Forrest Green

Chapter 7: Eminem and I'm Too Sexy

Chapter 7: Eminem and I'm Too Sexy

By the time lunch rolls around, I'm starving. Like, about to chew on my hand, starving. I swear the whole continent of North America can hear my stomach growling. I really should have eaten breakfast. While I was running my laps in P.E., I nearly keeled over when my stomach growled. It was the type of growling that hurt really bad, it made me think that my stomach was eating me from the inside out. I thought I was going to die because my stomach was making noises at me the whole time. To make things worse, the sounds were so embarrassing because I'm pretty sure everyone else could hear them! They were so loud that Coach Towers was staring at me for a good part of the hour like I was being possessed by a demon.

After math class this morning, Eryn wasn't at all surprised to see that Green walked with us to English - seeing as he had the course with us - she just rambled to the both of us, almost as if she didn't meet me yesterday and she knew Green for the longest time. When English was over, I made sure Eryn and I exchanged numbers before she left me at the gym doors, so we can talk to each other outside of school.

I manage to find my way to the lunch room without the help of either Eryn or Green, which is fantastic because if I get lost while I'm this hungry, I'm sure I would die. While I'm waiting in line for the nasty cafeteria food, I pray it looks more edible today because I forgot to pack a lunch. If I'm being honest, though, this situation is comparable to waiting for my mother to grow up. Just when you think she's acting like a regular parent, you find her on the counter repeating 2 Chainz lyrics at nearly eight o'clock in the morning. It's never going to happen; she's not going to grow up, and the food is never going to get better. Ever.

After paying for my food I take my tray to the same empty table from yesterday, sitting in the corner where I can see everyone else enjoying the time we have to talk with friends. Today the jocks are still acting like, but instead of laughing and pushing each other like yesterday, they're flexing their arms like they're in a bodybuilding competition. The table of girls next to the Varsity jackets are now talking amongst themselves while studying the boys next to them. Apparently, they seem to be the judges of the gun show.

A chair scrapes against the tile next to me, and unlike yesterday I notice when Green sits down.

"What's up, Green." I greet him, trying to act cool, but it just comes out sounding all types of awkward.

Green shakes his head at me and then points up at the ceiling.

Me being the fool I am, look up confused. I look back at him and ask, "What?"

He turns his head, raising both of his eyebrows and staring at me with a look on his face that says 'you must be dumber than you look.'

It takes a minute, but I realize that he literally meant the ceiling was up. "Oh..."

I look away from him, my cheeks burning red because of embarrassment. In my defense, I thought he was pointing out something that was on the ceiling.

Green taps his hand on the table as if he's trying to get my attention. At first, I refuse to look at him, not wanting to show him how my dignity is slowly leaving me, but when he keeps tapping on the table it drives me insane, and I can no longer ignore him.

"Holy water!" I smack my hands on the table with wide eyes, glaring at him. "Will you stop? That is so annoying like I would understand if you were about to spit out some rhymes and had an actual beat. Seriously, if you wanted to get my attention by tapping on the table, you could've made this epic beat like Eminem was about to pop out of that trash can over there and freestyle. That probably would have been less annoying."

Green shakes his head at me before staring at me with amusement flickering in his eyes, but that's not what caught my attention though. On his lips is the smallest of smiles, illuminating his features. I'm stunned, not just because he's smiling - even if it is a slight smile, it still counts - but because that little smile is sexy on him. I'm starting to think that he should just walk around with that smile on his face all the time as 'I'm Too Sexy' by Right Said Fred plays in the background.

But wouldn't that just attract more girls to him?

Never mind, I retract that statement.

I might have just met him, but I'm starting to feel this little pull to him, even though I swore to myself that I would never allow myself to like another guy after what happened last school year. I swore that I was going to die single and forever alone because I can't trust men. Green just might be the hammer to break that promise.

A frown forms on my face as I look away from Green and continue staring at the dumb jocks. I begin to eat my food even though it's nasty because I need something to distract myself from Green and the fact that I'm possibly in the beginning stages of having feelings for a strange guy I met yesterday. How can I like someone who won't even talk to me? Especially someone I just met twenty-four hours ago. This is crazy! He's a stranger, and I shouldn't be feeling like this, let alone be comfortable around him.

I'm so focused on my strange feelings for Green that I'm yanked from my thoughts when I hear Green stand up, his chair scraping against the tiled floor.

Is he leaving?

I think so.

It's for the best that he leaves anyway.

No, it's not, I am not done looking at him!

Just when I think he's leaving the table, he plops into the chair directly across from me, blocking my view of the jocks, forcing me to look at him. He locks eyes with me, an eyebrow raises, yet again. His eyes are concerned like he's wondering why I've suddenly shut down and avoided his gaze.

I stare down at my lunch tray, pretending to find my left-over salad dressing interesting. I don't want to look at him, I'm afraid that if I do, I won't be able to look away. If I look at him, I have a feeling it'll take me down a path that could potentially end badly for my heart. I've had enough bad endings to last me a lifetime, and I don't want to add to the list.

I feel him still staring at me, waiting for me to look up. We sit like this until his large hand shoots out and grabs my lunch tray, pulling it toward him, so I'm left staring at the grey table. I close my eyes and have a battle with Snow about whether I should look at him. I try to convince myself that if I look at him, it will ruin my plans of not liking someone, while Snow tries to reason with me that it's okay to trust someone again.

You are blowing this way out of proportion. Stop over-thinking things.

I just don't want to start to like him and then end up hurt because I find out he's exactly like De-

Don't you dare say that name!

I just don't want to get hurt again.

Not every guy is like him, Wynter. Just give him a chance, and if things start to go downhill, you can leave him alone. One opportunity is all I'm asking for.

I sigh and open my eyes, finding the courage to lift my head to look at Green. He meets my eyes, and I'm sucked in as his lips lift into a tiny smile, like the one from before but this time shyer. I sigh deeply and look away from him.

Just one?

Just one.

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Song: Crush by Daniel Feels and Annie Schindel