I sat in the band hall, waiting for the time to get let out of school. I was only in the eighth grade, and this was my first year in the high school band. The guy that I had come to admire was graduating this year, so that probability of a relationship was slim to none.
The band chattered about their lives and what not, but I kept glancing over to him. We'll call him Scott to keep him anonymous. He was laughing with his friend, "Don," about something probably correlating to something stupid they did.
I was watching them, occasionally looking back at my phone. I didn't realize Don was watching me and tapped Scott's shoulder, pointing over at me as soon as I looked back down at my phone again. I heard them snicker and then Don began talking a little louder so I could hear from my saxophone section.
Don started with, "You know "Morgan" has been staring at you this whole class right?" My cheeks went red in an instant, the whole band had their eyes on Don, Scott, or me. Mostly me.
I pretended not to hear him and continued looking at my phone, cheeks starting to calm down from the embarrassment.
"Seriously, Don, could you be any more immature?" My best friend, who happened to be a flute player, spoke up. She rolled her eyes as everyone started to get back to their conversation. I texted her a quick thank you.
Hailey: You should tell him. I mean we are halfway done with second semester, it won't hurt if you tell him. Besides, the age gap isn't that big of a deal. Mr. OurLastBandDirector didn't mind being six years older than you know who.
Me: I know, it's just with him telling Don everything, I can't trust him to not tell Don about this and then the whole band knowing.
Hailey: Oh come on, Morgan. Who was it that called out the clarinet section leader about dictating other sections?
Me.
Hailey: Who kept the secret of your old section leader for months on end before she told everyone? Who promised and has kept her promise to never tell anyone about how much I hate TJ? Oh and that one time the band director lied about you, and you never let him get to you? You. You have. So this shouldn't scare you at all.
I shut my phone off. She was right. I couldn't never tell him I liked him. I glanced over at her, she was looking at me, raising her eyebrows.
The bell rang and everybody began to leave, I stayed seated, hearing Scott and Don laugh rather loudly about something. It's like he didn't even care. He probably didn't.
I kept my eyes glued to the ground as TJ tapped on my shoulder. Great. I turned and liked him dead in the eye.
"What." It was more of a statement than a question, but it worked to get him humbled enough to ask whatever it was in a more quiet manner.
"I just wanted to know why you were really staring at Scott." He smiled, and I rolled my eyes.
"I looked over there once, Okay? I didn't stare at them." I started walking off, and TJ snickered behind me.
I kept my head down as I opened the door and started walking down the band hall to the outside door, watching my feet as hey overlapped the tile creases and stepped out of order. I didn't walk normal when I was nervous.
I didn't notice him until I ran straight into him.
He turned around as I looked up, and he cleared his throat.
