Love Within

Chapter 1 - Connor

"Hey," I greeted her, standing next to her table. The light behind me cast a long shadow that fell over her. She glanced at me, her eyes meeting my kneecaps. She turned back to her book, lifting one hand in a half-wave. "Can I sit with you for this class?" I asked her, gesturing to the empty seat next to her. Truth be told, though we had assigned seats, the teacher didn't really care, since most of us moved after a week in our assigned spots. She shrugged. I sat down next to her, amazed she could hear me over her music.

"What are you reading?" I asked softly. She didn't respond, instead turning her page, continuing to read. She was a fast reader. "Um...music? What are you listening to?" Still no response. "Won't you speak to me?"

She sat up, uncurling from her hunched-over-ball position. She removed one earbud--the one facing me--and regarded the hollow at the base of my throat seriously. "I know I tolerated you sitting next to me, but I prefer that you do not disturb my reading. If you feel an urge in the slightest, please return to your own desk and spare me the annoyance," she said flatly. She inserted her earbud again and continued to read, hunching over her book again. I breathed out in a silent sigh.

"Jade's such a bitch," a girl muttered behind me. I turned to look at Cassandra, the perfectly-polished, airbrushed girl with the golden-spun-silk hair and aquamarine eyes. She batted her perfectly-made-up eyes at me. I knew she believed in her power to woo every guy, but she didn't have me fooled for a second. I knew the kind of person she really was.

"Just give her a chance to open up," I replied calmly, meeting her eyes. Instantly, I nervously pushed my square-framed glasses up the bridge of my nose. I briefly wondered if they truly made my dark eyes look huge, and whether or not Cassandra felt unsettled by me staring at her. She shouldn't have been--pretty girl as she was, she should be used to attention. She didn't flinch from my gaze, her aquamarine eyes softening as I awkwardly ran my hand through my unkempt, tousled dark hair. Self-conscious, I tugged the collar of my long-sleeved black sweater up to cover the chalky skin at the base of my throat. I was not muscular, nor as thin as a stick--I had the typical lean cords of muscle that belonged to a typical healthy teenage boy.

Cassandra finally broke eye contact with me, her gaze falling upon Jade's back. "Connor, I don't think Jade wants to open up. She's made that very clear." I flinched, unsettled by the sound of my name coming from Cassandra's flawlessly-glossed lips.

"I'll be patient." Cassandra nodded awkwardly then turned away to continue talking to her friends. I stared in silence at the desk in front of me, wringing my hands together in front of me. At last, Jade closed her book, packed her bag and stood up.

"Ms. Greene, may I please be excused?" Ms. Greene, startled, nodded wordlessly, her mouth hanging open slightly. I doubted Ms. Greene had any idea of what she had just done. Like everyone else in class, she was probably shocked that Jade had spoken in a full sentence, and at a volume louder than a whisper. All eyes fell on me as Jade exited the room, her sneakers silent on the tiled floor. No one spoke for a long time.

After a while, the room erupted in hushed whispers as everyone attempted to dissect the reason why Jade had just left.

"Did Connor try flirting with her?"

"Ew, why pick her?"

"Yeah, but it's CONNOR we're talking about."

"It makes sense that two uglies would get together. I'd like to see their wedding and their ugly future children." I winced. Ouch.

"No, shut up! Connor is pretty cute. Well, I guess Jade is kinda pretty too..."

"JADE? PRETTY? Nuh-uh. Well, okay, Connor's pretty cute." I rolled my eyes and stood up, slamming my hands on the desk.