Time Trials Read Free Page B

Really? When was the last time you drove twenty miles to cross the Harbor Bridge? “Maybe we could meet up and have a Coke…or something…sometime.”
    There was a moment, however brief, when their eyes locked. Still in “thunderbolt” mode, maintaining eye contact was not difficult for Allison, though she felt like she was making mud in her shoes from the nervous sweats. Was it a minute or a year before he answered?
    Keeping the eye lock, his face softened. “Sure, I’d like that.”
    “Great!” Allison said, a bit too intensely for someone trying to act casual. Her legs felt rubbery when she turned and headed to her car. Had she really just done that? Where in the hell had all that come from? She’d never experienced a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g like that before. Holy shit !
    “Hey.” Kevin tapped on her shoulder, causing her to nearly bite the dust in the parking lot as if someone had kicked the back of her knees. “I don’t even know your name.”
    Regaining what measly composure she had in her reserve tank, Allison flipped her hair back in what she hoped to be a sexy move, which proved to be difficult since her sun-bleached hair barely reached her shoulders. “Oh yeah.” She extended her hand. “I’m Allison…Jennings.”
    He took her hand. “Nice to meet you, Allison Jennings.  And…can I have your phone number?”
    She realized they were still holding hands only because her own firm grip refused to disengage. Yes, he can he have my phone number…and anything else he wants. The only reason she forced her hand free was to write her number on a receipt she had dug out of her purse. She stopped before handing it over. Having already made a fool out of herself, she saw no reason to stop now. “You know, I’ve got sisters who are on the phone all the time.” She rolled her eyes, trying to emphasize what a pain little sisters were. She’d have to apologize later for using them in her ploy. “Why don’t you give me yours…you know…just in case?” Just in case you lose that grungy receipt I just scribbled on…or worse, forget to call .
    Thankfully, oh yes, thank you, he smiled and nodded. She tore the receipt in half and handed him the pen.
    What a romantic moment…the only one she’d ever had. Standing in the parking lot of the basketball stadium with a guy who…a guy who…hell, she couldn’t even articulate the feeling/sensation. How did anyone describe a feeling or emotion they’d never had before?
    “Allison, there’s someone named Kevin on the phone for you,” her mother yelled up to the second floor. Nearly busting the banister clean off the stairs, Allison clambered down to grab the receiver off the table. It had been a week, and she had dialed his number at least a dozen times but ended up pressing the disconnect button before the first ring.
    She heaved in several enormous breaths, trying to stop the pounding of her chest, before she cleared her throat and worked to steady the phone up against her ear.
    “Hello?” She hoped she sounded like she’d just finished painting her fingernails, which would have been a lie since polish had never been on her nails, but he didn’t know that.
    “Hi…uh, Allison? You may not remember me, but we met at the basketball game. I’m from Gregory-Portland?”
    Allison purposely clamped her mouth shut and silently counted to five to keep from jumping through the phone.
    “Oh yeah, I remember.” She did the girlie hair toss again, even though no one was there to see it. “What was your name? Wait, don’t tell me….” God, she had no idea how to flirt. She needed a handbook. “Kevin. Is that right?”
    From then on, they talked for hours several nights a week and dated often, but not exclusively, since being from different schools over twenty miles apart turned out to be difficult. However, when they were together, nothing else mattered. Allison had never felt like this. The two of them had some special connection of sorts, which didn’t sound