My Favourite Part

60(a): heads or tails

Scott Kellerman

The morning had started as ordinarily as all the others. Me, Jimi and a few of the others had been 'studying' all morning, a.k.a reading half a page of the revision guide before throwing scrunched up bits of paper across the table, and scrolling through Instagram.

When Evangeline rushed in, she'd headed straight for a solo table, and didn't exactly look as though she was in the mood for conversation, so I shut Jimi down as soon as I saw the mischievous glint in his eye, and told him not to try anything.

"Okay, hear me out," he prefaces, with a hand outstretched, asking for patience. "Coin flip."

"What?"

"Heads, we study; tails... you invite Evangeline to come sit with us."

I bury my head in my hands as the others, Gordon, Toby and Ray, make boisterous sounds of approval, even though don't really know about Evangeline – E.F.C and Barbara's party and all that. But they know of her. Everyone does. The smiley redhead from English Lit., smart and stunning in equal measure. Too alluring not to know it; too quick-witted to be undermined because of it. Reputation is everything – such is the beauty of high school.

"Jimi, no."

"Too late," Jimi beams as everyone's eyes, mine included, follow a somersaulting piece of copper as it shoots up and hurtles back down into Jimi's hand, and he clamps it between his palms.

Slowly, he unveils the coin, and everyone leans in towards him with bated breath.

...Heads.

"Studying it is. See," I scoff, re-opening my textbook as I let out a sigh of relief, hopefully masked as a cool indifference, "even the universe doesn't want us to flop our A-Levels."

Jimi rolls his eyes petulantly, but he props open his notebook against his knees nonetheless. Chuckling, I do the same, but not before quickly flitting my gaze over to her for a microsecond. She's settled at the desk now, and looks rather comfortable, sat with one leg tucked beneath her as she scrolls through her phone.

I shake my head to try and tune out the distractions, and tune into price determination in a competitive market. Riveting stuff.

"Evangeline!"

The sheer volume of Jimi's voice makes me flinch, but once I register the name that he's yelled, the alarm drops right into my stomach.

"Jimi, what the fuck! You said 'heads: we study'!" I hiss, sounding like a whiny child fussing over the rules of a game.

If looks good kill, Jimi Coker would have breathed his last breath today. I prick him in his side, shooting the nastiest daggers my usually unthreatening eyes can muster, but the bastard's as ballsy as he is bothersome, so my glare doesn't do a thing to deter him – instead, he waves her over once he's got her attention.

I groan, slinking further down into my beanbag, behind Jimi and, hopefully, out of Evangeline's line of sight.

"Did she hear? Is she coming?" I mouth to Ray. Toby and Gordon are already snickering away, but Ray at least has the decency to mask his smirk and nod, confirming the answer I dread.

"You're gonna thank me for this, Kellie," Jimi says in a sing-song whisper, turning to me momentarily. When he moves again, I see her, and I'm certain she's seen me.

"Hey," I say, my voice dropping an octave in an attempt at non-chalant charm. The corner of Toby's lip quivers as his eyes dart over to me. Shit, did that sound douche-y? Does she think I'm some douche trying to impress her?