Chapter 1
Sweat pours down my body as I hover over my book. I love reading. Romance novels are my favorite and always have been. I was introduced to the twilight books when I hit middle school and fell in love with the idea of love.
Although I am a hopeless romantic I've accepted that I won't have a love story as epic as the ones in the stories if at all. Here in sunny California males tend to avoid me. And females tend to make fun of me.
So naturally here I am reading. Often I feel invisible as the world swirls around me. I usually stay in the library in my safe zone. It is the way it is.
The a.c does not work in this school at all. The way to describe this school is baking hot-so hot that it feels like I am in an oven, boiling, steaming, baking.
I wipe the sweat pouring down my face and sigh. I hope my point is proven.
A loud racket interrupts the blissful silence in this Library and I look up to find the popular crowd walking in and Nathan Hughes- the school bad boy walks in front of the group with his arm wrapped around Kimberly- his girlfriends shoulders.
I grab my book and go the long way around the room to exit the library without being seen.
I have gathered that I am extremely small which makes it exceedingly easy for me to get away from big groups without being seen.
I am five foot exactly and weigh exactly 100 pounds.
The popular group eats lunch in the library which means that I have to head to the cafeteria and grab a spicy chicken sandwich with tater tots.
I take a seat at a table far away from everyone else and pull out my book again.
I read as I eat and then make my way to class.
I take a seat and rest my head against the table.
The class starts and I raise my head. About halfway through class there is a banging at the door.
The teacher opens it and Nathan Hughes bursts through the door and his hair is extremely messy and his lips are extremely swollen.
Disgust fills me as I think about what he was doing.
The teacher sighs and I feel bad for him. I actually feel bad for all of the teachers here at this school. They have to take a lot of crap from them which is not fair.
He turns to me and then back to Nathan and my gaze drops.
“You can sit there.” The teacher says and I feel my anxiety increase.
I notice the chair next to me move but I keep my gaze on the table.
The teacher continues on and I look up and pay close attention to what he is saying.
“I saw you in the library.” I hear Nathan say and I don't respond.
“Do you always go there?” He asks me and again I don't respond.
“You know it is rude to ignore people.” My eyes snap to meet his gaze and I feel my heart speed up as we look each other in the eyes.
I never noticed it before but his eyes are green, like emerald green, like the kinds I have read about in my novels.
Why is he even talking to me?
As I've previously stated males do not talk to me especially not ones with girlfriends.
My eyes find the teacher again as he explains an assignment we have to do.
He wants us to write an essay that explains whether john Locke's ideas and theories were actually good and about different scientists who were good at science but not a good person.
He says the person who we are sitting next to is who we are going to be working with.
Horror washes through me at the thought of working with him.
No, no, no. I cannot work with him.
“Talk with your partner and figure out who is researching what. This paper must be at least 500 words long.”
I carefully look at Nathan and a sigh escapes my mouth.
“I'll do it.” I murmur.
“What?” He asks me and I clear my throat.
“The project I will do it.” I repeat a bit louder.
“No I heard you I just don't understand why you would do the project for me - well us.” I look away.
“Well I already have to research a country for french class so I can have time to do it.” He sighs.
“How about you can write it and I will read it and tell you if it's good enough.” I shrug. I pull out my notebook and pens and first write out the criteria.
I'm just glad he is going to let me do it. Although I should have expected it, the popular crowd is always so busy being perfect they would probably enjoy a break from school work.
I pack up my supplies just as the bell rings and make my way to my next class - french.
I blink in surprise as Nathan appears in front of me again, what is he doing here?
He sits down next to me.
“What are you doing here?!” I hiss and he chuckles.
“I switched from German to this.” But he has German with Kimberly? You know what? It's not my business I don't care.
Madame Girard comes in and tells everyone it is a work day today.
I pull my notebook and pens I will work on the history project first and then my french one.
“What are you doing?” He asks and leans closer.
“Nothing.” I respond and pull away.
He rests back on his chair. Why'd he even switch out? Was it just so he could be in here to bother me?
I shake my head and focus on my paper while he pulls out his phone.
This paper has got to be amazing and evoke curiosity. I know that Nathan doesn't know me but I love ela.
It's literally my favorite class. “Are you sure you don't want me to write any of it?” He looks up for a minute.
“No I don't want to your help.” I grumble.
“Are you sure? I can do something, anything at least.” I glare up at him.
“I will do the project I just need you to stay out of my way. I am really good at writing. Let me do the work.” I snap and he remains quiet.
