Selcouth

Sweven - part two

In the next days I made a friend at school. Well. Sort of. She sat beside me with English and we had to do an assignment together. She is called Macey. One day, she asked me to join her and her friends during the break while 'she wanted me not to sit alone'. I already crossed a too many lines I made for myself this year. Talking to people was one of them. Screw it. So I sat with her and her friends. They happened to be two girls and two boys. Jessica, Erin, Tom and Scott. They were nice to me and they wanted me to sit with them the next break too. I had classes with two of the girls (Macey and Erin), and I sat with them there too. I actually talked! I was surprised with myself. Maybe this year actually won't be shit?

I sit with them again today, a few weeks later. I really became friends with them now. Macey and her friends chatter about the weirdest things you can imagine. Still, I love this obnoxious diversion of my own thoughts. Macey taps my shoulder.

'Damn, Sarah. That boy over there is totally checking you out.'

I choke in my jus d'orange. 'Wh-wh-at?' Macey and Erin laugh. She points to the left of me. I turn my head and stare right into the eyes of the stranger boy from my first day. Not brown. I am not going insane, thankfully. He looks at me, like Macey already said. But when I turn to look at him, his grin from the first time we met is back. I forget to breathe.

'That's Quint Miller, in case you were wondering.'

I wasn't wondering.

'One of the popular kids. Although I do not know why. No one does. He doesn't do sports. He's just hot, I guess.' Jessica drools while she is giving me this information. I chuckle. Chuckle? Really? That is a long time ago. Jess flushes.

'Oh Jessica, give it up, he is unreachable.' Erin rolls her eyes.

'NO! I WILL NEVER I LOVE HIM.' Jessica kind of shouts it, but luckily only we hear it. I look at Scott. He looks miserable. Oh, I see what is going on here.

'Anyway, why is he staring that hard at you Sarah?' Jessica narrows her eyes at me.

'I do not know, honestly.' I shrug.

'Do you know him?' Macey asks curiously.

'I might have bumped into him once.' I look down at the table.

I hear Jessica sigh jealously and Erin and Macy laugh. 'You shy cow, you should've talked to him!' Jessica says to me. I laugh along with them.

'Girls, okay, let's not talk about my friend here.' Tom stops the conversation. Tom is friends with Quint?

'He's not your friend! You only sit next to him with one subject!' Jessica is even jealous at Tom. 'I at least talk to him! You don't!' Tom dodges the water bottle Jess throws at his head. We laugh. The bell rings. Time for class.

Geography was never my best subject and it only gets harder with more people in one classroom. Have I already told you I do not like people? Our geography class is overfull, there are no free tables left. It does not help my concentration. Anyway. On Wednesdays – so also today – I always have a double hour geography. I am seated in my usual seat: one on the right all the way in the back. I simply claimed that seat in every class. I usually sit next to a guy named Aaron, but he's not here today. I do not mind at all. Mrs. Baker just started talking when the door abruptly opens.

'Hi. I'm Quint. I switched classes with Aaron?' He gives my teacher a note.

'Oh yes, the boy who wanted to learn about countries instead of chemical reactions. Take a seat.' She puts the note away very absent-mindly and already talks about culture again.

Quint looks into the class. All girls hold their breath. Apparently Jess has got competition.

WAIT. THERE IS ONLY ONE TABLE LEFT. NEXT TO ME.

His eyes lock with mine and he comes my way. I look away and bite my lip. He settles himself on the seat next to me.

'So, you eventually did find your way in school?'

He turns to me and grins again. I turn my head and try to look bored.

'Luckily yes. So I do not have to ask it to guys like you.'

'Guys like me?'

'Yes, I'd rather avoid them.'

He coughs. I am pleased with my comeback. Mrs. Baker suddenly announces that we have to do a project together. I stare at Erin, three rows in front of me in the middle, hopefully. She nods. Yes!

'Just work together with the person sitting next to you. I do not want to go through trouble with forgetting who is doing the project with who.' WHAT.

'Seems like you cannot avoid me, then.' Quint whispers in my ear.

Goosebumps appear. Shit.

Thank you again! I hope you like it so far. A new chapter comes soon, I promise! xxx