His brown hair is sticking up in all directions from running his hands through it while I was trying to explain a formula to him. He’s got that surfer boy golden skin, like he spends all of his free time outside. His black Henley is pulled tight over his chest and now I'm the one caught staring.
“Wanna go and get something to eat? I'm starving.”
“Huh? Oh, um…yeah, I was just thinking about how hungry I was.”
He smiles back full force because he knows I just checked him out and was staring at his chest. He pushes back from the table and stands, putting his books back into his bag.
“I know a great pizza place about ten minutes away, how about it?” He swings the backpack over his shoulder, picks his guitar case up and stands looking down at me, waiting for an answer.
I’m packing my books away and stop. The shock is probably evident on my face, Ethan Jamison just asked me to go get something to eat with him. Wait, does this count as a date? What the hell ever. There's only one place I'm heading right now.
“Count me in. I’ll go get my car and follow you there. Or wait…do you need a ride?”
“No, I’m good, my car’s in the lot.” He turns to leave and I’m following behind, trying my best to not drool as I watch his ass. I’m using all my restraint right now to stop myself from doing a happy dance.
I’M AT A stoplight and Blair is following behind in her car. I’m looking in the rear view mirror and I can just about make out her face. She’s singing along to music, throwing her head back and forth and from what I can see, she’s really going for it. I can’t help but watch, it’s pretty fucking funny.
I hear a car honk and realize that the lights have changed and I'm still sitting here like a creeper watching her. I put my foot down and head towards Marco’s Pizzeria. It’s been bugging me since I walked in the library and saw her—why don't I know who she is? I pretty much know every senior in the school. As soon as I climbed in my car, I texted Jackson asking who she was and if he knew her. I still haven't had a reply. Asshole.
I’ve pulled up and we’re walking into the restaurant when my cell finally beeps with a new message from Jackson;
From: Jackson
Dude, Brie’s friend Emily Wilson, the girl that died of cancer? She’s her friend — sometimes hangs with Brie and Casey. Why? She your tutor? Corey reckons the chick’s a Stage 5 clinger. Lol!
I’m walking and not paying attention to anything but my cell when I slam straight into the back of Blair who’s stopped walking. She’s standing at the entrance by the ‘Please Wait to be Seated’ sign and the force of my impact makes her stumble forward, so I throw my arms out to catch her by the waist and drop my cell in the process.
“Shit, sorry…you okay? I didn't see you stop.”
“I’m fine, no worries.”
I stand holding her waist and we just stare at each other until suddenly she shrugs away from my grasp, picks up my phone and passes it back to me.
I glance back down at the text from Jackson and hope she hasn't seen it. She’s looking at me strangely. I shrug and try to school my confusion as to how Corey knows this chick. I don't know why, but it bothers me.
“Is everything okay?” she asks in a concerned voice.
“Yeah, my friend, Jackson was just replying to a text I’d sent him.”
“If you had other plans we can just forget this, I don't mind.”
“No, not at all, don't be dumb. I wouldn't bring you here and then just bail. I’m not a total dick.”
“Just a little bit of one, huh?” she says, smiling.
“Wow, now you've gone and hurt my feelings,” I say, mock pouting and clutching my chest.
“I’m sure you’ll get over it.”
I’m dying to tell her I’d rather get under it but don’t. “I’m actually a really sensitive guy.” I wink, turn my cell onto vibrate and put it back in my pocket.
“You been to this place before? I must eat here at least once a week. They have the best meatball pizzas on the planet.”
She scrunches her nose up and shakes her head no. “I’m not a meatball fan, they make me think of dog food,” she says as she bites her lip.
She looks up at me through the black-rimmed hipster glasses she’s wearing; I’m too busy staring at her lips to realize that she’s still talking to me. Now I have no clue what she just said. Awkward.
The whole time we were in the library I was tripping over my tongue like a complete loser. I was fine until the whole staring at her tits and pi explanation, then I just lost it. I started nervous laughing and then she snorted. By that point I was laughing my ass off. Since then all I’ve been doing is trying to think of something clever or funny to say.