The Nerd and The Jock - LT Fanfic

14: Bae and A Substitute

14: Bae and A Substitute

Blaze said, "I wanted to text you yesterday and if I'm being honest, the only reason I didn't was because I wasn't sure how you reacted to what we did."

"What we did -- as in our kiss, right?"

"Yeah."

"Oh," I said, pensive.

"Yeah," he said again.

It's Sunday. It's kind of early in the morning. Nine am. The sun shined and birds chirped, and the breakfasty aroma wafted from downstairs, a suggestion that Mom's awake, alive and moving. I was comfy in my Snoopy PJs. It should have been a nice morning.

An emphasis on should.

Talking to Blaze made me anxious because I wasn't just talking to a really likeable guy anymore. I was talking to the boy I kissed. And knowing that Blaze and I actually kissed made nervous -- happy too, I admit -- to talk to him. I played with the ends of my hair while butterflies filled my empty stomach. Funny how talking to someone you liked changed your whole demeanor.

"Did you... like it, though?" Blaze asked, referring to the kiss again.

"Yeah." What a sad, monosyllabic response. I meant, Heck yeah, but I didn't want to sound all, like, eager.

"Really?" He sighed. "I thought you didn't like it."

I almost laughed outright. Blaze, insecure? "No... you're good at what you do."

"Really? Thank you."

It made me happy to think I wasn't the only one unsure about it. If only he knew how magical he was.

We talked some more until the sun set, the light blue sea of the sky trading itself for the deep purple and the tiny yellow moon of the night.

When morning came, I was excited at the thought of going to school. The thought of seeing a certain someone brought a spring my steps. I felt refreshed.

* * *

Me. Blaze. Fourth period. And the best of it all, no Ms. Sanders. A substitute sat at the back of Ms. Sanders' desk, his long, slick hair tied back by a hair band.  He spoke with a Jamaican accent. He was tall and thin with bronze skin.

When Blaze and I sat down, the sub said through clean white teeth, "As you can tell, your teacher isn't here today. She expects academic behavior and respect while she's gone. Failure to abide by her rules will result in... punishment," he finished, squinty-eyed. He looked at the note Ms. Sanders apparently left behind. She had one of the most unintelligble handwriting I had ever seen, so I easily understood his trouble making out her loopy script.

The sub gave us an assignment to work on, but most of us knew that it was a free day. A free period, a short but sweet break from our usual grumpy instructor. The class took advantage of Ms. Sanders' absence, Blaze and I included.

"Uno!" Me, triumphant with the single card in hand.

"Again?" Blaze, incredulous with multiple cards in his hands.

We played Uno instead of doing work, our desks pushed together to make a big enough table to deal the cards. This was our second game and I was winning like it was a piece of cake. A pile of drawing-cards sat face-down next to the yellow Three I put down, a symbol of my ever-arriving victory.

Naturally, when you win at things, you smile like an idiot. You smile the big cheesy smile, the one that makes you glow with gooey self-satisfaction. So that was what I was doing -- smiling like an idiot. "Yep," I answered him finally. I had but one card left and I waved it around, careful not to reveal it to him. Teasing.