Loving Adam

Chapter 1

Sometimes I wonder if I can just fast forward high school.

Sometimes I wonder, will my life get easier by the time I've become one of those women who I see in the malls, wearing structured blazers and high heels, looking like they have all figured out.

Sometimes I wonder, by the time I've become of those women, will I still have the stupidity of falling in love with a boy like Adam Marx.

Adam is one of those boys you'd hate to love. He is too handsome, too rich, and too good in sports. He's got one of those hairstyles that always look perfect in all situations, and the more he looks all sweaty and tired after a football game, the more you want to run across the field and kiss him.

But of course all of these would not have been possible without the fact that he is way out of my league. Way out of my league. 

I, Paris Hart, am one of those girls you'd love to hate. Instead of joining the cheerleading team, I lead the debate team. Instead of wearing the latest designer brands, I wear anything I can find in my mom's closet. And instead of spending an afternoon hanging out in the malls doing absolutely nothing but hanging out in the malls, I use my spare time to give tutorial sessions so I can help my parents save up for my college tuition.

This is why I wonder, of all boys in the school, why do I have to develop this crush on Adam? I have never even talked to him (except that one time I accidentally took the wrong sandwich in the cafeteria, where he says 'Hey, I think that's mine? I didn't order bacon.'). 

Then why, dear universe, I chose to admire someone whom the other hundred of girls in this school are already admiring? Why can't my heart choose different guy?

Why can't my heart choose different guy?

Tell me.

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Everything begins to slowly reveal its answers in the middle of our senior year, when Mrs. Chen stops me in the hallway and asks if I can come to her office after class. When I get there, I see Adam sits on the bench by the door with headphones covering his ears.

He looks up when he sees me walking in, but he quickly looks down again.

Of course, I said to myself. Why would he look at me any longer than one second.

I decided to knock on Mrs. Chen's door. 

Adam looks up again. This time he opens his mouth and says, "She's still in a meeting."

"Oh," I say and Adam looks down again. 

I scan around the room. The bench where Adam sits is the only bench available. I should sit there. But my legs can't move.

Oh my god, Adam is so handsome.

He's wearing plain white t-shirt, blue denim, grey v-neck sweaters, and a pair of brand white Converse. His hair, that perfect hair, somehow glows upon the reflection of the sun coming through the window.

You are going nuts, I tell myself.

"Aren't you gonna sit?" he asks, looking right at me.

I blink back to reality. Huh?

"There's space beside me, you know," he says before he looks down again.

My legs can't move. Goddamit why can't my legs move? This is probably the only chance I have to sit next to Adam Marx, and my legs refuse to cooperate.

To my salvation, the door swings opened. Mrs. Chen steps out with two men in black suits.

"Will you both wait in my office while I see these gentlemen out?" Mrs. Chen says.

Both? Me and Adam together?

"Sure," Adam answers. He walks passed me and steps into the office.

I follow quietly. Adam takes the chair on the left, so I take the one on the right.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" he asks me.

Huh? My throat is locked.

He looks at me weirdly. "Do you talk at all?"

The door behind us swings opened and Mrs. Chen steps in. "Alright! Thank you both for coming," she walks around the table before sitting on her chair. "I assume you know each other?"

I still can't move any part of my body. Adam shakes his head.

"You've got to be serious, Mr. Marx! How can you not know Miss Hart? She is the leader of our debate team and she has won us three national trophies. One of the brightest ladies in this school, if not in this country, and I'm sure it is only a matter of days before she receives her acceptance letter from Harvard."

Adam looks at me, seemingly unimpressed. "Congrats," he says before looking away.

"And Miss Hart, this is Adam Marx. He is the captain of our football team, and even though he still has work to do with his grades, we're very proud of him because he is an excellent captain and thanks to him, we won championship last year."

I look at him. This time my mouth finally opens and I say, "Congratulations."

"The reason why I call you here is because our school has been chosen to represent the State in this year's annual education summit. The chosen school must send two students, one girl and one boy, to give a speech on an assigned topic. I am happy to inform that you both are chosen to represent the school."

What?

"Is this mandatory?" Adam asks, "I mean, I've got soccer practice and..."

"Oh sure, you can decline, Mr. Marx. But let me tell you what you'll be missing out on. The students who do this are usually given extra consideration when they apply to the university they want. I will also award each person extra scores at the end of the semester, which I am sure you can definitely use...." she looks at Adam with full expression of victory, "And, after the summit, the students get to have dinner with the President."

"No!" I shriek loudly, which sends Adam jumping on his chair out of surprise.

"Oh yes Miss Hart, the President himself," she smiles. "This is truly an honour, I tell you. You must take it."

"All we do is to give a speech?" asks Adam.

"Yes. A five to ten minutes speech and that's it. And did I mention that this whole thing is in New York? You will be flown in first class and stay at a very nice hotel. All paid for."

That moment, Adam and I looked at each other and that was officially the first time he looked at me for more than one second. 

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