He Smiled.

            Carmen was sitting in her English class and furiously scribbling notes in her perfectly organized notebook when she felt something land on her desk. It was a note.

            It wasn’t just any note. It was a note from James, the bad boy who sat beside her.

            Carmen had talked with James, and she had helped him with his assignments a few times, but they weren’t friends. In fact, they were total opposites.

            Not wanting to miss her notes, Carmen quickly shoved the note into the pocket of her cashmere sweater.

            James cleared his throat loudly. Carmen took the hint and unfolded it with shaky hands.

            Carmen wasn’t a knockout. She was just a plain girl who cared more about her grades than guys. She’d never been with a guy. She didn’t even have any friends.

            She was a loser, with no one to talk to but herself.

            Steadying her hands, Carmen waited until her teacher turned around to the board and started reading the note.

            Carmen:

            Meet me in the biology room after class. – James.

            Carmen bit her lip. What should she do? Meet James and skip her next class, or ignore him and go to class?

            She was tempted to meet him.

            Carmen picked up her pencil, scribbled back a reply, and then watched James read it.

            He smiled.