Cupid's silver arrow (GirlxNB)

Thirteen

Olivia walks up to me as I take my English book from my locker, a shine in her eyes and an easy smile on her lips.

"Heeello Archer," she says and I can't help but give her my half-smile, "where do you have lunch? I never see you in the cafeteria."

"Benji likes that pasta restaurant behind the gym way too much," I say, closing my locker and falling into step beside her. "And it's nice to sit under the trees outside, so we only eat in school sometimes."

She hums, "I've never eaten there."

I raise an eyebrow. Basically every kid here has eaten there at least once, "really?"

"Yeah, I usually bring food from home. Is it good?"

"It's pretty good," I say, almost tasting the warm pasta and the delicious seasoning in the sauce. "You can come with us if you want to, you'll love it."

Olivia nods as we turn in Ms. Abrams corridor, and she smiles at us, blond hair shining and a caramel coat on.

"Good afternoon, Archer. Olivia. How're you?"

"We're well," Olivia says, and I nod beside her. Ms. Abrams eyes are glinting in a mysterious way, like she knows something.

We walk inside, an itch inside me that feels weird after Ms. Abrams eyes. I sit at my seat in the back, and Olivia spares me a smile before the other kids start to talk to her.

Ms. Abrams starts her class, forever a smiling ball of teacher excitement. But today is writing day, and I hate it, because I never know what I should write about. I don't want her to be able to see anything about me through it, but I feel like she does, despite my efforts.

So I sit there, holding my pencil and pretending I'm writing shit when in reality I am just thinking about Blindspot.

But I swear Ms. Abrams has some spider sense, because she comes to my desk, getting a chair and sitting beside me.

"What are you writing about?" She asks quietly, under the soft chatter so as not to disturb the others.

I shrug. I am not writing and she knows it and that makes me a little embarrassed.

"Well, what inspires you?" She pushes, searching for my eyes, "it doesn't have to be anything serious, you know. I just want to see you guys write. You can write about how you love chocolate cake and you're always waiting for the next time you get to eat it, for all I care," she says with a tiny smile and I can't help my little chuckle. "Doesn't have to be serious now, Archer. Just write something for me."

And with that she stands and walks away, stopping by other student's desks and talking to them.

I still don't know what I should write about, but I make myself hold my pen and stare down at the paper in front of me.

"Just write something for me."

I sigh, looking around and seeing a lot of kids writing, some chatting with their friends and Ms. Abrams still walking to talk to the others. I think about her cake, smiling a little as I write a little story about a gardener caring for her flowers. I feel the spark of inspiration and so I start to fill out the page, until the bell rings and Ms. Abrams smiles at us from the front.

"That's it for today. Thank you, guys, you can put your sheets on the tray."

And we do, except it's the whole class bunched up in the middle and for the first time I regret sitting in the back corner. I stay behind, waiting for them to leave so I can get to her desk and put my paper in.

"Thanks Archer," she says when the paper hits the top of the stack and I give her a half-smile before walking out.

Only to see Olivia waiting for me, rubbing her hands together in the cold hallway.