My heart leapt. She noticed me! I thought about all the time that I spent staring at her and hoping that she would notice me, just to look at me. The moment I got that beautiful smile I stumbled, head over heels. My stomach flipped. I smiled back at her after I realised I had just been staring at her for the past 2 minutes. I think it was the first real smile I had created in at least a year. I walked over, naturally hiding from everyone else, but I could feel Ailish's eyes on me. I felt a tingle go up my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end, but in a good way. I sat down as Mrs. Durham started calling out the names from the roll. She passed Ailish's name, and kept on down the roll. I didn't notice when she called my name, and she didn't notice me, so Ailish called out.
"Rob's here, it's fine," hearing my name being said by her was amazing. I wasn't expecting it, and I don't think she was either. I kept expecting to roll over and wake up, only to have had the whole thing be a dream, but I didn't.
"Thank you, Ailish. Although I would prefer it if Robert," Mrs. Durham said, laying stress on the name. "would pay attention himself. Don't you agree Robert?"
"Yes Mrs. Durham. Sorry," I replied, snapping out of my trance. I slumped back in my chair and relaxed. I stared up at the ceiling. I noticed Ailish follow my gaze.
"What are you looking at?" she asked curiously.
"Same reason I tend to stare into space a lot. Just thinking. It's just what I tend to do I guess," I explained, not knowing why i was telling her this. I looked down again, and across to my left. I looked at Ailish, at her light brown, wavy hair, her sky blue eyes, thin red lips and watched as she tried to wipe away a hidden tear, so as not to let anyone know.
"She's beautiful," I whispered to myself. She must've heard, because she jumped, and looked around.
"Did you say something?" She asked. I didn't know whether to tell the truth and just get it out, or put it off and tell her when we had a bit more privacy. I came to a decision.
"No, nothing," I said "just ignore me." Suddenly, I realised that Mrs. Durham had been talking, and I hadn't taken in a work she had said. "Hey, Ailish, what was Mrs. Durham saying? I wasn't really paying attention," She laughed, a beautiful laugh.
"It wasn't anything, don't worry about it," She answered. I smiled to her. The bell rang and everyone stood up, glad that our first two periods was just double PD (Personal Development) and that all we were doing was watching a movie. I walked out of the classroom last, picking up my books as I went. I got to the door and saw that Ailish was waiting for me.
"Why aren't you with your friends? I dare say they're better company than I ever will be," I said gloomily.
"Oh, I wouldn't necessarily agree with that statement," She said. It shocked me. Ailish had heaps of friends, probably more friends than people that I would ever even talk to. "They're just stupid. They aren't real friends anyway. They prefer to make fun of people as sport. I regret to say that one of them is you. Anyway, they aren't my friends anymore. I'd rather hang out with people who are actually nice."
"Well, I think you've come to the wrong place," I said coolly. I realised my mistake almost as soon as I said it. "Sorry, that was mean. See? That's what I'm normally like. I'm not used to actually talking to people. I mean, you've probably had more friends in your life than people that I've ever had a proper conversation to."
"Why don't we just sit down. Put your books away and we'll just sit and talk. I know a good place. Skip school, it's just Info Tech next anyway, and you already know all that stuff anyway," She offered. This was one of those times where I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to skip school. I'd never done it before. I never got in trouble for not doing homework, or not completing classwork.
"I dunno. To be honest I'm in a bit of a shock that I'm actually talking to someone, let alone you of all people. I mean, remember last year. You came and went to sit down near me before you'd noticed me," I said as I put my books away. "I looked up, glared at you, you saw me walked away and shivered. I know what you felt then." I continued, the words spilling out of my mouth. "You felt a chill down your spine. Goose bumps appeared, you went cold. And, if I remember correctly, it was near the end of November. In the middle of Summer?"
"How did you know that?" She gasped, as if one of her biggest secrets had been found out. "You described it exactly."
"I heard you telling it to your friend Hayley a couple of weeks ago," I explained.
"Alright, lets just go. We'll sit and you can explain everything. I don't care how long it takes, I want to know. And once you've explained, I'll tell you why I was crying this morning, then after that we'll just talk. About anything. Sound good?" She finished.
"Alright, lets go,"
