o n e : summer begins

May 25th, 2040

click, tap, click. Sharply, I snap my head up to see a gloomy eyed Shawn tapping his pen on my desk.

"Hey", I snapped, "can you please stop tapping? It's giving me a headache". Now, of course my head didn't actually hurt, but Shawn's incessant noise was getting on my nerves. Almost immediately, he put the pen down and stared down at his hands. He looked embarrassed, and avoided eye contact with me for the rest of class. As he should.

I was trying to pay attention to Mr. Smith's last Geometry lesson before summer. Naturally, I excelled in math, so I had no fear when picking my seat in the front of class. The boys usually occupied the back; they sat quietly, and very rarely commented during lessons. During history class, we learned that at one point long ago boys would be boisterous distractions, flooding the front of the classroom. I could not imagine them being anywhere else but quiet, and in their place at the back of the classroom.

"Kara... Kara", Shawn poked me lightly. Apparently Mr. Smith had asked me a question. I turned to my gloomy eyed desk partner, delivering a disgusted look, and dismissing him appropriately as he had annoyed me yet again.

"Yes, Mr. Smith? Sorry, I had zoned out for a few seconds", I explained.

"That's fine, Ms. Vox", he said, quivering a little. "We are on number eleven. Are the two triangles similar or congruent?"

See, here's where the problem arises: I excel in math, but I wasn't able to finish the homework last night. A war had begun last night, between Geometry and The Vampire Diaries. We all know which side won. Naturally, I told him that I lost my homework, and without questioning it, he nodded. Shawn was next, and he would never get off as easily as I did.

"Umm, sir, you see-", he stuttered, face down.

"I see you haven't done the assignment, Shawn", Mr. Smith interrupted.

"Yeah, I-".

"See me after class to discuss, Shawn".

Mr. Smith had continued going over the homework before Shawn could even get a word out.

Geometry is my last class before school finally lets out. I will be going into Junior year this fall, and I plan to make this summer count before having to apply to colleges and take certain future-determining standardized tests.

RIIING! Ugh, finally time to leave. Everyone shot up as Ruby yelled "Summer time, baby!". I rushed out of there, bumping against Shawn and some of his darkly clothed acquaintances on my way out, as one mumbled a solemn "sorry". Shawn lightly punched his arm, "Come on, you have to stop apologizing when you haven't done anything wrong", he growled under his breath.

Kaylynn, Lisa, and Tiana stood in the middle of the hall, waiting for my arrival.

"School's out!", I roared.

In unison, my friends shouted "ayy", as we enveloped into a group hug. I can't wait for the summer to begin, little did I know it would be one for the history books.

I felt a warm embrace from behind, and instantly I knew it was Jack.

"Hey baby, I missed you", he whispered, tickling my ear.

"Yeah, it's been practically years since English class", I replied, pure sarcasm lacing my words.

Ignoring my comment, he bent down to place a soft kiss on my lips. I grabbed his face and pulled him in deeply as my tongue explored his, deepening the kiss.

"Hey! Get a room, you two", Kaylynn interjected. Unfazed, I continue to kiss Jack; thank God we will have more alone time this summer. Suddenly a small book is hurled in between Jack and me.

I shoot a sharp gaze at Tiana as she returns a similarly disgusted look with her tongue sticking out.

"Can we at least leave school property before you two eat each other alive?", Tiana groaned, being the impatient person we know and love. She tapped her foot and pouted, obviously the child of our group.

"Hey, no one's eating anything, at least not on our faces", I said with a suggestive smirk. Jack turned bright pink, speechless as usual. Met with gasps and fake gags from my friends, I started to walk out of the building, smiling at the fact that I would not have to enter for 3 more months.

Once we got outside, everyone parted ways; Tiana's mom picked her up, and Kaylynn and Lisa left together for a sleepover, although I bet there won't be much sleeping sense it was technically a date, unbeknownst to their parents. Jack and I headed to my car.

"Wanna hang out at my house for a while?", I asked, unlocking the door.

"Yeah, sure. I can only stay until about 9".

"Perfect, plenty of time", I smirked.

The tension in my car had become so thick; the closer we got to my house, the more I itched to jump onto Jack's lap. He busied himself with his phone, but I knew he felt the same way. This summer would have a passionate start in the next ten minutes.

I safely pulled into my driveway, and almost instantaneously hopped over to Jack's side, startling him a bit. He leaned into our kiss and wrapped his tongue around mine, hard. I always dominated our kisses though, wrapping my hands in his black curly hair. He grabbed my waist, stroking his hands up and down the sides of my thighs. I let out a gasp, as I noticed the senior couple across the street coming out to check their mail. I quickly ducked

"Woah, what's wrong?", Jack whispered, breathless. I pointed across the street, and that was enough of an answer. He followed suit and ducked along with me.

After about thirty seconds, I peeked over his broad shoulder, and realizing Ms. Walters and Mr. Johnson returned home, I relaxed a bit. Twenty years ago before the New World emerged, they had been Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, but Ms. Walters has taken her maiden name back since then. Most married couples take the wife's maiden name nowadays. If Jack and I ever got married, I would want to take his name; We would be Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. I haven't even told him about this; we are way too young for marriage. Also, it's a bit unorthodox to take the husband's name in marriage.

"Ready to go inside, or are you too comfortable straddling my lap?", he smirked. It's my time to blush, and unfortunately he could see it straight through my brown skin; I hid behind my braids. Jack pushed them aside and pulled me towards him with a deep kiss. I was in his hair again, and we stayed in this position for a while.

I clear my throat, "ahem, It's getting dark, let's go inside before the whole neighborhood sees an interesting scene", I stated, still pink from blushing.

We got our bags from the back when my phone buzzed.

"Here", I hand Jack the keys, "my mom's texting me".

Hey, have you left school yet?

Yep; Jack and I are at home. I have to drop him off by 9.

Okay, your father is out with friends from his Fathers' group.

He will be home by 10, and I have to be at the office late.

Will you be fine on your own?

Of course; I can heat up leftovers, and Jack and I will hang out, maybe watch some movies.

Okay, be safe :)

I love you.

I put down my phone and enter to see Jack shirtless on the couch.

"Ready to pick up where we left off?", he asked, obviously this was a rhetorical question.

I glanced down at his hard, sculpted abs and arms, admiring every inch of him. Jack is a basketball player, but not like the typical jock at all. He is sensitive, intelligent, and respectful. Although our womens' sports get more funding and recognition than mens', I can tell he tries his hardest to positively represent mens' basketball at our school. NBA players make more and their games receive more of an audience, but Jack has always dreamed of drafting into the MNBA, so I support that fully.

His short black hair rested above his icy blue eyes, which stared at me, basically undressing me right here IN MY LIVING ROOM.

"Ye-yes", I put my hair into a low ponytail.

I plopped down onto his lap. Instinctively, he grabbed my lower back to steady me, and rubbed his muscular hands up and down my back. I rubbed my free hand over his abs, using the other to stroke his soft hair. I let out a low moan, and suddenly he stops.

Jack's POV:

Woah, everything's happening so fast. I let out a deep breath. My fingertips graze her soft brown skin, and I can feel it tingle. As her fingers stroke my scalp, I stop. She looks deeply into my eyes, wanting more.

"Uh, we should probably eat something", I stuttered. Kara just stares at the floor with a look of defeat. I just wasn't ready to take things too far yet.

"Ye-Yeah, probably", she says, searching around the room to fix her gaze on something other than me. She's angry, shit.

I pull on my shirt in one quick motion. Did I give her the wrong idea?

Clearly frustrated, Kara fixes her hair, and retrieves her phone from the couch cushion.

Kara's POV:

"Uh, we should probably eat something", Jack stuttered, breathless, staring straight into my brown eyes with his icy blue ones. I scan the living room multiple times over just to avoid his oceanic eyes.

"Ye-Yeah, probably", I muttered. We have been dating since Freshman year, and still we haven't had sex. What is wrong with Jack? How could he not want me in that way? Whatever, I just know he needs to come to his senses soon, or it's on to the next. Let's see what's in the fridge...

I open the door to see a pan of lasagna with a note attached:

Lasagna for dinner. I know it's your favorite, Dad :)

I smiled at that. Dad always writes notes on dinner when he's out with his Fathers' group. He joined the group when I was born, to prepare to be the best dad he could be. All of the fathers had known each other since their first kids were born. They have high tea on Sundays, and occasionally go out to sports bars, swapping dinner recipes over drinks.

Before I could reach for the lasagna, Jack had his arms wrapped around me. I swung around to meet his eyes.

"What are you doing?", I almost spat... I guess I was more annoyed with him than I thought.

Obviously hurt by my tone and response, he replied, "I'm hungry".

"Patience, duh", I rolled my eyes.

Jack glanced at his phone, "It's 8 already, jeez".

"Okay, after we eat I'll drop you off", I said. Deep down (but not so deep), I wanted him to leave. We had been together for so long, and yet no intimacy. I made excuses for his weirdness like basketball season, heavy workload, etc., but at this point maybe we just aren't meant to be together.

In the most chilling silence, we stab at our steaming plates... awkward.

Soon, we are buckling up our seatbelts and speeding off.

I stared straight forward for most of the ride with my fingers gripped tightly around the steering wheel. In my peripheral vision, I spotted Jack shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

He kept his eyes down and slowly smoothed his hair back in light frustration. I slowly release my death grip from the wheel, and let out a low sigh. I get that it's superficial to be so angered by my boyfriend's unwillingness to have sex with me, but we have been together so long and planned to do it so many times... at this point I'm fed up. I don't mean to be so harsh towards him, especially for this, but I can't control my feelings... it's like some chemical urge to be upset with him. Whatever.

"You just passed my house", he said lowly. I had been lost in my thoughts. I make a crisp U-turn, and we arrive shortly.

"Goodnight. See you tomorrow after work?".

"Yeah, see you. Also about earlier, I-".

"Don't mention it", I begin, "I-it's fine", I finish with a shrug. It was not fine...

I couldn't get out of there faster. The awkwardness overwhelmed me, and I could feel second hand embarrassment even though I had been there, experiencing it myself. Ughh!

As I approached a stop sign, I noticed a bright flash of light to my right. People dressed in all blue outfits were entering the side of an old abandoned apartment building. Pulling over, I creep towards the entrance because... what's the worst that can happen?