Beauty and the Jock

Prologue

Some would call her an outcast; others would say she's plain and ordinary.

But to me, she was beautiful...

The little creases that formed around the edges of her eyes whenever she smiled, the way she sighed in satisfaction when the teacher gave her a good grade on her assignment, how she absent-mindedly twirled a lock of her auburn hair while eating lunch...

To say I was mesmerized...that just didn't cover it.

She had a few friends, but she mostly kept to herself. I knew she loved to read because I've noticed as soon as lunch break ended she'd leave the cafeteria, go to the library and pour herself into a book.

She didn't fit into the 'popular' clique, but that didn't bother her one bit. Jennifer did things her own way and I admired her for it.

But today, she was unusually silent. She didn't smile when our English teacher cracked a joke in class and didn't pay attention to what was being taught. Did it not matter to her that the teacher was really trying to give a good lecture? Although in all honesty, I wasn't paying much attention to Miss Sanders either. Her speech was flowing past me, trying to make me feel guilty for not listening. But I didn't notice that. I was focusing solely on the gorgeous girl who had my undivided attention.

Normally, she'd be taking down notes and her brow would be furrowed when she was concentrating deeply. Today her face was just blank. It was like there was nothing left of her, just a weak body with no substance behind it. It was like she wasn't even there...

And she never looked up. Not once. Her eyes were glued to her book. But they weren't moving. They were transfixed at a point...

Just then, the guy sitting in front of her – Brent Cooper – accidentally dropped his pen. It landed near her foot, but she made no move to pick it up.

"Hey could you grab my pen please? It's right next to your foot," he asked.

I don't even think she realized he was talking to her.

I guess Brent was confused as to why she wasn't replying, but he just shrugged it off and bent down to get the pen himself.

I began to wonder about what happened. She was never like this...

Suddenly, the bell rang. It seemed to bring her out of her little trance. She gathered her books and left the room slowly, looking fragile and weak. I followed just a little behind her.

Oh just in case I forgot to tell you; we have all the same classes together, but we still haven't spoken. Well, I guess I haven't really tried to make conversation with her from the time she transferred to Alverno High, about three weeks ago. But I was sure that if I said something, she would definitely reply.

Except today. Today, I wasn't sure if she felt like talking to anyone at all...

We got to Math, and I took the seat beside her. She looked up once and her chocolate brown eyes met mine. I noticed that they were a little puffy and it looked like she hadn't slept at all last night. But she didn't say a word. She just sunk into her seat with a tiny frown and started doodling on the last page of her math book.

Why the hell is she so upset? And why can't I read what she's thinking? I mean, I know I'm not a mind reader but they say that a girl's eyes are windows to her soul. So why can't I decipher the pain she's so clearly hiding?

God, why do I even fucking care?!

Oh right. Because I'm in love with her...