The Word Love

XXV

"Remember when I suggested that we should be friends?" Douglas asked.

How could I not?

"Yeah," I replied instead.

His fingers were twiddling with my hair and my head was on his lap, which was stretched out in front of him. He looked down at me, his eyes showing an emotion I didn't recognize.

"I take it back," his fingers went from hair to my face. His thumb brushed my cheek softly, "I'm in love with you, Aimee, and I want us to be more than friends."

"Am I boring you, Aimee?" Mr. Gerrick's voice snapped me out of my day dream.

I looked up from the Forensic Science textbook, "No, Mr. Gerrick."

"Then I assume that you have been listening to what I've been saying?" he asked.

I nodded, which was a mistake.

"Good. Then I'm sure you won't have a problem telling me what altor mortis is," he challenged.

Everybody in the class was staring at me, some snickering, some giving me a look of sympathy. None of them were helping me.

Mr. Gerrick took my silence as the answer.

"Altor mortis, Ms. Evans, is the stiffening of the body after death," he informed me, "You had two weeks to day dream. Now it's time to focus back on school, and pay attention to my lessons."

"Yes, Mr. Gerrick," I replied quietly and he nodded with a satisfied look.

He went back to teaching the class, and this time I listened.

Rose was waiting outside the class waiting for me when it was time to leave. An excited and nervous expression was on her face when she saw me.

"How was your first day back?" she asked.

"Same old, same old," I shrugged.

Well, except for that day dream I had of Douglas confessing his love for me.

"I'm about to tell you something, which might or might not make you want to rip my head off," she chuckled nervously as we arrived at my locker. I stuffed my stuff into the locker and closed it.

"What did you do?" I immediately asked and gave her a look.

She took a step back, "I signed you and Douglas up to sing together for the talent show."

My eyes bulged out of my sockets and I took a step forward as she took one back, "You what?"

"I thought it was a great idea and I still think it is," she defended.

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, "Why would you do that? I can't sing."

"That's not what Douglas said."

My eyes snapped open, "What?"

She smirked, "He said you have a beautiful voice. He heard it the other day when you were singing while washing the dishes."

I could feel my cheeks heating up, and her eyes widened.

"Oh my god, are you blushing?" she teased.

"No," I declined and shot her a glare, "It's hot."

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"I'm not going to show up," I told her and walked away from my locker.

"It's a bit too late for that," she said and I stopped. She continued, "Douglas is expecting you to be there tomorrow. I already told him and he was more than ecstatic."

"I hate you," I gritted through my teeth.

She grinned, "I love you too."

She walked away and I sighed. Great. Fan-freaking-tastic.

"Did she say anything about me?" Eric popped up out of nowhere, scaring the day lights out of me.

I glared at him, "No she didn't."

I walked away from him, but he followed me.

"I was thinking about asking her out on a date," he told me.

"And you're afraid that she's going to reject you," I finished the other half. He stayed quiet, which confirmed my suspicion, "Well, she likes you so you c-"

"She likes me?" he interrupted.

His eyes were filled with hope.

"Yeah," I nodded.

A smile spread across his face, "I have to go do something."

He nearly ran someone over as he raced down the hall. I shook my head and walked out of the school. Already, from the distance, I could see Douglas talking with Sarah. He said something and she laughed. Then her hands snaked up to his chest and he leaned down to kiss her. I looked away.