Strangely Normal

Chapter 3

 I'm walking with my head down looking through my binder when someone runs into me causing my papers to go flying across the floor. I start collecting my papers and I see out of the corner of my eye that someone is also picking my papers up. I reach to get my last paper at the same time the other person does and they end up grabbing my hand, eectricity running up my arm making me shiver. I look up to apologize for running into them and I'm met with a pair of the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.

 His eyes are such a vivid blue that they look fake. His dirty-blonde eyebrows are raised in surprise and are almost hidden behind his shaggy blonde hair. He looks like he is trying to say something to me like I'm trying to say something to him. I pull my hand back, cutting off the charge running through my skin, and stick my papers back in my binder. I stand up and look back at the boy. I'm surprised by the fact that he is taller than me by half a foot and I'm one of the tallest people in the school. I look at my papers that he's handing back to me and then look back at him as I reach out to take the papers.

 "Um... Sorry about that. I should have been paying better attention," says the boy.

 "No, no it was my fault, but thank you for helping me with my papers," I say trying to avoid staring at him.

 "I'm Josh. Joshua Marino."

 I smile and respond, "Marina Martinez. You're new here huh? I've never seen you before."

 He chuckles. "Is it that obvious?"

 "No it's not," I shake my head. "It's just that most of us here have known each other for a year or more. We've never had mid-year transfers."

 Josh smiles shyly while rubbing the back of his neck, "Guess I'm the first then."

 "Yes, you are." I smile at him again, "What class do you have first? I can tell you where to go."

 His schedule appears in his hand facing me. It takes me a second to focus on it because I was sure his hands were empty.

 "Look at that, we have the same schedule! I'm surprised anyone else signed up for AP stats. No one here takes it except to get the scholarship at the local community college." I look up at him and see he's grinning.

 "Great! Could you be my personal tour guide around the school? I don't know where any of my classes are." He looks away embarrassedly.

 "Absolutely, and I'll be your escort to lunch today. I'm going to show you where all of the good places are to eat."

 I hear a group of people about to come around the corner and recognize the voices of the cheer squad, the biggest gossips on campus.

 "Come on let's get out of here." I reach for his hand and pull him around a corner. Once we get around the corner and walk towards our class I open my hand but his remains clasped around mine for a second too long. I pull my hand away and reach for my phone to check the time.

 "You're going to have one heck of a time trying to catch up in Stats and Chem. Let's go talk to Mrs. Palentaude and see if she'll let you out of the test today."