A Flame Inside Me

Chapter 2

 I sit down next to Maggie at lunch, who has already started talking to Chloe for her project. When she notices me she pats my head, messing up my previously somewhat-neat hair. Reluctantly, I leave it be.

"I invited Zach to our table."

"You what?" I say, already opening my book as I chew on my carrot sticks.

"I invited Zach to our table."

"Yeah I heard that by why?"

"Well, he usually sits alone so I thought it would be nice. Plus you can start on your project now!"

"When did you decide this?"

"He sits near me in history with Mr. Gourmet. I asked him and he said sure."

I growl, closing my book and shoving it in my backpack. I take out my paper and a pencil, glaring as I notice Zach sit down with a sigh.

Zach looks up at me, a plain expression on his face that I can't quite read.

"Can we just get this over with?"

Zach flips through his packet, "One-fifty. One-hundred-fifty questions to answer about each other. Yay," He says, sighing as he rests his head on his hand.

"Yeah, whatever."

We stare at each other, frowning. Maggie and Chloe continue to answer questions. That sly fox gets her best friend and I get this idiot?

"Favorite show." He states.

"Huh?"

"The assignment?"

"Oh." I stare at him, thinking. He brushes his bangs away and I notice his eyes. Black as the night. Freckles splotch across his face in a cute way and my hand starts to move to graze them. I quickly stop myself, what am I thinking? "Uh- I enjoy Criminal Minds I guess."

"Really? Same. I like the murders and shit. You?"

"Why am I not surprised by that? I guess I like the facts and to watch the investigations." I say.

He laughs, "That's pretty cool too I guess." He scribbles down Criminal Minds as I do the same. "Okay, next. Lowest class grade?"

"Letter or percent?"

"I don't know, is it a big deal?"

"Yes. Okay, A minus with a ninety-one-point-nine-nine." I say, looking to him curiously.

"I think my lowest is an A minus too in art. I can't draw for shit. My percent is like ninety one or something I don't know, why would you memorize that?"

"I don't believe you." I glare at him. Why would he lie, and such an outlandish one too.

He pulls out his phone, showing me his personal grades. Straight A's. "Believe me now?" He says, glaring back.

"Fine. Whatever." I write it down as he does the same. "Question three, favorite song you're embarrassed to like. These are stupid questions."

"Agreed." He laughs, smiling brightly like I've never seen. Whenever I look at him in class he shows a look of boredom. Never smiling, let alone showing his teeth which are a shiny white. He moves a hand to his mouth, hiding his mysterious beauty. Maggie notices our smiles and forms her own, causing me to quickly glare at Zach.

Zach frowns, looking back at his paper. "I like I kissed a girl by Katy Perry," He says, frowning.

"Oh, um - cool. I guess I like Poison by Bell Biv Devoe."

"Retro, nice!" He says, jotting down our words.

We continue to go back and forth, disagreeing sometimes but mostly agreeing somehow. I guess we had more in common than I originally assumed.

Favorite food? Both Japanese. His because he is from Japan and mine for how healthy it is.

Eye color? His, black, mine is red. Both matching our hair color.

When are you happiest? Whenever alone.

Are you a partier? Neither of us like party's, which surprised me since his appearance says the opposite.

"Hey, why don't you come over later tonight to keep working on this? Chloe is coming over with me."

"I don't know."

"No!" I shout way too loud, at exactly the same time.

"Oh pay him no mind! We'd love to have you! Please~"

"Um, fine I guess."

"Yay! Marshall, give him your number! Chop chop, we gotta get to art soon!"

"Wha- No!"

She sends me her signature death glare, causing me to reluctantly write down my number. Then, I rush to art. Walking far in front of the group, despite three of us all going to the same class.