Beneath The Bruises (A Hayes Grier Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

I feel the air leave my lungs, and it doesn't come back. My stomach tightens into a knot and my mouth dries up. I mentally laugh at myself. He's just a boy. Why am I so nervous?

This specific boy risked his life to save mine, when he doesn't even know who I am. He's not just a boy, he's my superhero. It takes a lot of courage to do something like that. But then again, maybe he's not what I expect him to be. Or maybe he's more. That's why I'm nervous.

Or maybe it's just because he's really attractive. He wears a grey hoodie that says 'Young & Reckless' with dark jeans and black converse. A red snapback sits backwards on his perfectly styled, dark brown hair.

"Thank you, Mr. Beck," I say quietly. I start making my way towards table four, staring at the floor. I feel his eyes on me, and I resist glancing up. The more I walk, the more the want to see his eyes again increases. When it gets to the point of it becoming an unbearable desire, I slowly lift my head, and meet my eyes to his.

The second our eyes lock, I feel a spark. His aqua eyes fascinate me all over again, and I find myself unable to look away.

Apparently he can't, either.

I reach the table, and I unwillingly break the eye contact to reach into my bag and grab my grade 9 science textbook. Butterflies flutter in my stomach as I drop my bag beside the table, and I climb onto the black stool. I take a deep, shaky breath.

"I'm Hayes," he says with a gleaming smile. "But you probably already knew that." I see a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I'm Adriana," I say nervously. Right after the words leave my lips, I realize that I had accidentally said my name in the Spanish accent that it was originally meant to be said in. I prefer it to be pronounced in an American accent.

"Beautiful name for a beautiful girl," he says with a wink. I feel myself blushing and I internally panic, not knowing what to reply. I'm probably one of the most awkward people ever when it comes to talking to people I just met. I hold back a sigh of relief when Mr. Beck begins to speak.

"On the counter in front of you, there are 3 cell specimens. One is a skin cell, one is an onion cell and one is a unicellular organism," he explains, scanning the classroom. "The pair who can identify each cell first wins the golden microscope for their table!" He exclaims enthusiastically, pumping a golden-painted metal microscope into the air. The class snickers at the unappealing prize. "Get to work!"

"So, Adriana," he says jokingly, mocking the Spanish pronunciation I had used earlier, causing me to grin. "The onion cell will have a more geometric shape to it, while the skin cell will have a more organic shape," Hayes explains while studying the specimens carefully. "The unicellular organism will be most likely moving around."

Damn, he's smart too, I think to myself. Adriana! Stop! Pay attention!

"We should put them under the microscope to get a better look," I say, reaching for the microscope. Instead of coming into contact with the cold, smooth surface of the black metal microscope, my fingertips skim a warm, soft hand - Hayes' hand. I quickly pull my hand away and I feel my face go red.

"I don't bite," he says playfully and chuckles lightly. He pushes the microscope towards me.

"Thanks," I say. I grab one of the specimens and attempt to put it under the lens, but my hands shake too much. Whether the shakiness is from lack of sleep or his presence - I don't know. I struggle for a couple seconds, until I feel a warm breath on my neck.

"Here," he says in a low tone, his face dangerously close to mine. He places his big hands over mine to stop the shaking, and helps me move the specimen under the lens. I feel goosebumps spread across my skin, and my face gets warmer and warmer. The scent of his cologne wafts to my nose, and I fall in love with it immediately. It suits him perfectly - dark and mysterious yet happy and playful at the same time. Everything about him fascinates me.

He detaches his hands from mine and leans back a bit, smirking. I put my eye to the microscope, trying to hide my flushed cheeks.

"What is it?" He asks me. I panic, and I try to think of an excuse.

"Uhm.. It's just.. Uh.. Hot in here," I stutter nervously. I didn't think he would point out my blushing! He laughs a loud, rambunctious laugh, and I smile at how cute his laugh is.

"What?" I giggle, looking him in the eyes. He smiles an adorable crooked smile.

"I was talking about the cell," he says. He looks into my eyes, and my stomach flutters. Even sitting down, he's much taller than me. My eyes wander to his lips. The bottom one is slightly fuller than the top one, and he has a distinct cupid's bow like mine. I move my eyes back up to meet his. They get me every time. I find myself getting lost in the thousand shades of blue in his eyes. Some dark, some light. Some greenish, some bluish. Some vibrant, some dull...

"Hayes and Adriana! Pay attention!" Mr. Beck hollers from the front of the class. I look around and realize that he's been speaking for the last 10 minutes, a group already won the microscope, and that the entire class is staring at Hayes and I, who are mere inches apart and staring intently into each other's eyes. I turn away from him, embarrassed. "You guys lost, by the way," Mr. Beck adds, grinning.

"Awww!!" Hayes whines while pouting his lip, making the class laugh. "I wanted a golden microscope!"

I smile to myself. How does he do that? One minute he's Mr. Scientist, the next he goes all Edward Cullen, and then the next he's silly and fun. Not that I mind, I like that about him. I like everything about him.

"Before class ends, I'm going to give you a sheet of paper with five questions. With your partner, pick one and make a model explaining it. It will be due tomorrow," Mr. Beck explains. The class murmurs with disapproval as he walks around and hands each table one sheet of paper. Hayes takes it and puts it into his blue binder.

"So you wanna come over after school to work on it?" Hayes asks me while zipping up his backpack.

"Sure!" I respond, a little too enthusiastically. He smiles at me, showcasing his straight, white teeth. Then the bell rings.

"See ya later, Adriana," he calls over his shoulder, mocking the pronounciation once again. I laugh, and he walks away with his green backpack slung over his right shoulder.

Although I learned nothing science-related, I did learn one thing.

I'm falling for Hayes Grier.

Hard.