An Actual Nerd

32 * Quick Kisses

Chapter 32: Quick Kisses

Thunder rolled over head as I walked through the carpark, ducking between teacher and senior's cars. 

I'd made a vow today. They wouldn't find me. I wouldn't let them find me. I'd hide in the library and if they find me, I'd sit under the portable classroom's over hangings at the edge of the school tomorrow, and I wouldn't let them hurt me. They were just being stupid and petty, and I had bigger things to concentrate on. 

Jonathan must have his own problems. He wouldn't be going around and randomly picking on people unless he had his own 'demons'. Typical, but probably true. Unless he was just a psychopath. 

I bounced up the stairs to Penny's locker, but stumbled back like someone had punched me in the stomach. 

And your mythical prince has returned. I stared at Hayden. He was wearing ripped grey jeans and a black leather jacket, over a maroon sweater. His hair was neatly pushed back, but a little frizzed by the rain, and there was a tiny smile on his lips. 

He was even prettier then I remembered. 

Prettier? Charlie, are you crazy? 

Handsome. Drop-dead-gorgeous. What ever. Did the adjective even count? He was there, leaning by the lockers. My locker. Well, Penny's locker, but he'd thought it was mine for the year so far. And to think Jonathan and his crew thought I'd switched lockers to avoid them. 

I punched the code in, feeling that nervous fluttering in my stomach. It'd gotten so much worse since I'd admitted it to Lena Moore and I hid behind the door of Penny's locker, a blush spreading across my cheeks. 

It's just Hayden. Oh, just Hayden. 

But you know him. You know him better then anyone else. 

Was that true? 

"Good morning."

I jumped, stomach clenching. "You're...here early."

He rose up an eyebrow. "You're here too."

"Really," I said dryly, feeling my heart rate flutter. My hands were sticky with sweat. "Would you expect anything else?"

He needs to know. 

He smiled carefully, glancing away. I stared at his eyes, an even mixture of blue and green with golden brown rings. 

How do you tell him? 

"I--" I cut myself off, biting on the tip of my tongue before hiding behind the locker door again. He leaned off the lockers, and I could feel him standing behind me. I snatched my books, and slammed the door closed, fingers gripping the math textbook so hard you could see my bones. 

"This is a great way to be avoiding each other." I said weakly. 

He laughed. "Was that really ever going to last that long?"

His laugh. He still had that faint smile that made me want to--

I poked his chest accusingly, finding it difficult to breathe when he was leaning over me. "You missed the winter finals."

"It was an arranged leave. I'm making up for them this week." He took another step back toward the opposite wall and I followed, keeping close. 

"You'd better, Hayden Rachel Que."

He scowled. "I can't believe I told you my middle name."

"I mean, it flows nicely. You should be honoured to wear your grandmother's name. Did I ever tell you my middle name? Well, it's Michael. After Michael Debakey, who tutored my grandfather in medicine and who created the roller pump, necessary in helping the blood flow in open heart surgery. The more you know, eh?"