Caramel, Ginger.

Jump Me

"So. Where were you before you decided to grace our school with your awesomeness?"
The question is from Lenah, one of the twins' friends, and I can't help but smile. They have all surprisingly welcomed me into their circle with no difficulties at all, finding my story about dumping Mark onto the floor amusing. They all seem to be so different from each other, but somehow they all fit into the group. They don't have a distinctive characteristic that makes them similar; everyone has their own way of speaking, dressing and eating. You can't really call them the nerds, or the goths, or the rebels. They're just friends based on personalities, regardless of appearance. I think this is why I feel so at home with them. I don't need to work to fit in. It just happens.
Lenah is half Asian. With huge glasses and a petite frame, she's a bubble of energy and enthusiasm. But that isn't her most striking feature. She has electric red hair that's in a short pixie cut, and I can safely say she rocks it with no effort at all. She's wearing a floral crop top and black jeans with a denim jacket, and I can see she has a belly piercing. You can't really tell if she's nerdy or adventurous, which makes her more interesting.
I take a sip of my water before I answer her. "Some small town west of here. It sucked, by the way."
"Well I hope it's not the same case with our small town. I think you'd like it here if you gave it a chance. Not all of us are shitty human beings." She casts a pointed glare at a table to my left, where the two snooty guys are sitting with their friends. I laugh.
"Yeah. I kind of figured."
My eyes unwillingly flit to the guy sitting at the very end of our table. He has earpods in so he's not even bothering to take part in the conversation. But you can feel his presence because he's just that captivating. He's tall, so tall I probably have to crane my neck to look at him. I know this because the twins and I arrived at the table just as he entered the cafeteria. He gave everyone fist bumps, sat down and didn't speak to anyone again. He didn't even notice I was there.
But somehow, I can't stop looking at him. He has hazel eyes, almost golden, and at one point I wonder if they're actually contact lens. I'm not so sure. His hair is a deep chestnut brown, cut short on the sides and longer on the top with a few blonde highlights. A few strands keep getting in his eyes, and every few minutes he sweeps them off his face as he scrolls through his phone. He is just so entrancing to look at, it takes Herculean effort to tear my eyes away from him. At some point, Dana, who is sitting next to me, notices this and gives me a knowing smile before she scoots closer.
"His name is Hunter Jones. He prefers his full name but no one ever really has that much energy to use it every time, so we just call him Hunter. He has only ever dated one girl the entire time we've been here, and she moved away. Otherwise, he doesn't really interact with people. Says small talk irritates him. But we've been friends with him since we were kids. He's a pretty awesome guy, always there for all of us when we need him. He's great once you get to really know him. "
I absorb all the information like it's the key to finding a treasure no one knows about. I'm intrigued. He's dated one girl? With looks like that?
I don't realise I've asked the question out loud until Lenah leans over and joins the conversation. Steve and Flo, the other people at the table besides us, are deep in their own conversation so they don't pay any attention to us. Hunter is in his own little world with music in his ears so I don't worry about him. Lenah is the only one who heard what I said.
"If it wasn't for the fact that he's not my type at all, I'd have jumped Hunter a long time ago. So yeah, I can definitely understand where you're coming from. Go for it, girl. You might get lucky."
I can't help but burst into laughter. Lenah is just so blunt to a point where it's almost embarassing. "I don't think getting jumped by the strange new girl is on his to do list today. But thanks for the advice."
Lenah wiggles her eyebrows and leans back. Just then, her phone rings and she excuses herself to go answer it.
I get up to go dump the leftovers on my tray into the trashcan as I think over what the girls just told me. Hunter is definitely interesting and closed off, but I feel like getting to know him better. Why, I don't even know. I rarely obsess over guys the way I'm doing with him, and I've only known him for like five minutes. He hasn't even said a word to me.
I feel someone's presence on my left just as I finish scraping off my tray, and a very strong scent enters my nostrils.
"For the record, looks aren't everything."
I know who it is before I even turn to look. And my heart gallops in my chest as I realise what just happened.
Hunter heard everything we said about him.
The whole time, he was listening to our conversation.
Oh my God.
I timidly turn in his direction to try and gauge his mood. Is he angry that we were gossiping? Or flattered? When I look up at his face, he's not smiling, but neither is he hostile. His face is neutral.
He continues. "I wasn't planning on listening in. I just happened to pause my music right at the moment Dana said my name. I got curious and tuned in."
I don't know what to say to that. I'm so embarrassed I can feel my face going hot. Now he probably thinks I'm some weird girl with a developing crush on him. Which isn't completely wrong, but still.
"And I could feel you staring the whole time before that."
Oh ground. Please open up and swallow me.
I don't say anything for a few seconds.
"Sorry you had to hear all that."
He shrugs.
I see this as my chance to get lost before I embarass myself any further, so I mumble a goodbye and turn to make a hasty retreat. But before I'm completely out of earshot, Hunter calls my name. I slowly turn around. He knows my name?
A small smile is on his face, and I can't help but notice how great it makes him look.
"Yeah?"
"You can jump me anytime." Then he winks.
I am so shocked, all I can do is open my mouth, but no words come out.
I continue hurrying away, my face on fire.