Reputations

Chapter 5

Niall

I wasn't allowed to be alone with Sam anymore after staying so late at her house. I tried to tell my parents we were partnered for a project, and I would barely even speak to her again after that. They didn't believe me. I didn't fully believe it either but that's what we had told each other. I didn't know how well I could ignore wanting to be her friend. Something about her drew me towards her. She had that affect on everyone. People wanted to be around her including me even though I tried to ignore that at first. I thought it was ridiculous how strict my parents were being over this. The most I've ever done was hug a girl that was a friend of mine in Ireland, and I hugged Sam the other day. I was just helping Sam with our project. I doubt Sam even found me, or my obvious inexperience attractive. My parents knew I wasn't extremely popular at school, but they didn't know the extent of everything. They didn't know I sometimes got pushed and shoved walking through the halls and made fun of. They just thought I wasn't the most social person once we moved to America and knew I didn't really talk much to girls. Especially, girls like Sam. Sam was way out of any league I was even close to being in.

They also didn't know Sam was the exact opposite of me. When she would walk through the hallway people waved and smiled at her and she did the same. People complimented her and insulted me. People made it a point to talk to her and avoid me. I guess somehow my parents got the idea that something was happening between us. Despite me telling them it was highly unlikely that two people on opposite ends of the spectrum would be anything more than friends.

I still didn't want to tutor her because of Troy, but I had already told my parents I was her tutor to try and get them to believe there was nothing between us. I had backed myself into a corner and now I had to tutor her. I wasn't completely upset about it though because I did like spending time with her. I just had to accept whatever repercussions that would be thrown at me and talk to Sam about the terms of me tutoring her.

I was walking to my first class, and I always passed her on the way. I knew I would see her, and I wanted to see her this time. She normally smiled at me, and I would pretend like I didn't see it and keep walking. Today, she waved at me and smiled. I looked behind me to make sure she was waving to me. She giggled a little as she walked up to me, "Niall I was waving at you. I wasn't waving to someone behind you. I was just saying hi."

"Oh. Yeah, that makes sense. Hey." I smiled at her and she briefly seemed nervous as she adjusted straps on her bag pulling her backpack higher. She quickly perked up before speaking again. I could tell she was excited to talk to me, but I nervously looked around to see who was near us because I was excited to talk to her as well.

"Thanks for cleaning up before you left, you really didn't have to do that." I shrugged my shoulders.

"It would have been rude to leave a mess for you to clean." I wanted to talk to her even more, but I couldn't let anyone see us because I didn't know what Troy had told anyone yet. I could tell she was also keeping it quick and brief for the same reason. She was trying, but for some reason couldn't seem to stop herself from talking to me.

"Well half of it was my mess to clean."

"It was no problem. I should get going to class. I'll talk to you later though." She smiled and excitedly nodded her head at the mention of us talking later. I laughed a little at her excitement. "Alright see you around Sam."

"Yeah, see ya around." I walked away and still got to my next class early. I was in a better mood just from our brief interaction. As if I wasn't already nervous enough around her, I actually started to like her. Tutoring her was going to be harder than I thought if it was turning into a crush as well. I couldn't start to actually like her like that. I always knew she was pretty. That was undeniable but I kept finding myself wondering about how every interaction with her would go and when they would happen next. I had to put the idea of a crush out of my head. I would only end up ten times more awkward and mess it up somehow. The good mood she had put me in started to vanish when I got to class and saw Troy. He and two of his friends were there to greet me at the door. "Hey Niall." I smiled and gave them one quick nod and walked by them hoping that would be the end of the interaction. I knew I was wrong when he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me back to stand next to him. "Niall, tell my friends what you did on Saturday."