The Introvert and the Football Player

Chapter Seven

The next day, Taylor High was buzzing with the news of Bo  talking to a random junior last night. "I heard she came onto him because she wanted to be popular." A senior girl said. "I heard he rescued her from a robber!" Another said.
Walking through the crowd Valerie asked Nova if she knew who the girl was. "Yeah it was me." Nova told her friend. She couldn't see the big deal about Bo Smith. Nova remembered when he was a scrawny sophomore which wasn't as impressive as all these girls made it seem. Valerie looked at Nova like she had said she wanted to shave her hair and drop out of high school. "Is that so unbelievable?" Nova snapped. "Not at all. I just know how you've been lately with Robert and Andre. Not to mention the fact that Jerome is still around" Valerie said. At the mention of Jerome, Nova visibly tensed. Jerome Barnes had changed Nova and not in a good way. They had been going back and forth since eighth grade. He was the main reason why she didn't trust anyone anymore. "Easy there tiger I was just saying" Valerie said "But I'd like to know what happened with Mr. Smith." Nova groaned at Valerie's response. First block was bad enough without talking about Bo, and she could already hear Ricky and Monty's endless questions.

The night before:
Bo's POV
As Bo pulled out, he noticed Nova Sparks sitting on one of the benches out front. He'd seen her around since his sophomore year but they'd never spoken. He's heard about her from Danni and Valerie, but never anything from Nova herself. Seeing the opportunity, Bo stopped halfway out of the driveway. Nova hadn't even looked over to his car. Her blue eyes looked like they were a million miles away. As he began walking to her, regret began to set in. She hadn't seen him and he could still turn around. But he wanted to get to know her. He had since he was a sophomore.
He wasn't a creep by any means. He just paid attention to the ones he knew and often enough Nova was somehow connected. She seemed cool enough but she never spoke to him. This year at least she smiled at him and waved which was progress in Bo's eyes. He was almost at her bench when she noticed him.  Her blue eyes locked onto him with an unmistakable sense of fear. The look alone stopped him in his tracks. "I didn't mean to scare you" he called out. Nova just looked at him. "Why are you out here? Isn't it a bit late?" Bo tried again. Nova kept looking at Bo like he had two heads. "Do you talk or what?" He asked. Nova then pulled out one of her headphones and said "I speak. I just couldn't hear you." Bo just looked at her as if he was copying what she did earlier. "Um I have to go. Coach Johnny will kill me if I'm late." She blurted out running to the door. Rushing after her, Bo barely saw her run right into the glass door. "Ow. Shit." Nova said stumbling backwards. He was stunned that she'd actually cuss and tried to recover by opening the door for her. "Let me get that for you" Bo said with a smirk. "Thank you" she whispered before running to the trailer. Bo watched her go as he replayed what just happened in his mind. Nova Sparks wasn't who he assumed she was, and he was certain he was going to learn more about the mystery that was Nova Sparks this year.