Love, Your Secret Admirer

Chapter 6

As I was getting dressed to go to school I hear a car horn honk down stairs.  I walk to my window, look outside, and see Zach leaning against his black Jeep.  He waves at me with his ring hand.  I wave back and run downstairs.

            “Hi," Zach says as I walk toward him.

            “Uh, hi," I say.

            “Is your car fixed yet?” he asks with his crooked smile.

            “No.  They said that they would have the battery tomorrow.”

            “Well, since you have no ride to school, why don’t you ride with me?” he says, flipping his hair out of his eyes.

            “Um, okay," I say. 

          I run inside, grab my jacket and book bag, and run back outside.  He goes around to the passenger side of his car and holds the door open for me.  I climb in and practice my breathing while Zach runs to the driver’s side and climbs in.  He starts the car and we start heading to school.

            “So," he says breaking the silence, “would you rather have an extra thumb or have an extra eye?”

            “What?” I ask in disbelief.

            “Would you rather have an extra thumb or an extra eye?” he asks again.

            “An extra thumb," I answer, smiling.

            “Why?”

            “Because, then when something is really good I can give it three thumbs up.”

            Zach laughs at my silly explanation.  When we finally get to school I try to get out, but Zach pushes me back in the car, closes the door, and then opens it again.  I just look at him.

            “You didn’t give me a chance to open the door for you," he says extending his hand toward me.  I take it and he helps me out.  We start walking into school.  Zach gets lost in the crowd and I just assume that he goes to his own class.  So I go to my own locker.  Of course when I got to my locker there was a pink daisy with a note attached to it. 

Uh, yes, I am sure that I am not a woman.  I have three sisters so I know women.  But don’t worry.  I.  AM.  NOT.  A.  WOMAN.  And by the way, up close, your eyes aren't just ordinary brown.  Your eyes remind me of the milkiest of chocolate with a ring of gold around the pupil.

Love,

Your Secret Admirer

            I smile, take the flower, and go to my next class.

            “Wow, they are aren’t they?” Larissa says.

            “Okay you guys.  Stop creeping her out," Stephanie intervenes, trying to pull Tiffany and Larissa away from my face.

            When I showed them the card they wanted to see just how "chocolaty" my eyes were.  So Tiffany and Larissa decided the only way to find out was to be two inches away from my face and look into my eyes.  At least it was better than my dance partner in Larissa’s quincetera. 

            When we were fourteen all of us were in Larissa’s quincetera.  My dance partner was one of our friends, Chris.  One day when Larissa’s dad was driving us to their house.  Chris and Stephanie’s dance partner, Jonathan, were being annoying so I turned around and yelled at them to be quiet.