Sarah found herself spacing out during briefing. She lingered in her usual spot near the right side of the library, hidden in amongst the Brontes, Linwood Barclays and Malorie Blackmans. Here, she could observe without being overlooked. Occasionally, she found her eyes drifting over to where Nelson stood near the back. His entire stance was nervous; his back rigid, his hands folded into each other, and his head was bowed slightly, exposing part of a handsome neck before it disappeared into his immaculate collar.
He must have a girlfriend," Sarah thought, and winced at the sting that the words produced even when thought. There is no way he could be that well-groomed without female influence. As though Nelson had felt the weight of her gaze, he raised his head, and glanced over at her with his piercing eyes. Sarah looked to the left, pretending to stare instead at a rack of college prospectuses next to the careers advice office. In her peripheral vision, she saw him smile discreetly, and return his attention to Oscar Peake, the headteacher, who was speaking about student badminton scores.
Stop, Sarah, she told herself sternly. He's never going to be interested in you, and even if he was, if it goes wrong, your career will be in jeopardy, and you will be hot gossip for the entire school. You cannot afford to mess up. The new year has only just begun. He's just another guy.
Her mind made up, Sarah joined the rest of the staff filing out of the library to registration, and found herself in a bottleneck. In a jolt, she realised that she was pressed alongside Nelson. In such close proximity to the man she had been shamelessly analysing for the past ten minutes, Sarah felt heat crawling up her neck. Their arms were pressed together, and Sarah smelt the aftershave he wore; a sweet, masculine undertone that had her head spinning.
Practically running for the staffroom, and watching Nelson smile satisfactorally in the reflection of a window, Sarah surpressed a giddy smile.
Oh, yes, she was falling for Nelson, and it wasn't even nine o'clock.
She had never felt so out of control.
YOU ARE READING
Before the Kiss (Short Prequel to 'One Kiss')
Teen FictionSHORT PREQUEL TO 'ONE KISS'. Sarah has been alone for as long as she can remember. Unlucky in love, and impatient with the slow-moving life she lives, she throws herself into her job; teaching students day after day. That is, until a handsome stran...
