Undercover: A Romance

Chapter Four

As I said, I didn't pay attention in Trigonometry. I only paid attention long enough to check him out and memorize his voice. He was a tall man. He looked like he would be the basketball coach which he confirmed in his about me speech. He had thinning black hair and piercing blue eyes. He looked to be about in his fifties, but he didn't look bad for his age. After he told us he didn't take any crap I zoned out. I didn't know why Mr. Matthews kept staring at me last period. I don't know why I feel so giddy near him. I mean yeah he's cute but I don't normally feel like that around cute guys. I guess it's a crush. 

When I was fifteen my mother, Lidia Ann Smith, explained to me that one day I would have to find a husband for myself. Of course I had been trained and taught everything else under the sun but how to fall in love and handle boys. Mom had told me that falling in love wasn't something you could be taught, it just happened. But she did tell me that when I found the one I was meant to be with that he would make me feel like I've never felt before. Apparently "love" is magical.

I sighed. Why am I thinking about this. It's to early in my life for this. Plus, I don't love that man. But from what Dan told me I can honestly say that I am attracted to him. I sighed again but less dramatically. Way to go Smith. You come here for a mission and end up with a love interest. I made a promise to myself right there to finish my mission, and then I could persue Mr. Matthews.

I was so tuned out that I didn't even realize Amanda was in the classroom until Mr. Hancock told us we could talk quietly and she turned around to talk to me.

"Hey Nikki. I'm glad we have second period together. Now we can get to know each other." She smiled kindly at me. This was going to be easy...

"Me too." I was thinking of how I could start a conversation with her, but she beat me to it.

"So. You just moved here from Cali? Is that why you're so tan?" She asked excitedly. Wait. I should be asking questions here. Not the other way around. I sighed. "Actually no. My mother is mixed and my father is white. Which automatically makes me darker." I smiled. She made an "oh" face and giggled. "That's so cool. I wish I was tan." She sighed. Okay. Awkward. I didn't know how to reply to that. "Um. Okay... So are you an only child?" I asked trying to get on the subject of her family. She shook her head. "No. I have an older brother who is twenty eight. But he lives in Georgia now."

I nodded. "Are your parents divorced? Or are they still together?" I already knew the answer. But I wanted to ask for good measure. She sighed. "They're divorced. My mom lives a couple of towns away now. I see her every other weekend. I decided to stay with my dad so I could finish out high school here." I nodded. That was understandable. Having  to move schools when you only have two years left would be difficult because you'd have to start all over. She had good logic. "What about you?" She asked.

"My parents are still together but I'm an only child." I smiled. It was true. "Oh. Where do they work?" She asked. Crap... "They work as entrepreneurs so they travel a lot. They're rarely home. They mainly make sales on this side of the states so they moved me over here so they'd be closer." I was proud of myself. I hadn't been briefed on what to say to that question. Wait until my director hears about this one....

"Oh that's terrible!" Wait. Did I hear her right. "Why?" I asked confused. "Your parents are never home to spend time with you. I'd be upset." I laughed. "Oh no. It doesn't bother me. I like being alone. I don't mind it. Plus I see them on all the holidays so it's quite all right."

She frowned. "You shouldn't be alone so much. You need human interaction." I laughed again. "Maybe so. But now that I go to an actual school and I'm not homeschooled I'll get all the human interaction I need." I could tell I was close to getting her to invite me over to her house, but it was kind of soon. If she did so soon it'd be a miracle.

"Well I guess that's good." She sighed. But then suddenly she smiled. "If you ever get lonely in your house you can call me!" She turned around in her desk and wrote her number down on a piece of paper and handed it to me. I took it and placed it in my purse as if I didn't already have all of her contact information and her address. Not to mention other personal information.

I smiled at her. "Thank you so much. That's so sweet of you. Is it safe to say I just made my first friend here?" I asked with the sweetest smile I could muster. Deception, deception, deception.

She nodded her head furiously. "Of course! I would be honored to call you my friend." I laughed at her enthusiam and said yay. I wasn't exactly thrilled about being her friend, but it was my job and I was going to do it well. Just then the bell rang for what I assumed was break if I was going by Mr. Matthews words.

Amanda looked back at me after she gathered her books. "Come on. I'll show you where the gym is." I smiled sheepishly at her. "I can't." I said. "I have to go to Mr. Matthews' room for break detention because I  wasn't told I wasn't supposed to have a phone." She giggled. "Whoops. Alright. I'll see you later." I nodded and she turned to walk out the door. Step one: Complete. I headed to Mr. Matthews' classroom with my stomach in knots.