Lost Girl in Transition Ch. 05

Long and shapely, they were accentuated by a pair of black leggings that seemed to be painted on. Her tunic, which was loose fitting and designed to hang off her shoulders, was sexy in a subtle way. But for all he cared she could have been wearing a potato sack, because her black, waist length hair became all he could focus on.

Hardly realizing that he was changing his course, Lucas cut a path towards where the woman was standing. On reaching her bent over form, he stopped just far away enough so that his presence wouldn't be creepy, and yet also close enough to smell her honeysuckle scented perfume.

Checking her out up close, Lucas noticed the way her long hair hung over shoulder, obscuring her face as she continued to drink from the fountain. Since she was wearing an off the shoulder top, part of her back was left exposed, and this gave Lucas the chance to see her spinal tattoo.

As for just how far it traveled along her vertebrae, he didn't know, but as she shifted her stance so she was no longer bending, Lucas averted his eyes and waited for her to turn.

Eager to see her face, Lucas watched as she tossed her hair over her shoulder, then turned on her heel so they were face to face. Using the back of her hand, she wiped water from her lips, drawing attention to their succulent shape. Although very brief, this sensuous action resulted in a desirous tingle, and lifting his eyes to her own, Lucas saw that she was looking at him just as curiously as he was her.

Eyeing her right back, Lucas was pleased to find that she was as gorgeous as he had hoped. But there was something unusual about her features; something distinctly different that made him wonder about her lineage.

Shifting his gaze to her waist length hair, he noticed it had a thick, unique texture, not silky and slick like his or the other natives on the reservation.

The color of nutmeg with golden undertones, her complexion wasn't too unlike some of the Native women he had dated, but there was something unique in her facial characteristics, and this is what led him to full on stare.

"Hi." She spoke first, giving him a little smile that he instantly returned.

"Hello."

"You must be a new student."

"Well It's not official because I haven't registered yet, but I'm thinking of signing up for some classes this summer."

"Which ones?" She asked.

"English, Math...you know, the basics," he responded. "But I was also hoping to take this Federal Indian Law & Policy class."

"You should," she said. "The guy who teaches it is really knowledgeable."

"You've taken the class?"

"No, but I've heard through a couple of friends that he's really good."

"Cool." Shifting his gaze, Lucas lowered it to her exposed shoulders, but before his eyes could dip any lower, he pulled them back up.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Lucas."

"I'm Wanakee." Extending a hand that was slim and delicate, she waited for him to accept it.

Instead of shaking it like he would with a guy, Lucas gently took hold of it, sort of caressing his thumb along the back of it before releasing it from his grasp. Although brief, this intimate gesture caught Wanakee's attention, causing her to look long and deep into his dark brown eyes.

Unmistakably sultry, her expression seemed to indicate that she was game for flirtation, yet instead of following up with a compliment or smooth line, Lucas found himself tongue tied.

Was he actually nervous? The fluttery feeling in his belly told him he was, but the thought was pretty ridiculous, considering that he wasn't the type of guy to get nervous around the opposite sex.

"So are you registering today or not?" Wanakee asked while lowering her eyes to the class catalog in his hand.

"Uh, yeah. I guess so."

"Sounds pretty uncertain to me," she said, but the gentle smile on her lips let him know she wasn't being confrontational.

Well that's why I'm here," he said. "I was just on my way to the office so I could fill out an application."

"You're headed in the wrong direction." Jutting a thumb behind her, she indicated where admissions was located. "Walk with me and I'll show you the way."

More than happy to do just that, Lucas followed alongside her, and on reaching the office where registration was handled, they walked through the doors.

With Wanakee leading the way, they made a path towards a row of computers, and after taking a seat in one of the empty chairs, Lucas began to input his information. Fifteen minutes later, and with a confirmation printout in hand, he stood from his seat and turned around.

"All done," he said to Wanakee, and as she held her hand out for the paper in his hand, he handed it over.

"Everything looks good to me," she responded while scanning her eyes across the printed words. "Once I get you into the system I'll set you up for a placement test. Then we'll have a better idea of which math and English classes you'll be eligible for."

"Placement test?" Lucas's mouth went dry at the thought. "I have to take a test just to register for class?"

Wanakee nodded. "Every student who enters college does, but I wouldn't get too nervous about it. It's just something we use to determine your current level."

"I'm no good at taking tests," Lucas said. "And I'm horrible at math. Always have been, ever since I was a little kid."

"So brush up on your skills," Wanakee encouraged. "Take a few days to prepare yourself, then come back and take the test. The worst that can happen is you'll be put into a remedial course."

"Or in other words, the stupid class," Lucas said.

"It's not a stupid class." Her brows had gently furrowed. "When I first enrolled I had to take remedial, too. And it definitely wasn't because I was stupid."

"Oh..." Lucas's ears turned a bright shade of red. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you. It's just I was hoping to not have to take math anymore."

"Well, unless you took AP courses in high school, or score really high on the placement test, chances are you'll need at least a couple of math classes."

"Okay."

Clearly unenthused, Lucas followed her to the registration counter, yet instead of remaining beside him, Wanakee walked around to the other side. Once she'd taken her place in front of a computer, she typed in his information, clicking the keys with her long, manicured nails. Once that had been completed, she printed out a sheets of paper, and after handing it to him, gave him a little smile.

"Placement testing is at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. Once you receive your scores, you'll be allowed to register for classes."

"When does fall semester begin?" Lucas asked while staring at his enrollment confirmation.

"August 17th."

"Then why am I enrolled in a class that starts this weekend?"

"That's not a class," Wanakee responded. "It's a math boost program that will prepare you for the placement test next week."

"Three hours on both Saturday and Sunday?" He shook his head before adding, "Why does it have to be so long?"

"You got something better to do?" She asked.

"Actually yeah, I've got practice for my drum group on Saturday afternoon."

"So reschedule," she said.

"My group leader, Dave, hates it when people miss practice. He thinks they're flaking off and threatens to throw them out of the group."

"Tell him It's for school," she responded. "If you show him the printout I gave you, he'll have no choice but to be cool with it, right?"

"I guess."

"Then your problem is solved." The smile she gave him seemed to say, any other excuses?, but the lack of response on his part let her know he had absolutely none. "So you'll be there Saturday, then."

Lucas nodded.

"Great. Well good luck, I'm sure you'll do well. And I'll see you back here on Tuesday morning when you come in to take your placement test."

"Okay. See you then." Lucas folded up the printout and stuffed it into his jeans pocket, but just as he turned away and started towards the door, he halted his steps and returned to the counter where Wanakee stood.

"So I was thinking It'd be nice to call you sometime." Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he looked hopefully into her eyes. "I mean I don't know what your dating situation is like right now, but if you're single I'd love to get to know you better."

"You're asking for my phone number..."

Lucas nodded.

"Well I am single," she said with a smile on her lips, "And you are really cute, but I think I'll have to pass on giving you my number."

"Why?" A heaviness settled into his body, causing his shoulders to slump.

"You're too young for me," she responded.

"How do you know? You didn't even ask my age."

"I saw it on your application," she said. "You were born in 1997, which makes you eighteen years old."

"And that's too young?"

"For me it is."

"How old are you?"

"20."

"It's only a two year difference," he said.

"I know, but I just don't go for younger guys. I prefer older men."

"How old?"

"25 and above," she responded. "But if a guy is mature for his age, I have been known to make exceptions."

"I'm mature," Lucas said.

Offering a broad smile, Wanakee gave him a look that seemed to say yeah right.

"Well I am," Lucas said. "I've got plans to go to university and everything. I'll also be getting a job at the lumber mill in the next couple of weeks."

"That's good, I'm glad to hear you have plans for the future, Lucas. But I just can't see myself going out with a teenager. Nothing against you personally, because you seem like a nice guy. But It's just not something that I do."

Staring wordlessly at her, Lucas pressed his lips tight. His face went slack and a mild frown was now on his face, but still he remained silent, as if waiting for a further explanation. Wanakee, however, was clearly uninterested in elaborating further, because her lips remained pulled in a maddening little smile.

"Okay." Deeper than it had been before, Lucas's voice expressed disappointment. "Well hey, no big deal. You probably couldn't keep up with me anyways."

And with those last words he headed out of the registration office, making hasty steps down the hallway and towards the doors that led outside. Upon exiting, he cut across the parking lot and towards a dirt path that would lead him home. But as he realized that home was the last place he felt like going, he slowed his steps, eventually coming to a complete halt.

Although gratified by the last words he had spoken to Wanakeee, Lucas was left with a feeling of defeat. A stony expression had taken over his handsome features, and his chest was tight with disappointment, but what bothered him the most was the fact that she had called him a 'teenager' and a 'nice guy'. Nice.

That was a word that girls used when they were trying to let a guy down easy, and it was also a word that seemed to be code for 'boring'. Girls didn't fuck nice guys, at least not the type of girls that he wanted to get with.

Still reeling from the punch he'd taken to his ego, Lucas glanced at the screen of his cell phone. It was nearing half past five now, which meant that night would soon be upon him. Ordinarily he would have preferred spending Friday night socializing with a couple of friends, maybe drinking a few beers as well, and hanging with girls who were down to have sex. But tonight he was interested in doing something different, and although he wasn't sure just what this something different was, he knew it couldn't be found on the reservation.

Parking himself on the side of the road, Lucas extended his arm, then popped his thumb up in the universal hitchhiking sign. Since the road he was standing by intersected with a major interstate, chances were pretty good that he would get a ride straight into town. As for which town he was headed toward, wasn't something he had quite decided. But anyplace with a pool table and live music was somewhere that he wanted to be.

It took twenty minutes before Lucas spotted a Ford Pickup, it's black paint job gleaming as it made its way down the road. Instantly recognizing the vehicle as belonging to his father, Lucas lowered his arm, and as the truck came to a stop right in front of him, Lucas opened the door, then climbed up into the cab of the truck.

After closing the door behind him, Lucas strapped on his seatbelt, then turned his head to look at his father, who immediately put the car into gear and took off down the road.

Nearly identical in looks, Lucas and his father had faces that were like mirrors of each other, each reflecting back the strong, regal features that dominated their high-boned faces. Known simply by the name of Eagle, Lucas's father wore his hair in a long ponytail, and often wore short sleeve shirts to show off his hard, toned biceps.

"You could have called if you needed a ride," Eagle said. "You don't have to hitchhike home."

"Wasn't going home," Lucas responded.

Briefly averting his gaze from the road, Eagle gave his son an inquiring look.

"Not really sure where I was going. Just felt like getting off the rez for awhile, maybe hanging out someplace where I could play pool and listen to some live music."

"Lots of places like that out in Whitefish," Eagle said. "But if you were planning on going off the rez, you should have let me or your mom know."

"I've been going off the rez since I was 15 years old," Lucas stated. "Nothing new about that."

"Still be a good idea to give us a call," Eagle said. "Especially your mom, she worries about you."

"I'm not a kid anymore, dad. I'm eighteen now, remember? And out of high school, which means I'm an adult."

"You may be an adult, but you're not a grown-up," Eagle proclaimed. "And you still live under our roof, which means you follow the rules that we set."

Turning his attention to the passenger window, Lucas gazed out of it, staring at the fields of wildflowers and open, grassy hills that stretched far beyond into the distance.

A silence settled between father and son, broken only by the sound of the powerful engine that enabled the pickup to move quickly down the road. A few seconds passed, then finally several before Lucas grew tired of riding in silence, and shifting his gaze to his father's face, posed a question that had been gnawing at his mind.

"Dad?"

"Yep?"

"What do you do when a woman says that you're too young for her?"

Briefly turning his eyes from the road, Eagle rested his gaze on his son. "Well, I guess you move on and find another. But if you really like her a lot and want to make a go at changing her mind, let her get to know you. Show her that you want to be friends, and if things progress to the point where you regularly hang out, then I'd say you have a pretty good chance of changing her mind."

"So there's hope," Lucas said. "I can get her to eventually go out with me."

"Well I wouldn't say for sure that It's a guarantee, but It's definitely worth a try."

Now contemplative, Lucas thought over his father's advice and for awhile they shared a moment of stillness. But as Eagle maneuvered the truck onto the highway and began to accelerate, the conversation once again picked up.

"This woman who said you you're too young...just exactly how old is she?"

"20."

"So she's only two years older than you."

Lucas nodded.

Not much of an age difference at all."

"That's what I told her," Lucas said. "But she said she prefers older men."

"Give it time," Eagle said. "Let her get to know you know better, then she'll realize what a great catch you are."

"You really think I'm a good catch?" There was a rise in Lucas's vocal pitch.

"Sure, don't you?"

His shoulders lifted in a soft shrug. "I don't know...I mean if I am a good catch, then why would Claudia be with Tristan right now?"

"Didn't you break up with her?" Eagle asked.

"Yeah, but I only did it because I knew she'd be going off to college with Tristan. And I had a pretty good feeling that once that happened, we'd slowly grow apart."

"You should have just waited it out," Eagle said. "You let go of her when you should have held on."

"So you think I made a mistake?"

"I think mistake is too strong of a word," Eagle said. "But I am a strong believer that things work out exactly as they're supposed to."

"So I made the right decision by breaking up with her..."

"That's not what I said."

"But you just told me that things work out exactly as they're supposed to."

"That's right," Eagle stated.

"So what does that mean?"

"What do you think it means?"

"I'm not really sure, that's why I'm asking."

"Well if you're looking for a straight answer, son, you're not going to get it," his father replied. "Life is about the journey, not the destination, so I wouldn't worry about what's ahead."

They were sensible words and Lucas knew it would be wise to heed them. But at this point in his life, so many things were uncertain, so he wasn't very keen on just allowing things to work themselves out. With no other option, however, he would have to do just exactly that.

"I know a place called Shotgun Petey's," Eagle suggested while maneuvering the truck around a curve in the road. "They've got a great live band there, and a couple of pool tables, too. They serve pretty good grub, as well."

"What about women?" Lucas asked. "Do good looking girls hang out there, or what?"

"Oh, I've seen some pretty nice looking ones. Mostly mid-twenties and above, but who knows, maybe you'll luck out and find a cougar." The wink he gave let Lucas know that he was teasing.

"Sounds like a plan," Lucas said. "You take me there, and I'll pitch in for gas."

"Don't worry about gas, kid. You keep your money, and let me treat you. Tonight's on me."

"Really?"

"Eagle nodded.

"Cool. Thanks, dad."

"No problem," he said with a little smile. "Happy to do it, son."

With a soft press on the accelerator, Eagle maneuvered the vehicle quicker. Continuing along the highway, the Ford pickup drove on, taking them past the open, desolate country and towards the town fifty-eight miles in the distance.