ciaran Brennan is doing in my house, right?
After accepting his ride (with much hesitation!) Ciaran helped carrying in the grocery and asked if he could use the bathroom.
"Hey! I was wondering do you go to my," Ciaran began saying when his cell went off, playing Nelly Furtado's Maneater. He pulled out a black cell. He checked the caller's name and groaned loudly. "Just what I need..." He stared at the vibrating phone seeming to contemplating if he should answer or not. By the fifth ring the phone went silent. Ciaran visibly relaxed and sighed. He began to tuck the phone back into his pocket when it began to ring again.
"You should answer. It could be important." Ciaran looked up and stared at me like he just realized he wasn't alone in the room.
"Yeah..." He answered slowly and flipped the lid.
"Ciiiaran?! Where are you?!" A girl greeted him with a scream. Both Ciaran and I recoiled. We stared at the cell waiting from the Banshee to make her present known again when after a minute the other end was still silent. Ciaran stared at the cell few more seconds and then slowly brought it back to his ear. He hesitated when it was inches away but gathered enough courage and placed the cell by his ear. Closing his eyes when he braced himself. "Mel-"
"-Ciiiaran?!" Mel screamed again. Ciaran quickly pulled the cell from his ear cursing. We were clearly dealing with a girl that had little talent talking into a cell phone without screaming!
"Mel, you don't have to scream. I can perfectly hear you."
"What?! Where are you? Did you buy the fags?!" Ciaran sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Sensing perhaps a headache?
Because he wasn't the only one.
"Yeah, Mel. I got them."
"-Good! Because I'm dyiiing for a smoke over here! Plus I hope you are fully rested Ciiiaran! Because you promised to give it to me good and hard!"
"Alright, Mel! See you soon! Bye!" Ciaran quickly ended the call and shut the cell. He slid the cell into his pocket and turned towards me with a red face.
"Seems you are needed elsewhere."
"Uhm?...Yeah." He looked away and kicked the carpet with his toes. He bowed his head and rubbed his neck with a sigh, sounding tired. "I need to go."
"Okay..."
Ciaran looked up and held my gaze for a second before he started towards the bedroom door. I drank more tea, seeming need to calm my restlessness. When I came down the stairs I saw Ciaran already had his jacket on and was working on his shoes. "So hmm thanks for giving me a ride. Yeah, you know...after the whole falling into the pond-thing."
"You're welcome. Sorry for my haste leave nut I bid you farewell fair lady." Ciaran glanced up from his shoes, grinning.
"I wouldn't exactly call myself fair..." I muttered while unhooking a grey umbrella from the coat hanger and held it out for him. "Here so you won't get wetter."
Ciaran got up and took the umbrella. He tried to catch my eyes but kept them over his right shoulder. I refused into look into his eyes because I knew what I was going to see. Regret. Ciaran took the umbrella and adjusted his collar. He shifted on his feet, seeming reluctant to leave. "Uhm...thank you," He paused. "Look I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."
"I know. It's okay. Shit happens." I shrugged and finally met his eyes. I tried to smile reassuring but judging by the look in Ciaran's eyes. It seemed my smile fell flat.
Ciaran said nothing and stared into my eyes. I felt an uneasy feeling build up. It started in my chest and spread to my belly turning into butterflies. Ciaran turned suddenly away and I could suddenly breathe easier now that weight of his eyes was gone. But the butterflies were still fluttering in my stomach.
Ciaran opened the front door and instantly the chilly air rushed in. I wrapped my arms around me and felt a shiver run down my spine. Ciaran stepped out and opened the umbrella. He walked down the two steps before stopping in his tracks and turned half around. "Until we meet again, Leona." He grinned and tipped an imaginary hat before turning on his heels and walked off. I closed and locked the door before heading up the stairs to my room.
At the time I laughed at his words because I was certain he wouldn't speak to me when he realized we went to the same school.
But unknowingly to me when I closed my front door I opened another door.
A/N: I have posted the Cast for the story so feel free to check it out. For some reason my Alert post isn't working - is anyone else having the same problem?
Shout-out to:
XxInDreamsWeRestxX
intellectual titmouse
- thank you for reviewing!