Read Online Sparks the Matchmaker (Aaron Sparks Series) by Russell Elkins - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Russell Elkins
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me?”
“Yup.”
“Fine. So which class do I share with this girl, already?”
“History.”
“What? That’s where I’m going right now!”
“Yup.”
***
Ollie sat in his history class thinking about his future. His eyes darted from one pretty face to another, wondering which girl would soon be on his arm. Sparks, who was sitting next to him, was smug. Ollie was wearing his suspense on his face. He had expected that Sparks would have informed him by the time class started, but that didn’t happen. Of course. He’s maximizing his investment in my misery.
The professor began talking about Tiananmen Square. Ollie decided he couldn’t wait any longer. He put the back of his hand to his mouth and whispered out the side of it, “Tell me who.”
“What? I can’t hear you.”
A little louder, “Who’s the girl?”
“Huh? Speak up.”
Ollie pretended he was clearing his throat. “AH-Who?!” People heard him that time, and some turned to give him looks. He flushed crimson.
“I was just kidding,” Sparks said. “I heard you the first time.”
“Jerk.” Ollie said it much too loudly. Half the class, including the professor, stopped to look at him. “Sorry,” he said. “Those Chinese army guys were jerks. You know,” he gestured to the slideshow image of the student confronting the tank in Tiananmen Square.
Class went on.
Sparks leaned in. “That’s not going to help you catch the girl. She heard you loud and clear with that one.”
Ollie forgot about the history lesson and scanned the room again. She must be sitting somewhere close. He knew she would have to be attractive, or Sparks would never feel confident in what he was doing. In thirty seconds he narrowed his investigation down to two suspects.
He looked at Sparks and then pointed to a beautiful curly-haired brunette one row in front of him and 4 chairs to the right. He raised his eyebrows as if to ask, Is it her?
Sparks nodded, and Ollie felt a jolt of excitement run through him. He wasn’t sure whether or not Sparks would tell him who the girl was, even if he guessed right. He felt like something was going to happen in his favor for once. His future finally had a face. And it’s gorgeous! A smile spread itself luxuriantly across his face.
He spent the rest of his class time studying. But not history.
He carefully observed the way she chewed her bottom lip as she concentrated. He memorized every curl in her long brown hair. He took mental notes on every tiny detail.
Hearing other students start to rustle around, Ollie looked up at the clock and saw that the bell was soon to ring. Ollie didn’t move. There was only one person in the class who was still listening to the lecture and she was the only other person who hadn’t begun to pack up her books, waiting for the bell to ring. So he sat and studied her some more.
“You’re going to need to stall a little,” Sparks said after the bell finally rang. “She’s planning on sticking around after class to ask the professor something.”
“I’m going to meet her right now?” He was getting nervous.
Ollie waited just outside the classroom, trying to look nonchalant. He watched as students from other rooms and lecture halls began pouring into the hallway. He was tall enough to be able to monitor the many heads tightly packing in together as the stream of students gradually grew larger and larger, flowing toward the exits. From his vantage point he eventually saw a familiar curly brown head slip into the stream, so he bravely dove into the current that swept toward the doors where it opened up outside into an ocean of college students.
“Just keep following a few steps behind her for now,” Sparks said. “See how she didn’t close the zipper on her backpack all the way?”
“Is it going to pop open? Shouldn’t I say something?”
“You’re going to let it happen so you can help her with her books.”
“Why can’t I just help her zip it up? Then she doesn’t
“Yup.”
“Fine. So which class do I share with this girl, already?”
“History.”
“What? That’s where I’m going right now!”
“Yup.”
***
Ollie sat in his history class thinking about his future. His eyes darted from one pretty face to another, wondering which girl would soon be on his arm. Sparks, who was sitting next to him, was smug. Ollie was wearing his suspense on his face. He had expected that Sparks would have informed him by the time class started, but that didn’t happen. Of course. He’s maximizing his investment in my misery.
The professor began talking about Tiananmen Square. Ollie decided he couldn’t wait any longer. He put the back of his hand to his mouth and whispered out the side of it, “Tell me who.”
“What? I can’t hear you.”
A little louder, “Who’s the girl?”
“Huh? Speak up.”
Ollie pretended he was clearing his throat. “AH-Who?!” People heard him that time, and some turned to give him looks. He flushed crimson.
“I was just kidding,” Sparks said. “I heard you the first time.”
“Jerk.” Ollie said it much too loudly. Half the class, including the professor, stopped to look at him. “Sorry,” he said. “Those Chinese army guys were jerks. You know,” he gestured to the slideshow image of the student confronting the tank in Tiananmen Square.
Class went on.
Sparks leaned in. “That’s not going to help you catch the girl. She heard you loud and clear with that one.”
Ollie forgot about the history lesson and scanned the room again. She must be sitting somewhere close. He knew she would have to be attractive, or Sparks would never feel confident in what he was doing. In thirty seconds he narrowed his investigation down to two suspects.
He looked at Sparks and then pointed to a beautiful curly-haired brunette one row in front of him and 4 chairs to the right. He raised his eyebrows as if to ask, Is it her?
Sparks nodded, and Ollie felt a jolt of excitement run through him. He wasn’t sure whether or not Sparks would tell him who the girl was, even if he guessed right. He felt like something was going to happen in his favor for once. His future finally had a face. And it’s gorgeous! A smile spread itself luxuriantly across his face.
He spent the rest of his class time studying. But not history.
He carefully observed the way she chewed her bottom lip as she concentrated. He memorized every curl in her long brown hair. He took mental notes on every tiny detail.
Hearing other students start to rustle around, Ollie looked up at the clock and saw that the bell was soon to ring. Ollie didn’t move. There was only one person in the class who was still listening to the lecture and she was the only other person who hadn’t begun to pack up her books, waiting for the bell to ring. So he sat and studied her some more.
“You’re going to need to stall a little,” Sparks said after the bell finally rang. “She’s planning on sticking around after class to ask the professor something.”
“I’m going to meet her right now?” He was getting nervous.
Ollie waited just outside the classroom, trying to look nonchalant. He watched as students from other rooms and lecture halls began pouring into the hallway. He was tall enough to be able to monitor the many heads tightly packing in together as the stream of students gradually grew larger and larger, flowing toward the exits. From his vantage point he eventually saw a familiar curly brown head slip into the stream, so he bravely dove into the current that swept toward the doors where it opened up outside into an ocean of college students.
“Just keep following a few steps behind her for now,” Sparks said. “See how she didn’t close the zipper on her backpack all the way?”
“Is it going to pop open? Shouldn’t I say something?”
“You’re going to let it happen so you can help her with her books.”
“Why can’t I just help her zip it up? Then she doesn’t