Light as a Feather

Chapter Fourteen

     Annabelle went through the next week of school grudgingly. She could only think of Cornell, and how stupid his name was. Yes, she was a little worried, but making fun of his name helped her.

     Tyler walked up to her one day and said, "Hey, how are you doing?"

     "Fine," she said, nearly without thinking. Lately her answers to Tyler had mostly consisted of one word. She clutched her books to her chest and walked down the crowded hallway as if he wasn't there. Yes, she thought he was cute, but she really didn't need a distraction in her life right now. And that's exactly what Tyler was. A distraction.

     "So, I know you hate me and all, but I-" he began, but Annabelle cut him off.

     "I don't hate you," she answered, matter-of-factly. "I just don't have any time for you."

     "Uh, what?" He looked confused.

     "Look, I have stuff going on right now. Like school, which I should be focusing on." Annabelle knew that this was a lie. She had never been concerned with her grades too much. Back home, that had been the last thing on her mind, and everybody knew it, including her parents. They had basically given up hope on her, and she knew that they didn't expect anything better than a C in her classes, or maybe a B- on a good day. But this was a good cover-up, and it wasn't like she could tell him that she actually had a magical vampire dude to worry about. It was more than that, and she knew that she shouldn't go around spreading that information anyway.

     "You won't even give me a chance," he whined. Annabelle stifled a groan. She realized that it was lunchtime, and she didn't actually have to go to her next class yet. She had been heading the wrong way altogether, so she just stopped in the middle of the hallway. Nobody really seemed to care.

     "Tyler, I just told you. I've got a lot of stuff on my plate right now, and thinking about a cute boy is something I don't need." She mentally slapped herself when she realized what she had said. Her slip-up was probably going to cost her a lot.

     Tyler grinned. "You think I'm cute?"

     "I knew you were going to say that," Annabelle huffed.

     "Aww, Anna, don't be so embarrassed. Being cute is no easy job."

     Annabelle glared at him, but he didn't seem to notice. "I didn't mean to say that."

     "Oh, I know. But I love it when girls do that. Especially you."

     "Do what?" she asked.

     "Mess up their words. Usually when they try to tell a guy they hate them, but they don't, and they actually say the opposite of what they were going to. It's quite delicious."

      Annabelle tried to stifle a laugh. "Delicious? You sound like some fashion designer talking about a new fabric."

     "Ooh, I like that! And, Annabelle..." he said, trailing off and smiling. "You are very delicious." He grinned at her and walked down the hall. There seemed to be a new bounce in his step.

     He had stretched out every syllable in the word, and it was actually pretty hot, in a gruff voice kind of way. She didn't like that she found it hot. Annabelle tried to shake the thoughts and notions of Tyler away, but she couldn't.

     Just as she'd thought. Her slip-up had cost her.