Uncovering Lia

01

AP English class.

We've been in this class together for long and I've spoken to her. She's a nice person to speak to.

She looks at the teacher as she explains, scribbling down notes.

"Any questions about the assignment?" Mrs.Hubberts, the teacher, asks.

Lia raises her hand. "You haven't told us how we are going to be doing our work? Groups? Doubles? Individual?"

"Oh I almost forgot. Thank you Ms.Park. You're going to be doing these assignments in doubles. I'm going to be assigning your partners, please settle down as I do so."

Everyone groans, clearly knowing there's a ninety-two percent chance they'll end up with someone they don't want to do the project with.

"...Ms.Park with Mr.Gallagher." Dang it. I'm not with her.

"And finally, Ms.Justin with Mr.Kross. Those are your partners for the assignment. Anyone who hasn't been called?" Mrs.Hubberts asks.

Some students raise their hands but I'm already zoning out.

I look at Dora who will be my partner. She was already looking at me and she gave me a thumbs up and a nod.

I returned it but not as enthusiastically as her. Now I need to find another way to talk to Lia.

***

At lunch, Lia ate as she talked to her friends. They were laughing and and their smiles were nice and pretty.

Lia was smiling and laughing like there was no tomorrow but suddenly, as if she remembered something, her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

She told something to her friends along the lines of 'bathroom' and walked out of the cafeteria.

***

I saw her during Physics. And I sit behind her in this class.

Mr.Leinsten, the teacher, started giving handouts at the front rows and told them to "take one and pass."

"Hey, Gale! How are you?" she told me as she turned to give me the handouts.

"Lia! Hey. Uh, doing just fine as always and you?" I ask as I give the handouts to the person behind me.

"Yeah... fine too." she turned back to the front as class started.

Now how am I going to have alone time with her. I'd like to make her smile truly like when she was with Tina, Chelsea and Dora.

Dora!

Mr.Leinsten cleared his throat. "Uhm, Mr.Kross? Mind sharing more about this Dora character?"

Did I yell? Dang!

"Oh. I-I uh. I just remembered that I have to buy a Dora the Explorer bracelet for my little sister. She loves Dora and I thought about the perfect gift for her." I lied. "I didn't mean to yell. Sorry."

People in class were chuckling. "Well. I'm sure you are a great big brother but don't interrupt the class like that again."

"Yeah. Sure."

Lia scribbled something on her notebook furiously before ripping the page and folded it.

After five minutes, she put the paper on my desk.

Crush on Dora?
-LP

I looked at her but she was facing the front. She turned and gave me an amused smile and I shook my head chuckling a bit.

Not really...
-GK

I crumpled the paper and threw it over her head to end on her lap.

She looked at me and I winked at her. She shook her head and let out a light laugh.

The bell rings and I start packing up. "See ya, player." she tells me and leaves the classroom.

"See ya." I mumbled when she's long gone.