Chapter 4
The walk to school is dreadful. It is warmer than I was expecting, and the sweat is making my curls stick to the back of my neck.
Approaching the parking lot of school, I see Everett sitting on his tailgate, his buddies surrounding him as usual.
His bright gaze meets mine, and he gives me a dimpled grin. I immediately look down.
After brushing my way through the halls, doing my best to avoid bumping into anyone, I walk into chemistry, and another heart-shaped note is on my desk.
I’m the first one here, so he must have come in early to drop it off.
Did he do that so no one would see him talking to me?
Why are you assuming it's from him? Getting hopeful are we?
Even with that doubt in my head, excitement fills my body and a small smile tugs at my lips involuntarily. Bad sign, Leo. Bad freaking sign! I need to snip this budding rose of a crush away.
I walk to the trash can and let the note hang over the top. My brain tells my fingers to release their grip, to let go of the hold that Everett suddenly placed upon me. But my traitorous fingers won't drop the note.
Cursing him as I walk back to my desk, I fall into my chair at the sheer emotional exhaustion this boy is putting me through.
I give in reluctantly and open his note.
His barely legible scribble makes butterflies erupt in my stomach.
Just knowing that he took the time to write this does something to me.
Leo. I like that.
I like you.
And no such thing as rest for me.
I've got pretty birds to chase.
—Ev
My cheeks hurt from trying to fight the smile on my face.
I read the note over and over again. He likes me?
Like, likes me, or maybe as a person, a friend?
God, why is he doing this to me? Why is he making me blush and smile and igniting little birds inside my chest?
And what does he mean "pretty birds to chase? "
If he really knew me, though, he wouldn’t like me.
Compared to him, I am nothing. Insignificant.
Disgraceful. Trash. It’s what they all call my mother.
By extension, I am the same in their eyes.
I am meant for an average life. His is meant for a brightness and success that will consume all those around him, in the best way.
He already consumes so much around him, filling this dull town with so much vibrance.
I strengthen my will, tuck the note away, and decide I will not reply. I will not engage in any more silly little notes. I will ignore him and my heart. I will make it out of here. Nothing and no one will keep me from my escape, not even him.
My leg bounces, and I run my fingertips over the rim of my water bottle as I wait for him. Shit. No, as I wait for class to start. Students begin to file in, and he comes in last. I don’t make eye contact. Ignore him. Ignore him. Don’t look. Don’t look.
He bumps into my table, faking that he didn’t see the corner of it. The sudden jolt of my desk makes my eyes fly up to him. Stupid reflexes.
“Oh man, I’m such a klutz. Sorry about that.” He says it in a voice that tells me he is, in fact, not sorry at all.
He reaches down and picks up the pencil he knocked off. When he sets it back down on my desk, he leaves another note and walks away cool as a cucumber, while I'm freaking out! I wonder if others can see my shaking hands or if it's just in my head.
I hate that he is making me nervous, but still, I open the note.
I know you probably aren't going to reply to the last note.
But I want to inform you that I am a stubborn guy, so I'm going to keep bothering you until you talk to me.
You can do notes instead of words.
For now.
—Ev
Stupid, stupid girl. Me. I am the stupid girl because that note makes my heart-wings flutter, and if I could cage them, I would. Why is he chasing after me so hard? We have been attending the same school since middle school, and now all of a sudden he is interested in me? What changed?
Nothing. Nothing has changed. He must have some bet going with his friends or he is thinking I could be a good rebound after Natasha. But if that were the case, why me? There are plenty of girls more suited to him. If he were with me, everyone would wonder. They would judge him.
I tuck that note away with the other. I don’t look back at him. I won’t. I can ignore notes. Easy.
What’s not easy to ignore is him sliding into the chair next to me. In the front. He doesn’t sit in the front. What the hell…
“What are you doing, Leo?” His smooth voice is laced with flirtatious poison.
I whip my head toward him, my curls flying into my face. Smooth, Leo. I ungracefully brush them back. I’m sure making my curly mane ten times worse.
“What am I doing? What are you doing?” My voice is a hushed whisper. It's as if I can hide the fact that we are talking. But everyone's eyes are already drawn to this sudden seating change.
“Well, I saw you tuck my note away…again. At least you didn’t almost throw this one away.”
Shit. He saw that.
“…and I figured you probably have decided to try to ignore me. Clearly my kind offer to start with notes isn’t going to work, so I am forced to take drastic measures.”
Jesus. I cannot have him sit next to me in class. Everyone will talk. That is not happening.
“Fine! You crazy person! I will reply to your note. Just go away.”
He chuckles. “Nah, I think I like it up here. I might just stay.”
I drop my head into my hands then peer at him from the corner of my eye. He is watching me with clear amusement on his devastating face.
“You are cruel. I will literally do anything to get you to leave.”
“Anything?” He raises his dark eyebrow at me, and his dimple comes out with that stupid cute smirk.
Shit.
“I didn’t mean that,” I say in a rush, my head staying buried in my hands. What am I doing? I am a decently smart-ish person, I have a 4.0 GPA, but he comes into my space and I go haywire. All my wires are crossed, and I’m malfunctioning.
“Nope. You said anything. I’ll leave and, because I’m such a gentleman, I’ll take a rain check on that anything…” He grabs my chin and pulls my face from my hands, turning it so I am looking at him. “And remove your hands from that beautiful face. You should never hide, especially from me.”
I can’t breathe. What the heck is going on right now? Did he just call me beautiful?
He goes back to his seat. His buddies surround him like moths to a flame. That’s exactly what he is, a flame that will ignite the fire of my ruin. I just know it. As sure as I know my heart is beating, I know he will ruin me. Question is, can I survive it?
Mr. Roby claps his hands, pulling my attention back to him with his brown suede pants, plaid button-up, and deep-red suspenders.
“Alright, folks. Today you will be choosing your lab partner. The partner you choose will be with you the rest of the year, so choose wisely. If you break up with them or drama happens, I don’t care. You’re stuck with them.”
Students begin moving seats and shuffling around. My gut tells me who my new lab partner will be. But I am hoping that since this is a long-term commitment, he won’t want to be stuck with me all year.
But in typical Leo fashion, my gut is right and my hopes are crushed.
“Hey, lab partner.” He plants his perfect butt right in the chair next to me again.
My forehead finds the desk, and a low aggravated groan leaves me. “I hate you.”
“Nah, you’ll love me. One day.”
I turn my head, leaving it on the desk, and glare at him.
“You’re cute when you're mad.”
“Please stop talking.”
He chuckles. God, that smile, that dimple, that sharp jaw. Do you think I could get through this year blindfolded? I might need ear plugs too, cause the smooth, deep melody of his voice does something to me that I can’t really define.