The Freshman Child

Chapter 2: I Heart High School

Chapter 2: I Heart High School

Sam breathed a sigh of relief. Her next two classes passed without a hitch, and by quarter past twelve she had found her way to the lunchroom. She slipped into line behind two girls whom she recognized from one of her classes. They chatted for a while, and Sam started to get her confidence back.

Then, as she was balancing her tray with one hand and reaching for a carton of yogurt someone bumped her arm. Her wallet slid down onto the tray, knocking the silverware onto the floor. As Sam bent over to get it, the redhead girl behind her bumped her other arm and she fell forward onto her knees with a loud thud.

Sam watched the vanilla yogurt drip down the front of her plaid skirt and trickle down her right leg. This is the absolute worst day of my entire life, she thought.

A voice from way off in the distance seemed to be calling her.

“What?” she mumbled, staring down at her ruined skirt in a hopeless daze.

“Excuse me,” the voice went on.

Sam looked up—and there, standing in front of her, like a vision in a dream, was the most unbelievably gorgeous boy she had ever seen, the boy who lived on her street.

“Are you alright?” the boy asked, his voice full of concern.

“What?” Sam asked again, mesmerized by his chocolate brown eyes. A shock of blonde hair fell across his forehead as he peered into her face with eyes that had little gold flecks that sparkled in the light.

“Are you okay?” he asked again, reaching out to help her up.

“Oh!” Sam exclaimed, abruptly returning to her senses. “Yes! I’m fine.” She leapt to her feet and stammered, “I guess today just isn’t my day.”

“I guess not.” He set the yogurt on her tray and handed it back to her with a grin.

“Thanks,” Sam giggled shyly. Then she grabbed a paper napkin and furiously wiped at the stain on her skirt.

“Hey, move it along. You’re holding up the line!” A very irritated voice complained from behind her.

The apology forming on Sam’s lips died when she saw the ferocious-looking guy with the tattoos and piercings smirking at her. He was over six feet tall and packed with solid muscle. Her eyes widened in fear and her breath hitched as she hurriedly dug into her wallet for some change and paid for the remains of her yogurt. By the time she was finished, the gorgeous boy had gone.

With a little sigh of disappointment, she picked up her tray again, this time making sure she had a firm grip on it, and headed for an empty table. A dreamy smile crossed her face as she replayed in her mind the last few moments of her encounter with the gorgeous boy.

In the midst of total disaster, a tall, blonde stranger had come to her rescue. The warm rumble of his voice still echoed in her memory. What color were his eyes again? Chocolate brown—or a soft hazel. It wasn’t so much the color of his eyes that made them special, but the expression in them—something that blended real concern with a sense of humor.

Sam absentmindedly dug her spoon into her yogurt, lost in thought.

“Earth to Sam!” Jill said, waving her hand in front of Sam’s face.

“What?” Sam said automatically, looking up at her friend.

“I’ve been standing here for two minutes, watching you with that silly grin on your face!” Jill set her tray down opposite Sam and settled into her seat. “You must be having a good day.”