Bittersweet

Part 3

I walk into literature, with that feeling of hope and anticipation, promising myself  that I will talk to Jake today and promising myself that I won't break that promise.

I'm always the second person to get into the classroom. Everyone else either comes in a the last second or a few seconds after the final bell rings.

Jake usually gets in after about five or such people do, but today, he's earlier than usual. This time, after about three people get in, including myself.

"Where's the teacher?" he asks, anonymously.

Oh, his voice, so sweet and serene.

I decide not to answer because I thought maybe the question was rhetorical.  So, I keep the answer to myself. Plus, he probably wouldn't have heard me in the first place being as my answer would've been "I dunno" or a smart ass response like "How should I know?", but not that demeaning.  More like a friendly, jokingly, smart ass response. Something that'll make him laugh. But, no. I stay quiet and just watch him sit there looking around for her.

Then, the big group of last-seconders walked in and the bell rang. The teacher followed shortly after.

Jake sees her, gets up, and walks to her desk.

He does that cute lil' "waddle".

So, noticing that this was the perfect opportunity to,  I walk up to the desk, too, to "ask" the teacher a question but then "accidentally" forget what I was going to ask. Then maybe I could say hi or whatever and move along. Or at least be close to him for once.

I casually walk my way up there. I overhear Jake say something about a book report or something like that.

Then, the teacher goes to look for something in her drawer and left Jake and I just standing there, waiting for her to find whatever it was she was looking for.

Okay, Elize. Right now is the perfect time. Say something. Anything.

I poke him.

God, why did I do that? As if that's not creepy, like, at all.

"I...um.....you have....I like your shoes."

I look down and point to his shoes just in case he didn't hear my puny voice and wonder what the hell I said.

He smiled. The most beautiful smile in the universe.

"Thank you. Yours are pretty cool, too."

He points at mine.

I smile back.

Now you see, I'm one of those girls that thinks that whenever a boy compliments me, they're immediately in love with me.

"Thanks, Jake." I say, quite nicely.

The teacher is still looking in her drawer, frantically searching through her collection of pencils, erasers, markers, and what not.

I decide to continue Jake and I's little conversation.

"So, do you like Of Mice and Men?"

Of Mice and Men is the book we are currently reading as a class.

"I am actually quite fond of it," he answers as he smiles that little smile of his. "How about you?"

I try my best not to puke or studder or whatever it is your body likes to do to you when you're nervously talking to someone you absolutely like.

"Eh, it's okay. It's got a strange environment to it, though. That's what really catches my attention."

Big words. Always use big words around cute guys.

He smiles even more.

"Yeah, I agree."

Jake agrees with me about something.

Hooray.

Te teacher finally finds what she was looking for, which was a book, not a big book, but a small, average looking book with the title "Leverage" on the cover in gold lettering.

Jake smiles at the teacher, thanks her for the book, and looks at me smiling while turning back to go to his seat.

This day is going great so far.

"Hey, Elize, what do you need?"

I suddenly remember my plan.

"Oh, sorry. I must've forgotten why I came up here."

She laughs and waves her hand at me in sort of a shooing motion.

I head back to my seat and try to get a glimpse of Jake before I sit down and he's looking at me with a grin on his face.

I imagine him winking at me and I blush.

Oh, Jake, why are you so cute?