Seventeen

IMOGEN

As Imogen sashayed towards Reese, the linebacker glanced in her direction before turning away. Then, he did a double take and nearly dropped the soda in his hand. Imogen simply smirked, knowing that the blond boy was practically already putty in her hands.

    "Hi, I'm Imogen Cadwell." Imogen held out her hand when she got to Reese. The blond boy just stared at Imogen for a second, dumbfounded.

    "Uh, I know-- No, I mean, uh, I'm Reese Hale." Reese probably meant to shake Imogen's outstretched hand, but instead, he just slapped his bottle of soda into Imogen's palm. The blonde girl arched an eyebrow at Reese, who facepalmed.

    "Sorry, I meant to shake your hand, but there was already something occupying it. Okay, that was awkward, sorry." Reese's cheeks flushed scarlet, but Imogen just laughed good-heartedly.

"It's okay," Imogen handed Reese his soda back. "So, we have chemistry together, right?" Imogen pretended to look unsure and bit her lip. Reese looked mesmerized for a moment, but then snapped out of his reverie to answer Imogen's question.

"Yeah, yeah we do." Reese nodded and put his hand in the pocket of his letterman jacket.

"We should totally talk more. I'd like to get to know you, Reese." Imogen quipped. The blonde girl did want to get to know Reese, but not in the way that he would think.

"Wait, really?" Reese looked at Imogen with wide blue eyes. "I mean, yeah, I'd also like to get to know you."

"We could talk in chemistry sometime. Maybe you could do a lab with Kaya and I." Imogen suggested.

"Yeah! Although, I'm not very good at chemistry. Actually, I really suck at chemistry." Reese laughed a bit, but looked at the rubbery floors so Imogen couldn't catch a glimpse of his smile.

"Really? I'm excellent at chemistry." Imogen paused a the perfect plan popped into her mind. "Actually, I could tutor you. I mean, if you wanted." Imogen spoke suggestively, but Reese seemed oblivious to it.

"Yeah, that would be great!" Reese's expression resembled an excited puppy who just got a treat. Imogen just gave the linebacker a bewildered look. Did he really not understand what she meant?

"Wait a second, didn't you set something on fire last week?" Reese tried to suppress a smile but failed. Imogen honestly hadn't paid much attention to the blond boy before tonight, but she did know that he didn't smile often. She thought that his smile looked nice.

"Yes, I did, but I also have never gotten below an A- on any of my chemistry tests. So, I'd say that I would be a great tutor." Imogen returned Reese's smile.

"Okay. Tutor me then?" Reese seemed to have finally gotten his bearings around Imogen, and the blond boy was more confident than before.

"I'll see you Friday after school." Imogen winked and then spun on her heel, her hips swaying as she walked away. Reese watched the head cheerleader disappear into the sea of people and wondered how a girl like that could ever notice Reese. Sure, he was a linebacker and part of a more popular group at school, but girls were a mystery to Reese. Especially Imogen Cadwell.

***

    Imogen pulled into the driveway of the enormous house and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that not a single light was on. She didn't feel like dealing with her father and his absurd questions tonight, and she was glad that she wouldn't have to.

    Imogen walked silently through the echoing, labyrinthine hallways of her father's mansion. She even took off her heels so the clicks of her footsteps on the marble floor wouldn't wake her father.