Chapter 6

EMILY

***

“I didn’t know you took this class,” I said to Harry.

Harry was the student body president as well as the most popular person in all of Creswell. He was handsome, and smart and was also a member of the football team. He was expected to be a jerk given that he had all the qualifications, but he had a good reputation. He hadn’t dated anyone in all of Cresswell and all the girls who had tried to make a move on him couldn’t say anything bad about him even if they tried. No one dared to spread rumors about him or tarnish his name, because they knew there was no point. It was simply not true.

“I do. I’ve been sitting at the back of the class this whole time,” he said, smiling.

I realized something at that moment.

“How do you know my name?” I asked and he laughed. I didn’t know that it was funny.

“I debated asking you what your name was but I was afraid of sounding like a snob. Plus, I couldn’t pretend I didn’t know you,” he said.

“How do you know me?” I asked.

“Well, you sit at the very front of the class and the professor is always calling on you to answer questions when the rest of us won’t,” he said and smiled. I had never interacted with him, but I noticed how nice his smile was. It took over his whole face. And it was infectious. I smiled back at him.

“Is that why you came to sit at the front? So he could call on you too? Are you trying to steal my thunder?” He laughed. If his smile was infectious, his laugh was something else entirely. It filled my chest with warmth.

“I didn’t know you were funny. I just thought you were smart. And really pretty,” Harry said. I felt my face get hot. I felt myself get tongue-tied. What was happening? This had never happened to me. I’d never allowed myself to get flustered by a guy.

“Most people think I’m not popular because I’m a nerd, but really, it’s because the rest of you wouldn’t stand a chance if I was,” I said, and rejoiced internally at the fact that I had managed to make a comeback and a witty one at that. Harry laughed again and I realized that I liked making him laugh.

“I’m glad I decided to come and sit next to you,” he said and I smiled.

I was glad he decided to come and sit next to me, too. Students started coming into the class and they looked over at what they must have thought was an odd pair before making their way to their own seats. I couldn’t tell exactly what they were thinking but I could make a few guesses.

That we were an odd pair. That Harry must have wanted a change of scenery. I was used to such things being said about me. I had been an outcast my whole life, after all. Mr. Thomas walked in and the class quieted down.

“Hi everyone,” he said and coughed.

“As we can tell I’m not feeling very well today so I suggest we take today’s class as a chance to read ahead. Remember that we have a quiz next week and you also have a report due. You can study here or wherever else you want to go. Have a great day,” he said, leaving the hall.

Some people left while others started talking to each other. Some, like Harry and I, decided to catch up on our reading instead. We sat silently beside each other for a  few minutes before I let out a soft chuckle.

“What’s funny and on what page can I find it?” Harry asked, looking up from his book.

“It’s nothing, it’s just that this moment reminds me of when I was in kindergarten,” I said. Harry raised his eyebrow and I took that as a gesture to continue.

“We used to have Reading Time every Wednesday afternoon and it was just like this,” I said, gesturing to the hall, “except the rest of the kids made spitballs instead of using their phones.”

“And I assume you sat quietly and read your books because you were better than everyone else?” Harry asked.

“How did you know?” I said, letting out a fake gasp. We both laughed.

“It was our favorite time of the week. We always looked forward to it,” I said.

“We?” Harry asked, “don’t tell me someone else was nerdy enough to sit by you and read while they had the chance to run around and throw spitballs?”

I laughed.

“Believe it or not, there was someone else,” I said, “and we sat next to each other the exact same way we’re sitting now.”

“They must have felt the same way I feel now,” Harry said, looking at his book. My heart started pounding in my chest. Was I really falling for Harry and his mediocre lines? I decided to humor him.

“Really? Do you also feel uncomfortable and intimidated?”

He raised his eyebrow at me and laughed. In my short interaction with him, I had already found three things that were attractive about him. How he raised his left eyebrow was the third.

“If that’s what they said they felt, they were lying,” he said, turning serious.

“Really? What would the truth be?”

“Safe. Comfortable. Warm. And only slightly intimidated,” he said, nudging my shoulder.

“I’m glad to hear it,” I said, hoping that I wasn’t turning red in the face. This was not the time or the place to embarrass myself. We settled into an easy silence just like I used to with Gabriel in the past. I didn’t even feel anxious when I thought about him. The thought of him being in the same school as I did not scare me. I felt the exact same way being around Harry that Harry felt about being around me.

But of course, I wasn’t going to tell him. I couldn’t risk wearing my heart on my sleeve. Two hours flew by and by the time the scheduled class time was over, we were the only ones left in the room.

“See you next week?” Harry said as he picked up his books. I nodded, and I smiled because I had something to look forward to.