The art of lying through your teeth

Chapter 8

Maths always goes slowly. Whether its Mr Dawson's monotone voice or the fact that the universe just hates me I can't tell. But today maths seemed to drag on even longer than usual. All I wanted was to forget that I was going to be spending the evening with Danny. If I gave it too much thought then maybe I'd hyperventilate or something due to how any interaction with anyone other than Katie and Matt always seems to go awfully. I can only imagine what a mess I'm going to be like with just Danny, me and a whole house full of my awkwardness. This is why I had prayed to every god I know to let maths pass quickly so I wouldn't have time to even think about it for a minute. But the gods apparently had a different idea. Instead, I sat for what felt like forever, mentally going through everything that will go wrong this evening. By the time the bell had rung for the end of the day I had come to the conclusion that coming face to face with Hester Roe himself would be less painful than having to spend an entire afternoon with just Danny and our maths books.

Students rush out the door as soon as the bell has stopped ringing, eager to escape Mr Dawson's detailed explanation on the history of triangles, which he continues calling out to them as they shove each other out the door. I linger slightly as I slowly put my books into my bag. I mean, what's the use of rushing now anyway. Besides, maybe if I wait he'll forget and leave without me. A girl can dream can't she?

"Lexie, you ready?" Dammit. Are none of my prayers answered? Not even one?

I feel myself subconsciously roll my eyes and huff inaudibly (at least I hope it was inaudible) before replying. "Yeah. I'm ready." That's it? That's all I got? I'm ready?! Wow I really outdid myself with that one. I stand up from my seat and haul my bag onto one shoulder. He's standing behind my desk with one hand placed on top of his guitar case, which is leaning against his side, and the other on the back of my chair. He looks laid back -as if we were old friends- and completely irresistible with a strand of slightly curled hair tucked behind his ear. 

Oh my lord my heart just skipped a beat. God damn essential organ.

"Um, after you," I try to make a gesture towards the door to signal him to lead the way, but as I seem completely unable to carry out regular human actions, I only successfully manage to smack the guitar case from his hands.  

I'm Cursed. I'm literally cursed! 

'Oh shit' is the only thing on repeat in my mind as I watch in agonising slow motion as his case falls, narrowly misses the table next to me and lands with a loud thoomp on the floor. Danny's hands uselessly had followed the doomed path, clutching handfuls of air as the case fell.

"Oh my God!" I call as I bend down toward the case, not even seeing Danny do the same from beside me in my state of complete horror. The next thing I know, my forehead smacks into his and we both rock back onto our heels in pain. However while he, being actually a regular human being , steadies himself against the floor before falling backwards, I throw my hand out uselessly behind me only managing to push the desk behind out of the way. So due to my gracefulness, I'm splayed across the floor with one hand clutching my throbbing head. 

"Holy shit,' Danny exclaims, his hand on his forehead like mine. " We should probably stop meeting like this otherwise one of us is going to be in hospital before the end of the week."

"I am so sorry!" I splutter out, except his reaction shows he doesn't seem to think this is half as bad as I do. In fact, he's laughing.

"What are you sorry for?" He starts to pull himself to his feet and upon seeing my struggle I'm battling with untangling myself from the table legs, laughs even harder. Maybe it was his cheeks flushed with laughter, or just the fact that I was currently tangled in a desk, but soon I was laughing too. He's doubled over from laughing with his hands braced against his knees when Mr Dawson cleared his throat from across the room. It was strange how absorbed we both were in laughing at ourselves that we had forgotten all about the old man still in the room.