Charlie Whitmen loves sports, junk food, video games, cars and basically anything-if not everything-your average teenaged boy would find interesting. But wait a second, Charlie isn't even a boy! Oh no, she's actually a girl!
Bet you didn't see that...
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Playing it Cool, Calm & Collected
The bell resonates through the halls. Immediately, Ethan jumps to his feet at the shrill tone and abandons his homeroom in a hurry. The girls in his class pout at his abrupt disappearance. Normally the boy offers to walk them to their first period, but today it seems like he does not intend on doing that. He weaves through the other students, who keep on getting in his way, rushing towards Mr Gherardi's class as fast as he can.
In less than three minutes, Ethan arrives at the designated classroom, slightly panting. Before he enters, he attempts to level his staggered breathing. His heart rate drops and he inhales deeply.
Calmly, and ever so smoothly, he saunters in. Charlie is already settled in her desk at the front of the room, the seat beside her is still empty. His eyes automatically light up and gloss over in glee. At what he deems an appropriate pace, he approaches her and successfully claims the spot. His neighbor doesn't seem to notice his presence and this causes him to chuckle silently.
She's too engrossed with that holy calculus textbook of hers. Ethan finds the blazing passion she harbors for the subject to be hilariously adorable. Who would have thought that the tough and oh-so brusque Charlie Whitmen would be a total math geek? She never ceases to amaze him and it's only been a month since they have been graced with each other's presence.
"Hey." He pokes her but she swats his hand away, her focus still on the problems printed on the pages before her. More people begin to file in and Ethan pulls away. He doesn't want to draw attention to either one of them. Mariana halts at his desk and a deep frown is carved into her face. "Yes?" he questions, realizing she isn't going to go anywhere.
"Why are you sitting up here?" She proceeds to jut out her bottom lip and sway her shoulders side to side. This is her attempt to look cute.
"I need to start paying attention in class," Ethan answers casually. It would have been awfully sad if he had messed up, considering he had practiced reciting that lie a thousand times in front of the mirror last night. "You're too much of a distraction for me, doll-face."
Mariana is severely flattered by his comment and runs tiny circles against his chest with her index finger. She sends him a wink and shamelessly licks her lips. Neither one of those things has an effect on him whatsoever. Luckily for Ethan she doesn't pursue him any longer.
When she goes to her seat, Ethan turns to steal a glimpse of Charlie and is stunned to find her gaze fixated on him first. She has a quirked a brow and a smug smile. She's clearly amused. She must have heard his compliment to Mariana. He rolls his eyes, yet there's a faint smile on his own mouth.
Class begins and their teacher returns the dittos they worked on, along with their quizzes, to them. As expected, Charlie aced both of them. Ethan peeks over and coughs out a muffled, "Nerd." She glares at him and demands the boy reveal his marks by glancing down at his hands. He silently denies with a firm shake of his head. Then, he folds the papers in half and stuffs them into his backpack, not giving her a chance to snatch them from him.
