"Were we ever this close?" I blurted out, the words escaping my lips before I could stop them. Disentangling myself from George's embrace, I hopped off the bike and swiftly removed my helmet, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.
He took the helmet from me with a playful smile, his eyes dancing with mischief. "Why, Annah," he said, his voice dripping with charm, "I believe we've never been closer than we are right now."
"George?!" I called after him as he began to stroll confidently towards the main school building, his easy stride making my heart race even faster. "Georgeeeh?"
I couldn't believe I was chasing after him like this, but something about the way he looked at me, the way he made me feel, compelled me to follow. With each step, the hallway grew more crowded, but I pushed through the throng until I finally caught up to him.
"Hey," I said, slightly out of breath but unable to suppress the grin spreading across my face. "You can't just leave me hanging like that."
George turned to face me, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'm sorry, princess," he said, his voice low and velvety, sending a shiver down my spine. "I just wanted to make sure you were still with me."
"Well, I'm here," I replied, feeling a surge of boldness coursing through me. "And I don't plan on going anywhere."
"We're we ever that close? Why did you do that? Do you know how shocked I was when my mum told me a boy was waiting downstairs for me? Talk more of when I saw you standing there? What on earth were you thinking? You should have called or at least texted, don't you think so? And hell!!!!, do you know the silly thought you just instilled in my mother's head? Do you.........."
Before I could fire off another unanswered question, George took my hands, spinning me around before pinning me to the wall. Our faces were just inches apart, and I could feel his breath mingling with mine. The height difference between us was barely an inch, intensifying the intimacy of the moment. I felt myself tense up, my breath catching in my throat as George leaned closer.
"If I had informed you, I'm very sure I'd have missed that early morning strip show," George quipped, his voice laced with humor, though his eyes betrayed a hint of something deeper. "Least I forget, you're so stunning today. It's an honor being the first guy to approach you since this whole turnaround. You had me breathless, Annah."
I was speechless, caught off guard by his unexpected confession. I tried to maintain my composure, to brush off his compliments as if they were nothing, but the truth was, his words stirred something within me. My feelings were wavering, uncertain, as I wrestled with the lingering emotions I still held for Ren.
But before I could gather my thoughts, George had already melted into the crowd of students, leaving me standing there, feeling adrift and bewildered. I dragged myself to my locker, trying to shake off the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me as I prepared for the first class of the day.
I was more shocked than my teachers and classmates when I was told to introduce myself. Mr. Ramsey actually asked the class if no one had tried contacting me to inquire about my absence. Silence filled the room, and I found myself rising to my feet, unsure of what to expect.
"Anna? You've got to be kidding me," Mr. Ramsey exclaimed, his surprise evident in his tone. The class erupted into a cacophony of whispers and murmurs as my sudden appearance change caught everyone off guard.
I scanned the room, feeling a sense of unease settle over me as I locked eyes with Grace at the far end of the middle row. Her intense stare bore into me, and if stares could ignite flames, my face would surely be engulfed in fire.
I immediately looked away, my heart pounding with a mixture of nerves and excitement as I caught Ren staring at me. His intense gaze made me feel like the center of the universe, and a sense of accomplishment washed over me. But before I could dwell on it, George sent a reassuring smile my way, grounding me in the present moment.
"Silence!" Mr. Ramsey's voice cut through the murmurs, commanding attention back to the front of the class. The hall fell into a pin-drop silence, every eye fixed on our homeroom teacher behind the board.
"We'll just have to adapt to this new version of Anna," Mr. Ramsey announced, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before continuing. "Meet me after classes today."
A knot formed in my stomach at his words, curiosity mingling with apprehension as I wondered what he wanted to discuss. My mind raced with possibilities, but I pushed the thoughts aside as Mr. Ramsey continued speaking.
"Your midterm is coming up next week," he reminded us, breaking the tension in the air. "Our annual school trip won't take place this year. We want you all to have your own kind of fun."
The announcement sparked a mixed reaction in the class, with some students expressing excitement and others disappointment. But Mr. Ramsey quickly restored order with a firm command.
"Silence!" he shouted, and the room quieted once again, all eyes trained on him.
"There will be lots of projects, so you all will be paired in groups," he explained. "Make sure you thumbprint here before leaving. Failure to do so, and you won't have a partner. This isn't just our daily attendance thumbprint; this is for all your subject's project groupings."
As soon as Mr. Ramsey finished speaking, the hall erupted into chaos as students rushed to get their thumbprints registered, eager to secure their partners for the upcoming projects. Amidst the commotion, I couldn't shake the feeling that this school year was about to take an unexpected turn, and I couldn't wait to see where it would lead.
Most of the teachers in the staff quarters complimented my new look as Mr. Ramsey enthusiastically introduced me, as if it were my first time there. The warmth of their words added to the sense of renewal I felt in stepping into this familiar yet altered environment.
A beep from my phone interrupted the moment, and I quickly retrieved it from the pocket of my skirt. It was a message from George:
"𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚. 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆."
"Oh," I muttered to myself, realizing I had completely forgotten who had driven me to school that day. With a mix of relief and gratitude, I dialed George's number, my fingers tapping anxiously on the screen until he finally answered on the third ring.
"George!" I exclaimed, hoping to persuade him into coming to take me home. I was notorious for leaving school as soon as the final bell rang, while George was known to linger for hours after dismissal.
"Lee-Anna?" came the uncertain voice on the other end. I had to double-check my phone screen to ensure I hadn't dialed the wrong number, but there it was—George's name clear as day.
"Can I speak to George?" I asked, retrieving my bag from the locker and shutting the little door with a soft click.
"George is on the field, playing a game," the voice replied.
"I'll be there right away," I said, about to hang up when I was caught off guard by a ridiculous question from the other end.
"Are you and George dating?" the voice inquired, and I quickly ended the call, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping into my cheeks as I made my way to the school's football field.
