Linger

F I V E

Daniel.

His name was Daniel.

How did that somehow make him even hotter?

"Mad-i-son!" I heard my name called, bringing me back to reality. 

I looked up to see Sasha leaning towards me. "There you are!" 

"Sorry. Kinda spaced out there for a sec." I tucked my hair behind my ear. 

"Well, welcome back." Chelsea smiled.

"Thanks." 

"Here's the algebra notes." She handed me her notebook.

I frowned at the actual problems facing me on paper. "Oh." 

It was the next day and Alice, Chelsea, Sasha and I were in the library, finishing our homework before school started. Although there were plenty of desks available to choose from, we settled ourselves on the floor because . . . I didn't really know actually. It was just more comfortable. 

"You're blushing," Sasha pointed out. 

"Huh?" I looked up at her across from me. 

"You're blushing," she repeated, a smile growing on her face. "Who were you just thinking about?"

Ugh, was it that obvious? "I am?" I lifted my hands on my cheeks. 

"Maybe it's because the heater is on," Alice spoke up. "It's getting kinda stuffy in here." She shrugged off her coat. 

"Guys, our math assignment?" Chelsea held up her notebook, bringing our attention back to our work. 

"Algebra was making you blush?" Alice raised her eyebrows at me. 

"Yeah, something about those numbers . . ." I said with a giggle, turning back to my notebook. "Got me up alll night." 

Chelsea, Alice, and I burst into giggles. 

"Algebra doesn't make you blush." Sasha shook her head. "That's a thing. You were daydreaming about someone." 

Alice gasped, turning to me. "You were?"

"Who?" Chelsea asked. 

I chewed on my lip, guilt twisting my stomach into knots. If they only knew . . . If only I could tell them . . . 

"I know who she's daydreaming about." Sasha sat up in her spot, looking at us with a proud smile. 

"You do?" Alice asked. 

"You do?" I turned to Sasha. 

"Mhm. Tom," she replied with a bright smile. 

I couldn't help but laugh, going back to my work. Suspensions of him were way better than finding out who was actually on my mind.

"Okay." Sasha placed down her pencil, tossing her perfect blonde curls over her shoulders. "Can we talk about you two at lit discussion yesterday?"

A smile grew on Chelsea's face as she looked at me. "What? You and Tom? Really?"

"What about you and Ben?" I turned to Sasha, hoping for a change in subject. 

"Like, he knows I exist." Sasha waved her hand dismissively before turning to Alice and Chelsea. "Tom and Maddie were sharing a book yesterday. It was so cute!" she gushed. "The red lipstick totally worked."

"Aww!" Alice cooed. 

I rolled my eyes. "He didn't bring his own book," I reasoned.

"--Because he wanted to share with you!" Sasha finished.