feel his eyes on me everywhere I went. Dakota commented on it when we headed to our lockers after second period to exchange books.
"What's with Grayson today?" she asked, then answered her own question before I could comment. "I think he has a thing for you and he finally realizes how awesome you are."
"Whatever," was the only thing I could say, trying not to picture what it would be like to be liked by someone like Grayson. Just because Dakota was the boy crazy one in our friendship, didn't mean I didn't notice when boys were cute. I just wasn't as vocal about it. Especially about someone like Grayson. He’d plagued me like the Black Death since we were seven.
"Whatever, you. I'm right. I know it." I didn't reply to that, because I knew it was no use. When Dakota made up her mind, there was no changing it.
Grayson continued to stare at me through the science class we shared, right before lunch. Every time I glanced up, he'd duck his head, his expression unreadable. But what did I really know as a twelve year old kid? I was beyond confused, but not as confused as when he came up to Dakota and me while we were heading to lunch.
"Hey Brooklynn, Dakota," he greeted us as if we'd been best friends forever. Dakota gave him the deadliest of stares but his eyes were fully on me. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
At first I thought he was talking to Dakota, so I glanced at her, but she just shook her head and took a step toward Grayson.
"I'll be over there and I'll be watching," she stated, before she left me with the boy who filled my life with constant teasing.
"What do you want?" I tried to muster up some of her courage, but all I ended up doing was clutching my sketchbook to my chest and trying not to shake.
"I was, umm, I was wondering—" he started, but wouldn't meet my eye. I couldn't imagine what he may be trying to ask me. It wasn't like I could help him with his math homework. He was an A student, just like me.
"I wanted to ask you about your clothes." He finally blurted out, and I took a literal step back.
"My clothes?"
"Well, umm, yeah. I mean, you make it all yourself right?" I didn't think a boy would know something like that but it wasn't as if I made it a secret.
"Yes?"
"Well, I'd like to, umm, see your book and stuff. I've seen you carry it around." He still wouldn't look me in the eye and I had no idea what to say. How in the world was I supposed to respond to this?
"Why do you care all of a sudden?" was the only question I couldn't come up with at that moment. His eyes finally met mine and I didn't know what I saw in them, but it was something I hadn't seen before.
"Because it's cool," he said, his voice shaking just a bit and for some reason, I believed him. No guy ever showed interest in my designs before. Well, except Chance, but I never showed him anything. I wasn't sure I was going to share anything with Grayson either, but if he wanted to start being nice to me, maybe we could work something out. I told him so. He looked somewhat guilty for a second, then asked if he could eat lunch with us today. I really had no answer to that at first, but I nodded eventually. More than anything, I was curious.
I should've listened more closely to that saying about curiosity killing the cat. My inquisitive mind wanted to find out if his tormenting was something other than a boy being mean. I’d lied to Dakota. I’d noticed the way he sometimes looked at me when he thought no one was watching. I wanted to find out if maybe he was finally growing up, turning over a new leaf, if I was part of that growth. I was apprehensive, and yet, I let myself be pulled in. I should've listened to my head instead of my heart.
We walked into the cafeteria together, my hands still clutching the notebook closely to my chest. I felt like everyone was watching us, waiting for something to happen, and I was right. As soon as I sat down, Grayson mumbled something under his breath, something that I thought sounded like 'sorry'
"What's with Grayson today?" she asked, then answered her own question before I could comment. "I think he has a thing for you and he finally realizes how awesome you are."
"Whatever," was the only thing I could say, trying not to picture what it would be like to be liked by someone like Grayson. Just because Dakota was the boy crazy one in our friendship, didn't mean I didn't notice when boys were cute. I just wasn't as vocal about it. Especially about someone like Grayson. He’d plagued me like the Black Death since we were seven.
"Whatever, you. I'm right. I know it." I didn't reply to that, because I knew it was no use. When Dakota made up her mind, there was no changing it.
Grayson continued to stare at me through the science class we shared, right before lunch. Every time I glanced up, he'd duck his head, his expression unreadable. But what did I really know as a twelve year old kid? I was beyond confused, but not as confused as when he came up to Dakota and me while we were heading to lunch.
"Hey Brooklynn, Dakota," he greeted us as if we'd been best friends forever. Dakota gave him the deadliest of stares but his eyes were fully on me. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
At first I thought he was talking to Dakota, so I glanced at her, but she just shook her head and took a step toward Grayson.
"I'll be over there and I'll be watching," she stated, before she left me with the boy who filled my life with constant teasing.
"What do you want?" I tried to muster up some of her courage, but all I ended up doing was clutching my sketchbook to my chest and trying not to shake.
"I was, umm, I was wondering—" he started, but wouldn't meet my eye. I couldn't imagine what he may be trying to ask me. It wasn't like I could help him with his math homework. He was an A student, just like me.
"I wanted to ask you about your clothes." He finally blurted out, and I took a literal step back.
"My clothes?"
"Well, umm, yeah. I mean, you make it all yourself right?" I didn't think a boy would know something like that but it wasn't as if I made it a secret.
"Yes?"
"Well, I'd like to, umm, see your book and stuff. I've seen you carry it around." He still wouldn't look me in the eye and I had no idea what to say. How in the world was I supposed to respond to this?
"Why do you care all of a sudden?" was the only question I couldn't come up with at that moment. His eyes finally met mine and I didn't know what I saw in them, but it was something I hadn't seen before.
"Because it's cool," he said, his voice shaking just a bit and for some reason, I believed him. No guy ever showed interest in my designs before. Well, except Chance, but I never showed him anything. I wasn't sure I was going to share anything with Grayson either, but if he wanted to start being nice to me, maybe we could work something out. I told him so. He looked somewhat guilty for a second, then asked if he could eat lunch with us today. I really had no answer to that at first, but I nodded eventually. More than anything, I was curious.
I should've listened more closely to that saying about curiosity killing the cat. My inquisitive mind wanted to find out if his tormenting was something other than a boy being mean. I’d lied to Dakota. I’d noticed the way he sometimes looked at me when he thought no one was watching. I wanted to find out if maybe he was finally growing up, turning over a new leaf, if I was part of that growth. I was apprehensive, and yet, I let myself be pulled in. I should've listened to my head instead of my heart.
We walked into the cafeteria together, my hands still clutching the notebook closely to my chest. I felt like everyone was watching us, waiting for something to happen, and I was right. As soon as I sat down, Grayson mumbled something under his breath, something that I thought sounded like 'sorry'
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