a Se

k the top. All that energy I'd acquired on first seeing KJ, and all that plotting on how to talk to him now that he'd already made the first move when we we

alked to me, how it seemed like he was an angel that'd been dro

s what best friends do, but he was being a party pooper and was unsupportive of me admiring KJ, and if th

acks under the hot sun in sweaty clothes and equally sweaty bodies weren't

t bursts of running, 50m, 75, 100, an

ody, I slowed to a jog. And then t

Coach Daniel, our PE teacher

d my hands in the air, shaking my head

ine. To the bench!" Aga

iel could go one day without blowing a whistle through one or his lips, I'll

e the sweat on my face and going down my neck, I sauntered over to the bench

two huge gulps of the water sloshing insid

he voice came to me a

my gaze fell on Anabel

fting her weight to her right leg so her hip protruded. "Are you sure you didn'

s. "What do you

d I possibly want from you? Your pale skin? Hell, n

I muttered un

t?" She raise

ined s

ossed her arms. "I'm just here to warn you to st

o her then. "Would it h

ou. I mean, have you looked in the mirror lately or something? What w

f face?" My eyebrows shot

Daniel's knees, I thought but foug

p to both of us, his whistle i

do, I raised my hand to my ears and clamped them shut. The se

winced, st

a good laugh whil

re, girls?" He fina

my own here, by myself, when Anabel couldn

eyebrows pulled down as he looked

guy." I

l, until finally, Coach said, "Get back to the

eeline for the girls' locker room. There I took a shower that did a gr

istory class partner but as someone in his league. Someone he can

often referred to me as cute. But that was just it. I didn't give off any other vibes. And I nee

him walking up to me after I'd

s he got to me. "What a pleasurable coincidence. Let's get mar

ired, Matt. Really, really tired, and

then he said finally, "Oh, okay. I'm

I'm sorry. I shouldn't

was being a dick. Would you l

yes lit up. "Mint

orite." H

ice cream, Matt!" The mere thought of the suga

s smiled. "Let's b

ing the ice cream parlor a cou

him as he opened the door for me since my hands

aid and shut the door to the

favorite, bubblegum ice cream, in his left hand. With his f

day?" He asked after a short while in

wed it and spoke up. "Oh, it was nothing. Anabel was being a bitch again and

"So you've got a

d at him. "Why did

er-of-factly. "Chortled, whiche

slurped more ice cream, mov

thing though?

wh

g a crush

Matthew

cream cone, I slapped a

don't know, Elena, i

softly, noting that he used my full

y on the first day. She's guarded so

ut

tes. "And he turned up just exactly the way you'd wanted him to, but it's

d reminded me of the best thing in th

gue before I said, "But he

t raised a questio

ed my eyes and took another scoop of the co

s looked back at the toa

are, Matt," I st

offed. "How do I kno

lot, you should know," I said and t

I stepped out of his car after te

moment?" He asked as I was abo

s back. She just got b

d, "maybe tomorrow. Let

actl

ront door, Matthew's car h

when she was home. It was her standing rule. Being an avid reader and watcher of

ong for Karen to get to

sleeping," I began as

aid immediately, but the redness i

shook my head. "You're just

ing back into the living room wit

ad or something and you wouldn't hear

k a sip of water. "I

ome?" She asked. "Or you still

old her. "A

of the glass table before she sat down on the couch and

and was currently studying at Clemson Universit

couch I was seated on, opposite hers. "Mrs. Green

e biology teach

," I

"I do miss her. Sh

l her you

still have?" Karen smirked.

er nerdy,"

u were," sh

t to seize the opportunity and tell her

ow I'm listening. Te

ushed, looking dow

hen I