The Monday after the party I was in a great mood because of what had happened on Friday night. I was nervous to walk into sixth period even though I knew he wouldn't even remember. I was walking to sixth period art while thinking about how stupid I must have looked to care so much. I really got him food and water and a ride home. He probably thought I was in love with him or something. Just when I decided to get these stupid thoughts out of my head I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around while taking an AirPod out, which paused The One That Got Away by Katy Perry. It was Zach. He was wearing his Carrillo sweatshirt with only one arm in the sleeve and cuffed khaki colored pants. No wonder Savannah thinks he's gay.
"Hey I just wanted to uh, thank you for Friday night. I uh, really 'preciate it,"he said awkwardly while scratching the back of his head. He looked like he wasn't used to thanking people for things but I could tell he meant it. I was staring at him with sort of a blank face until his expression revealed to me that he was waiting for my answer.
"Oh yea it was no problem, I have to take care of Savannah all the time," I say so it seemed like it was no big deal. Inside I was really stressing out about how my voice sounded, how I walked, what my hands were doing. I don't know what I was expecting of myself but I was just hoping that somehow I would be someone that he looked at and thought 'wow that's the girl I wanna marry'. I knew that wasn't going to happen but ya know, wishful thinking I guess.
"Oh really? Haha that's probably why you were so good at it," he replied as if he didn't even have to think of a response. This scared the hell out of me. Was this a compliment? Was he thinking about me enough to be able to think I was good at something? I'm overthinking this. If I just don't think about it then everything will seem more natural.
"Oh um, thanks I guess. Just let me know next time you need sobering up," I said to him playfully. I was proud of the way I was presenting myself. My demeanor and my tone of voice. And the way I sounded like I meant what I was saying but not enough to really care.
"Oh don't worry I definitely will," he stated while simultaneously smirking. By the time he said this we had arrived at the art table. We were the first ones there and had to row-sham-bow to decide who had to go get everyone's art from the cabinet. Sadly, I lost and like a very sore loser I pouted and walked away to get them. I bent down to get the pictures from the cabinet and I stand back up, turn around, and see Zach already looking at me. He couldn't have been...no that's silly of course not. Why would he ever be checking me out?
By the time I walk back over to the table, Ari and Savannah were already putting their stuff down. Ari, perky as always, starts up a conversation with everyone at the table. "Hey did any of you go to the party that was Friday night? It was so fun omg I got so stoned," she said. Usually people who say stuff like that annoy me but I could tell she wasn't saying it to try to be cool or let everyone know she smokes. It was just her. I could tell she just genuinely had a great time.
"Hey man what're you doing here?" I look up and see Logan. Shit. Wow. Now I won't be able to talk to Zach because he will be too preoccupied with Logan. Logan's eyes meet mine and he smiles. "Hey stranger, that was a great party, huh," he says very obviously flirting. Wait there's no way Logan Kraut is flirting with me that's so weird. I knew it wasn't all in my head when I looked over at Savannah and Ari and see them looking back and forth from me to Logan with wide eyes. I catch myself getting caught up in my thoughts and decide to spit some words out before it gets weird.
"Oh uh, yeah it was great," I needed to divert the attention off of me somehow because I didn't know what to do and the sooner him and I stop talking the better. "...up until Savannah just had to drag me out because she's scared of her mom." I say while nudging her arm.
"Hey don't blame me, it's not my fault she's crazy." She doesn't mind that I'm shifting the conversation to her because she knows I'm nervous. She would be too if she wasn't dating Andrew. I guess he's the closest thing she could find to Timothée Chalamet.
"So what are you doing in here shouldn't you be in class?" I somehow gained the courage to bring myself back into the conversation just to see how he reacts. He stares at me dead in the eyes before he responds. His mouth is open a little which is kinda really cute.
"I um, transferred into this class, they mixed up my schedule so the whole thing got shuffled," He said shifting his focus slightly to Zach who was super excited that his best friend is now in yet another one of his classes. He could really be a Calvin Klein model if he wanted. I begin wondering what his personality is like. What his favorites foods and movies are and what he thinks of the world. Wait. I can't like him and Zach. I mean Zach and I are never going to happen so maybe if I invest myself into Logan I'll finally be able to shake this crush I have on Zach. But now that they're both in this class all their attention will be on each other. My thought process was interrupted when Logan began walking to my side of the table. There was an empty seat by Zach but he chose to come sit by me. And it looks like I wasn't the only one that noticed. Zach was staring at him intensely; partially confused and partially angry. He looked at me and squished his eyebrows together, expecting me to clear his confusion with a subtle gesture. I don't have the slightest clue what's going on either so I just tilt my head and shrug a little to show him that there isn't anything he doesn't know about. We all start our art and continue talking and laughing and joking as normal and Logan fit right in with the conversation.
