Walking to my locker, I heard my best friend telling me to wait up. Slowing
down I realized I had been traveling at a fairly fast pace, oblivious to my surroundings. Coming up beside me, Jolene cocked an eyebrow, her dark eyes
alive with exuberance. Her full lips twisting in a sly smile, she said buoyantly,
"You must have noticed the new boy checking you out? Oh my God, Katie, he's so dreamy! What's his name...Troy?"
Flipping my amber hair over my shoulder, I feigned disinterest and rolled
my eyes at Jolene who was practically bouncing up and down.
"Yeah, so? There are at least half a dozen girls prettier than me. Take for
example, Candice. She was right in front of me. With her blonde hair and those
melons beneath her sweater there's a good chance Troy was simply giving me
a passing glance."
Despite my outward dispassion, my heart was beating like a monkey on
speed. With my average looks and criminally small chest, a boy of Troy's calibre
gazing at me the way he had was unimaginable. Yet I knew Candace the cheerleader had strangely been ignored. Something was wrong with this picture and I was hesitant to find out why.
"Oh, Kat, why can't you accept that you're not as invisible as you'd like to think?" Jolene's black curls dancing around her coffee colored face as she shook her head in disapproval.
" 'Cause I like being a wallflower...it's comfortable, and you're making me
very uncomfortable."
I saw her begin to protest, but then the words died on her lips as she looked
at my locker and gasped. My heart nearly stopped when I saw the reason for her surprise. Leaning on the locker next to mine, stood Troy. All six feet, 4 inches of him. Smiling at us, his teeth gleaming in contrast to his tan, he pushed off from the locker
and crossed his brawny arms which rippled under the black Skinny shirt.
"Katie...right? Looks like were gonna be locker mates."
"Uh...yeah," I stammered.
Jolene looked like a fish out of water, her mouth opening and closing. A lot of help she was.
Laughing easily, Troy shrugged and winked. "Well, see you around." Then striding
off, he turned around a couple of feet ahead and said, "Hey, Katie...looking forward to
getting to know you." Before I could respond he merged into the hall traffic leaving me
feel as if I'd been whacked with a 2x4.
"Oh...my...God," Jolene breathed. Staring after him, I said, "pinch me."
