Practicing Stream of Consciousness Writing

I wandered into the main hall and found Amanda sitting with Chris Gillingham, whose red hair was as frizzy as ever, and – my heart skipped – Randall Hopkins. Randall had grown yet again over the summer; he had to be over six feet tall now. Stupid attractive boy and his stupid attractive tallness. Chris had grown too. Now they towered over everyone.

Breath, Kayley. Lick lips, fix hair, breathe, be calm, act natural, don’t forget to smile. Crap! What am I going to say to him? Hey? Hello? What’s up? Gah, no. Just say hi to Amanda first and talk to her for a minute first and then you can talk to Randall. Patience, girl. Chill out.

“Amanda!” I cried once I got within her hearing range. We hugged again, and I looked her over properly. Gorgeous as always, and taller than last year. “I could have sworn I used to be taller than you,” I teased her, standing on my tiptoes. Am I the only one who’s not growing?

Amanda stood on her tiptoes too. First time she ever stood taller than me even when I was on my tiptoes. It was wonderful to see her. We laughed and hugged again.  It was good to be back. It’s odd to think of Woodbridge as home, but it is really the closest thing to a home that I have.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

More hugs, and then Amanda gave me an eyebrow wiggle and nodded towards Randall. Don’t be obvious, he might notice! I returned the eyebrow wiggle. I am screaming on the inside and am eternally grateful to you for helping me see him so soon.

“Hey,” I said cheerfully and hopefully casually to Chris and wonderful-brilliant-Randall.

“Hey!” Chris beamed at me, as always. Chris is always like that. Honestly the cheeriest person I know.

Randall was a little shyer. Why is that so attractive? Stupid shyness should not stupid be so stupid attractive. I had spent many hours trying to figure out what it was about Randall that made my stomach feel like it was trying out for the Olympic gymnastics team, but had never come to anything more conclusive than “he’s just so Randall-ish.”

“Hi, Kayley,” he said. He said my name! “How was your summer?”

Thank goodness I actually have something to tell him about my summer. “It was really really great,” I told him.

Remember to talk to Amanda and Chris, too! Don’t look like you’re totally engrossed in gorgeous-Randall’s fantastic facial features. Even though you totally are, chided sensible-Kayley.

“My dad got to come home from Afghanistan for the summer-”

Shut up, I’m trying to have a conversation here! Retorted lovesick-Kayley.

“-so we spent the entire summer-”

Well you’re sucking at it!

“-on the craziest and best road trip of my life.”

Stop distracting me!

Randall smiled and laughed in all the right places, completely oblivious of the argument sensible-Kayley and lovesick-Kayley were having in my head. Amanda didn’t kick me in the shins, and she usually did when I was being super obvious about liking Randall, so I must have been doing a decent job at acting natural – ha! – and casual – ha! – and nonchalant – ha! Conversation’s going well!

“You’re still doing orchestra this year, right?” perfect-Randall asked me.

Are you kidding? Would I give up the chance to stare at you for an hour every day and pretend it’s because I’m just awesome at following the group when we play?

“Yeah, of course I am!” is what sensible-Kayley managed to translate from lovesick-Kayley’s gushing. Randall smiled at my answer, though I knew it was only because he knew that I was the best violist in the school and someone had to whip the other violists into shape. Randall told me that he and Chris were also still doing orchestra this year – obvious, since they were both really great at their instruments – and that his summer had been spent with family and at various camps for his church.

                Oh you wonderful boy, I am going to marry you someday.