Mr.Popular

Chapter 2; The Project

~at 5:20pm~
As I get ready for him to come over I notice I am a little too excited.

I know I shouldn't make myself look nice for a boy coming over for a project, but if not now, when?

I do light mascara and put on a sports bra and shorts.

I had decided I wanted to seem chill but hot yk.

I looked at my self in the mirror questioning if this was too bold, if I should put on a shirt and sweat pants or change something.

Snapped from my train of thought I heard a knock on the front door.

I heard my mom open the door, I could hear the shock in her voice when she said "oh! Hi Matteo! What are you doing here?". I realized I forgot to tell her he was coming for the project as I whispered "shit".

Although it was muffled I still heard his deep raspy chuckle. It made the hairs on my arms stand up, it was so attractive. "Kenna and I have a project" anxiety and butterflies filled me at the sound of the nickname he gave me when we were little. He was the only one that called me Kenna, but he hadn't called me that since we were little. I didn't realize how much I missed that nickname

I heard Sophia's little voice yell "Teo Teo Teo!!!" As I set up the project I thought about the time someone other then Sophia called him Teo. It was clear he loved the nickname, but only from her. It was adorable.

I heard him talking to her but wasn't sure what they were talking about since it was to muffled.

I questioned if I should go downstairs and meet them or just finish setting up the project. I decided to just finish then head down and pretend I hadn't heard him.

Then just as I finished setting the things up for the project I heard my mom tell him I was in my room and he could head upstairs.

After a minute, he came in. I was standing at my desk just grabbing some pencils and pens for writing.

I turned around and saw him staring at me, I suddenly felt really self conscious and pulled my hands around my stomach trying to hide it.

"Hey Matteo. You ready to get started?" I said trying to seem cheerful and looking around for a sweatshirt in a panic.

"Um ya. I guess so" he said looking around room probably trying to avoid looking at my hideous body.

I tried not to let insecurities control me but sometimes I couldn't help it. As we sat down I contemplated going to my closet and grabbing a hoodie. But I decided not to incase he thought I was weird or something. I know it's just grabbing a hoodie but my anxiety made me over think everything. I know I should work on not over thinking but it's hard to control.

"Um so, the assignment is to create a magazine cover for the Renaissance and then write a 3 page letter about it" I said looking down and at my hands picking the skin around them "how should we approach it? Do you want to split it in half? Tackle it together? Any ideas?"

After an awkward pause he said "I guess we just tackle it together and depending on how that goes we can always split it"

I grabbed the text book and said "ok, so we should start by reading the chapter on Renaissance so that way we know what it's about, I can read it out loud if you would like"

He moved over to sit right next to me and took the text book from my hands holding it so I could read it but not hold it, while chuckling he stated "you can read, but if your reading then I'm holding it so I can see it to."

I looked at him, laugh and started to read the chapter.

After reading 5 or so pages I grabbed my water bottle and looked over at him while taking a sip. The second I looked at him we made eye contact and both immediately turned away.

"Um.. so.. how are you? I rarely get to see you and when ever I do I can never talk to you. I... I guess I miss you" he muttered clearly embarrassed and avoiding eye contact.

I smiled while looking at him, not being able to control the deep blush spreading across my face or the butterflies that had just worked in my stomach. I paused for a second, swallowed the water in my mouth and quietly said "I'm ok I guess, just really have missed you being there. Sometimes I wish we could just be 8 forever. That was the best! Also, you can always come and talk to me!"

His face lit up as he said "8 was amazing. No homework, no responsibilities, just you and me running through the neighborhood playing tag,  hide and seek, man hunt or whatever else we used to do!"

"Well sadly we aren't 8 anymore. And now you hate me. Well the whole school hates me, or have no clue who I am." I said in a whisper

I looked up, he looked shocked. He looked at me, grabbed my hand and said "first, stop picking your fingers. Your going to hurt yourself. Second, why would I hate you? I don't hate you at all! Also, trust me when I say everyone notices you."

I stared at him in disbelief "no. People don't even know my name, how would they notice me? I'm just the weird shy kid who doesn't talk to anyone"

He squeezed my hand a little and said "trust me, your not the weird shy kid. I mean your right about the not talking to people but god the things I hear. They anger me so much." At the last sentence his grip on my hand tightened

"Um... hey not so tight please" I said trying to loosen his grip on my hands.

He immediately let go and what looked shock at himself said "I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you?"

"No, you didn't hurt me at all!" I said while turning my body so my back was against the wall and placed my legs over his lap.

He grabbed the text book and held it so I could read it while his one hand was on my knee/thigh.

He stared at me the whole time I read, I was worried he was judging me but tried to pretend I didn't see him watching me and continued to read.