Sparks Reignited

12 | Blaire

Blaire picks a french fry from her tray and throws it into her mouth, chewing on it. We've located a table at the back of the cafeteria, which is the quietest and most comfortable spot where you will find all the dorks at.

It's our safest zone. Our little cocoon to keep us safe from the endless high school drama that usually occurs on the other side of the cafeteria. Right now, some soccer players are causing a little ruckus about someone making a foul move during one of their practice games.

Their voices fade into the background. I resume eating my lunch—a Cajun chicken wrap and a Coke. As I chew slowly, a feeling of someone watching me forces me to glance up.

Blaire studies me with an unfathomable look, her eyes flitting between me and somewhere else behind me. When she can't seem to hold back her burning curiosity any longer, she eventually bursts out.

"Okay, what's the deal between you and Carl?"

A frown slips between the crevices of my forehead, wondering who she's referring to. "Carl?"

"Carl, Kai, Kylo, whatever."

I frown harder. While opening my can of Coke, I turn to see who's behind me and that's when I finally notice the person she's referring to.

"You mean Kyle?"

"Yes, that guy." She snaps her fingers impatiently. "The one with the nice, tight butt. God, I can never remember his name."

I immediately choke on my drink, wiping my mouth with a napkin and cursing at the image she has put inside my head. "N-nothing," I sputter. "There's nothing going on between us."

Her frown deepens. "That doesn't sound right to me." She grabs another fry and shoves it into her mouth. "Why do you keep staring at him in that way?"

"What way?"

"Oh well, you know, girls around here usually give him the I-want-to-lick-chocolate-off-your-abs stare, but you." She jabs a finger at me with a pointed look. "You look as if you've just ran a car over him and now you're feeling all horrible about it. Why?"

I groan and bury my face in my hands. "Did you really have to put such a disturbing image into my head with that first line? Besides, did I really stare at him like that?"

"Absolutely," she confirms without the slightest doubt. "Now spill the beans. What's really going on? I've been hanging around you for a while now, and if you think I didn't notice the looks you guys have been giving each other, I must be blind."

Hesitating, I try to work up an excuse. "We just so happen to be staring in each other's direction, but not on the person."

"I don't believe you. Not at all. Look–" Blaire nudges my arm with her elbow and inclines her head in a direction behind me. "He's staring at you again."

I follow her line of sight and she's right. When Kyle sees me turning around, he wrenches his gaze away so quickly and begins speaking to a friend sitting next to him—a lanky boy with tousled brown hair whom I've seen hanging around his side often. His good friend in school.

Taylor from the next table catches my gaze. He shoots me with another one of his trademark smiles and waves.

Blaire notices this too and she snorts. "Don't get fooled by Taylor's smile," she warns. "He's not someone you should get close to. In fact, stay away from him. Red alarms blaring and all."

I'm confused by her warning. "Why?"

"Because," she starts, a stormy note in her voice, "behind that innocent smile of his, he's a pervert. Everybody knows he has this notorious reputation of sleeping with girls in the school and ditching them afterwards. And he has a certain taste. He usually goes for those shy, innocent and sweet girls, knowing that they're less likely to fight him off. Girls like you."