The Phantom of Scranton Hill

20

After the bell had rang, signalling the end of lunch, Justine composed herself and walked out of the library. She had seven minutes to get to her fifth period class, and she had to force her feet to move more than an inch per minute. She trudged to the field as usual, mentally preparing herself for the most awkward class of the day: gym.

Normally, she had two options. She could either play basketball or some other rough sport with the boys or gossip and huddle up in separate cliques with the rest of the girls. On her first day of freshman year, she tried to play with them, but no one ever passed the ball to her. The next day, she brought her own football. Still, she hadn't seen it since.

Justine stood there gracelessly as she stared and made an attempt to find a less awkward thing to do. She found Charlotte, but the teacher forced everyone to sit before she was able to speak with her.

"Instead of running, each of you will be learning how to ballroom dance specifically for Fall Formal," the light haired, male coach announced, hugging his clipboard to his side. "After you have all changed, pick a partner, then-" The entire class of sixty or more students groaned. "Oh, shut up, you wusses. Some of you guys are lucky to even get a girl to look at you, much less be forced to dance with you. So, you're welcome." The coach dismissed the class and everyone filed into their respective locker rooms.

After dressing, Justine found Charlotte. "Why was he following us all day? How is he even alive? Does your mom know? Does the freaking guy working at the morgue know?" Charlotte began asking questions that Justine didn't have answers to. Justine shrugged; she couldn't answer. The two remained silent until Charlotte said one last line that sparked up a completely new topic of conversation. "You know he's in love with you."

"No, he's not," Justine denied, not accepting the possible truth in her friend's statement. She shook her head, but couldn't help but wonder. "Why would you think that?"

Charlotte smiled shyly. "There's something in his eyes, a look." Just as Justine was about to protest, Charlotte shut her up. "Now I may not do so well in school, but I know people." She placed her hands on her hips and huffed. Justine rolled her eyes playfully and the two of them left the locker room.

Outside, Charlotte accidentally caught the one and only Chase Samuels staring and smirking at Justine alongside two of his close buddies. The one on his left was dark haired and muscular with mischievous green eyes, the one on the right an identical replica but with blonde hair. Justine, however, was oblivious as she talked about Newton's Laws of Motion and how they applied to dance.

"Justine," Charlotte called, snapping her friend out of her useless physics daze. "Chase was staring at you. Why can't you be a little more observant and a little less helplessly nerdy." Justine turned around quickly, her long hair whipping a hard surface. Chase was there.

"Hey, Justine," Chase winked. His beautiful cerulean irises were icier, his jawline more square, and cheekbones more prominent. His delicate chocolate curls were trimmed back, but his eyes still gleamed under his arched brows. His lips were plush and soft, slightly parted as he smiled charmingly at her.

"Hi," she stammered, mentally slapping herself for falling for his Disney prince-like characteristics. His physical perfection. She couldn't help but wonder what his six-pack might look like. Or was it eight?

"Since I don't see any other guys around, would you like to be my partner?" He held his hand out, waiting for her compliance as he sent yet another charming smile her way. No one in their right mind would say no. Just his smile alone could make any girl fall to his knees, turn any gay guy straight.

Justine, unsure, pursed her lips and glanced at Charlotte who stood there like a fool, nodding and giving her two thumbs-up. She, thanks to Charlotte, couldn't find a logical reason to say no. He fit all the criteria--he was cute, reasonably intelligent, and the most important of all, he wanted to be her partner. Hesitantly, Justine accepted, the corners of her lips almost meeting her eyes.