Coraline and Wybie

    Coraline Jones sat on the crumbling stone wall that outlined the Pink Palace apartments, the cool November breeze brushing through her electric-blue hair.
    She had a pen and notepad in her hands, which she was supposed to be writing nature sounds on for science class. But she couldn't focus. Those nightmares had been taunting for for the past week.
    The same one always occurred with the same face. The Other Mother's face. She dreamed that she was trapped in the Other World and this time she couldn't get out. The gleam of a pin as it drawed nearer towards Coraline's eyes made her jump awake, but when she went back to sleep, it started up again.
   "I'm being silly. I won't ever go back there again," Coraline vowed quietly.
   "Go back where?" a voice said behind her.
    Coraline jumped, the pen flying out of her hand. There was muffled laughter from behind the girl, and she turned to find Wybourne Lovat (Wybie to her), her best guy friend.
    "Wybie!" she scolded, a faint smile etched across her lips. Coraline and Wybie had hit their teens. No longer were they eleven-year old slug-hunters, or any more childish play.
    "Yes, Jonesy?" Wybie egged her on in an innocent tone.
     Coraline couldn't help but to grin. "Alright, alright! Enough." She sat back down and retrieved her pen. "I need to be writing down nature sounds, Wybie. I can't talk right now."
    Wybie plopped down next to her. "I can help," he offered. "Grandma kicked me out, saying, 'A growing boy like you, Wybourne, needs some fresh air!'" He imitated his grandmother's high-pitched voice.
   Coraline giggled and put a palm to her mouth. She blushed. When had she ever acted so...girly around Wybie?
   Wybie pretended not to notice Coraline's outburst. "So, can I?" he asked.
   Coraline rolled her eyes and nodded. "I guess it wouldn't do any harm..."
   "Harm?" Wybie pursed his lips in a fake-pout. "I solemnly swear no harm will come to those nature sounds."
    Coraline smiled again, then remembered her mission. "Come on, Wybie. I need this done."
    Wybie wiped his childish grin off his face and turned serious. "Right."
    As they were both silent, straining to hear a peep of nature, Coraline thought of how Wybie had changed over the years. He had lost his bad posture and shot upward. He had a lean body, unlike the football jocks who apparently looked like they were on steroids.
    His brown curly hair was still there, but his face lost some of the roundness. His jaw became more squarer. But he was still the Wybie Coraline knew.

   Wybie tilted his head up to the gray sky, which looked destined for rain. He glanced at Coraline, and a feeling of fuzzy warmness seeped into his heart. He quickly looked down, biting his lip.
    Coraline had changed as much as Wybie had...but in...different ways. She had gotten fuller....with a more...considerable chest. But she still had her fiery personality that Wybie loved. He still got tingles whenever she touched his hand or said his name.
    "So, hear any nature sounds?" Coraline's question snapped him back to reality. His cheeks turned rosy. He hadn't really been listening. Just thinking.
   "Um...uh...the birds weren't making any sounds," Wybie said lamely.
   "Yeah, I noticed that too. What does that mean?" Coraline replied, her tone thoughtful.
   Wybie mentally breathed a sigh of relief.
   "You know, Wybie, birds not singing could mean anything." Coraline faced her friend. Her cheeks were turning a bright crimson, and she hoped he was catching on.
    "Oh, yeah. Doesn't that means it's gonna rain?" Wybie asked.
    "Well...it could," Coraline told him, feeling slightly disappointed at his lack of knowledge. "But I was actually thinking something else..."
   "What's that?" Wybie had an inkling of what was going on here, but he couldn't quite figure it out.
   Coraline took a deep breath. It was now or never. She closed the space that was in between them and pressed her lips to Wybie's.