10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love

I missed you so much!

"Miss Blackburn," Ms. Palena sighed in exasperation. "There was no need to throw your desk at these boys." The teacher pointed to the moaning guys with ice packs pressed to swelling arms, legs, and faces.

"I was being sexually harassed, and according to the student handbook, page 5 section C, if I feel that my chastity is being threatened, I am allowed to go on self defense."

"But you didn't even warn them beforeha-"

"That," Elizabeth said firmly, "is not the issue here. I am allowed to defend myself against assault."

Ms. Palena pressed her lips together in a thin line, and turned over to Vincent.

"Vincent, could you please tell your partner that she didn't need to go to such lengths?"

Vincent glared at the guys that he had considered attacking himself.

"I think Liz got this one, Ms. Palena," he growled coldly.

"Well," the teacher sighed, defeated by the two smartest students in class. "There's no use crying over spilled milk. You guys can go down and finish setting up your stations for the festival now."

Kids herded the doors like cattle, for they wanted to either finish up or chat amongst the stalls were supervisors weren't allowed.

Elizabeth walked over to Vincent, who still sat in his desk. She thrust the bag containing eggs to him.

"Go take these to the fridge in the staff lounge."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to go set this wheel up and get our stuff from the stalls." She smirked. "You're not the only one who can ask favors now."

Vincent frowned ever so slightly, knitting his eyebrows together. She was going to seduce the other guys.

"Don't get assaulted or anything," he smiled halfheartedly as he took the bag. Elizabeth snorted.

Setting up had been dull and monotonous, but it was well worth it. Exactly at 10 AM, the doors to the festival were opened, and people began trickling in.

"Hi," Elizabeth smiled at some college kids passing by to get out the festival. "You guys want to get in, free of charge?"

The couple looked at each other. "Seriously?" the guy asked.

"Sure! All you have to do is pay an extra five dollar fee additional to the entrance cost per person. Then, you spin this wheel here," she motioned to the wheel sitting on an art easel.

"After spinning the wheel, you compete with me on whatever it lands on. If you can beat me, then you can enter for free, and we'll refund everything you paid."

The girl tugged at her boyfriend's arm. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

The couple spun the wheel together, and it landed on archery.

"All right!" Elizabeth beamed. She got a pair of bow and arrows from Vincent and gave one to the couple. Next, Elizabeth walked over to the wall on the right of the main entrance. It had two chalk drawn targets side by side.

"Now, you guys can either alternate or one of you can do it solo. There will be four shots allowed."

The couple chose the target on the right, stood on the duct tape line, and fired the arrow together. It stuck in the inner ring with a twang.

Elizabeth walked up, stood at the duct tape line, drew her string, and shot it dead center. Vincent muffled a laugh as the couple went through the main entrance, miffed that they lost, but excited to know that there was an archery stall just past Room 505.

By then, Elizabeth's little competition had attracted several more people, and she took them all on a challenge. Women tittered in excitement when they heard that they could have a date with the "sexy guy leaning against the wall". Parents nodded their heads in approval at the fact that they might save money and the festival had child friendly games to participate in.

Rowdy guys challenged Elizabeth to a date. She had accepted the challenge; and they had been mercilessly crushed in many rounds of arm wrestling.

Of course, Elizabeth let a few pass who had wanted free admission. She wasn't worried about losing money; the profit she'd made and the profit that was coming more than covered it.

Food eating contests, bobbing for apples, shooting baskets, popping balloons with darts, throwing hoops around coke bottles, mini bowling; you name it. Elizabeth easily crushed those who she defeated and made it a close game for those whom she lost to.

Soon, there was a line wrapping around the wall. Everyone wanted a shot at the superhuman girl that was almost impossible to defeat. The longer the line grew the more people it attracted. Vincent walked up and down lines, selling smoothies and snacks he had gotten from stalls for half the price and winking at eager girls.

And so, the minutes ticked by. An endless stream of visitors bombarded the school; some even left the festival to try playing with Elizabeth again. It didn't matter if they lost. She was pleasant to talk to, and wasn't cocky or snooty at any point in time. What's more, Vincent observed, was that Elizabeth seemed to laugh from the bottom of her heart. The others noticed, too.

All was well until around two hours before the festival closed. Elizabeth announced through a megaphone. "For the people who haven't participated in our festival yet, we would like to suggest that you just buy a ticket right now. It is two hours before the festival ends, and we want you guys to have fun." A miniscule amount of those in line relinquished their spot and paid to go in.

Most of the people had already been in line three times, it seemed. Elizabeth sighed on the inside. She was physically exhausted. Looking ahead, she noticed a strange guy walk towards the wheel. He seemed vaguely familiar, like the car she saw this morning.

The guy was pretty tall, so she assumed he was either going to college or in it. His dirty blonde hair was askew, barely covering his bright blue eyes that sparkled in the sun. The boy's smile had some girls swooning in a corner. The guy turned to look at Elizabeth.

"If I beat you at arm wrestling, will you give me a hug?"

Well, that was new. Elizabeth was tired, but she smirked confidently.

"Bring it on."

The two took a seat at a plastic table, and practically nose to nose, they began arm wrestling. Elizabeth was taken back by his strength. However, she thought with a smile, it wasn't enough. Inch by inch, the stranger's hand began getting closer and closer to the table top. She was going to win!

Suddenly, the boy leaning forward and kissed her on the cheek. What? Her hand smashed against the table. Elizabeth looked at it, stunned beyond words. Vincent jumped up from the wall he was sitting against.

"That was freaking dirty!"

Elizabeth paid no attention to Vincent. She simply stared at the mysterious boy who was shaking with silent laughter.

"Lizzy," he chuckled. "You haven't changed a bit."

"James?" she asked, bewildered and confused. It couldn't be true.

"It's nice to see your face again," he smiled.

Leaping up from her seat, Elizabeth wrapped her arms around James and gave him a tight squeeze.

"I missed you so much!"