Beauty and the Geek Boy

Chapter 2-Will

 *Geek Boy*

 I stared after Ellie. She'd sped through the doorway as if she was on fire, whisking away the blazing glow of sunshine she carried around with her.

I glanced down as my foot nudged something unfamiliar. I bent, picking up the sheet she'd forgotten.

"Mr Johnson?"

I met Mr Meyer's gaze.

He frowned at me. "Are you alright? You've been acting odd."

Nope, I just crossed paths with an angel. I could still feel Ellie's hand beneath mine. Her skin was so soft. The way her face had burned red in class today was forever emblazoned in my mind. I imagined trailing a finger over her cheek, watching pink permeate the cream.

"I'm fine, sir."

Mr Meyer watched me for a moment, before arranging the files on his desk. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you about an incredible opportunity. Harvard is hosting a mathematician's camp in a few months time. It's a fully sponsored two-week residential at the university. We were advised to send our best students and I believe you would be a suitable candidate." He slid a stack of stapled sheets towards me. "Read through it, fill it out, then get back to me. By the end of the day preferably. If you want, you may invite Miss Wilson, she is the second most intelligent pupil in this class."

I picked up the stack. "Alright, sir."

"I strongly recommend you attend. It could provide a myriad of opportunities." He gestured to the door. "You are excused."

I nodded and headed out of the room.

"What did he want to talk to you about?"

Catherine Wilson stood next to the door, leaning against the plaster wall. She straightened as I emerged.

Catherine was one of my closest friends. My parents had known her parents before The Incident that led to us moving here. When I was ten we were practically forced together through family dinners, play dates and social events.

I shrugged, glancing down at the stack. The uppermost page was a form. "Stuff," I said as I continued walking.

Catherine reached for the form, tugging it out of my hands and scanning her eyes over it. "Woah. Harvard, huh?" She blew a breath.

"Meyer said you can attend," I added.

Catherine rolled her eyes. "As an after thought obviously. I don't blame him, you're crazy smart." She glanced down at my hands again, blinking rapidly. "What's that?"

I glanced at Ellie's sheet. It was burning my hand, periodically sending electric sensations up my wrist. Just imagining her holding it was enough to make my heart speed up. I could smell her perfume on it faintly—fruity, feminine.

I chuckled as I finally noticed what was on the sheet: pictures of Ellie and her friends. In all the images, her and her best friends—Gemma Henderson, Layla Chang and Madison Jefferson—made silly expressions. My eyes instantly latched onto her face. In the first one, she stuck her tongue out at me, her eyes glimmering like aquamarine stars.

Goodness, she was adorable.

Catherine stared at me.

I blinked at her. "What is it?"

Catherine shook her head, her brows furrowed. "You're smiling," she muttered. "Whatever." She snorted. "She's absolutely ridiculous isn't she? I mean, she's obviously an idiot but joined our class. She's just wasting our time. Can you believe she fell asleep? She looked like such a dunce."