My Nonexistent Love Life

I Don't Want To Be Appropriate

"Ana!" I hear a male voice call.

The school day goes by with a breeze, and I am honestly excited to hang out with Blake. In math class, we agreed to meet at the front doors on the school building. I stand here waiting awkwardly as people walk by me.

I whip my head around to see Blake running toward me. Whispers erupted around and I felt all eyes on me. I turn my head down toward the ground.

I feel Blake's body present next to mine and I quickly walk ahead of him, embarrassed. I hate people looking at me more than necessary.

"Ana, wait. Don't run away from me," Blake jogs up next to me and more people stare. "Would they quit staring?" Blake grunted loud enough for everyone to hear. He runs a hand through his silky touchable looking hair, "Ignore them."

"Y-yeah."

"My car is this way," Blake pulls my arm to head off to his car. Once inside the car, we head off. The ride to his house is short and uncomfortable. I don't know if he felt the same awkwardness as I did.

We pull up to a moderately sized house in a residential neighborhood. It's perched on a small hill with no cars in the driveway. I notice an old crickity swing set and smile; it's probably Annabel's.

Once walking into the house, it feels relatively small. Blake leads me to the small but cozy living room and gestures for me to sit down. I sit and put my school bag at my feet.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. You can take out your math shit or the homework," Blake smiles and walks out the front door that we just came in.

Weird.

Did I do something? I internally freak out. I didn't freak him out, did I? Questions swam my head. I pull out my math binder and place it on the old, scratched, wooden coffee table in front of me. There isn't exactly a theme to the house, but it is homey. I see a picture frame next to the loveseat I sit in and pick it up.

In a metal frame I see a young boy smiling with an older boy, with a small baby. The younger boy looks about eight years old and the older boy looks about sixteen. The older boy holds the younger boy's hand in a brotherly way, and I smile. In a way, the older boy looks like Blake, but not enough to be him.

Who is that?

I hear the front door open and I quickly place the frame down. I see Blake staring at me, holding Annabel's hand with her backpack on.

"Ana?" Annabel smiles wide and runs over to me. I open my arms wide to greet her with a hug.

"Oh hi sweetie. I missed you!" I laugh as she nuzzles her head into my neck with a giggle.

"I miss you!" She lets go and shakes her hips side to side.

"So dramatic. You just saw her," Blake points out to Annabel. She pouts and looks at him from over her round glasses with flowers on the sides.

Blake genuinely laughs. I have to admit, he's adorable with Annabel.

"So you admit I'm adorable huh?" Blake laughs.

Did I just say that out loud? I blush a deep shade of red. I let my hair cover my face, mortified.

"Ha-ha. Funny," I mumble.

I grab my math binder off of the coffee table and place it on my lap.

"Ready?" I try to change the subject.

"Yup," Blake sits next to me, close enough for me to feel his body heat. I blush harder.

"S-so radicals aren't that bad. For starters, do a factor tree than find its 'date'. If it doesn't have one it stays home, in the radical," I explain. We talk about radicals, and after a half hour, Blake gets frustrated.