Affinity [PAUSED]

Cake Pops have Knives in their Stilettos

“Class, today we are making sculptures of animals.” The classroom groaned. I looked up with a curious look, I actually liked sculpting, it was a really hands on type of art. “However,” he continued, waiting for the class to settle down “You’re not allowed to use your hands.”

I almost jumped up in protest but caught myself just in time, don’t want to embarrass myself twice in one day. The tall boy, who I still didn’t know the name of, gave me a questioning glance probably because I was in a pose that was in between standing and sitting. I quickly sat back down.

“The spell books are in the back of the classroom if you need to reference them.” And with that thought he retreated to a corner, to read, okay… “So” I said turning towards my table partner “I don’t know your name, and right now I keep thinking about you as “tall boy”.”

 He gave me a cheeky grin “You were thinking about me?” I saw my error and backtracked.

“N-not that I was, I mean, I wasn’t, ugh!” I scrunched up my forehead “You’re talking circles around me.”

“I sincerely apologize, In compensation I will grant you my name” he paused dramatically “Merlin.”

I burst out laughing “You’re name isn’t Merlin” I confidently stated. He stared back at me with his aqua eyes and my laughter died off. “No…” I drawled out and he sighed. “Mom has a sense of humor, dad worked for Disney.”

“I feel your pain bro” I chuckled and patted his shoulder. Cool no zap.

“Not really, your name is normal, Blake” he shrugged.

I gave him a funny look. “I never told you my name.”

Now it was his turn to fiddle with a paintbrush. “Err I might have um,” I crossed my arms waiting. His statement came out more like a question than a statement. “I can read minds?” Geez, this guy is full of surprises isn’t he. Then it hit me, he had heard all of my thoughts up till now!

I turned bright red and covered my face. “Don’t worry I can only read people’s minds when they are expressing really strong emotions” I peeked out between my fingers.

“Then where’d you get my name from?” I mumbled and he tilted his head, pondering. “Strange enough, I got it from my mom, but she doesn’t think in complete sentences so all I got was a picture of you and your name” he smiled “… and something along the lines of loud?” I nodded, slightly believing him but not ready to place all my deepest and darkest secrets in him, not that I had any, but in a figurative way.

“Hey Lin, like, wanna be my, like, partner.” Dumb came up and struck a pose, or so it seemed to me, to seduce Merlin but yeah even if I was a guy I wouldn’t be interested.

“That sounds great Jamie” I raised my eyebrows at him, but he kept on talking “But maybe next time I already promised Blake I would work with her.” Promise? What promise? I tried to remember promising anything but nothing came to mind, Merlin shot me a wink and I rolled my eyes. How stupid of me, there was no promise, he was using me to get out of this situation that sly fox.

“Why” she whined and sent me a glare, if I could read minds I’m pretty sure I would hear some mean mean thoughts. Looking over, I saw Merlin wince and yep, I was right, she must really hate me now.

“Why don’t you work with Du- Josie over there?” I suggested and gave her a harmless smile, she attacked me, in a society appropriate way, which was stomping on my foot with her heel while walking away. Looking back for a reward to her actions she found me smiling and waving, when in fact I was dying on the inside, she sent me a confused look and teetered over to her DUMS table.

Merlin picked up on my intense pain signals which may or may not have included a few hand signals and strange facial expressions, and head jerks before he helped me outside the classroom. Mr. Kunst kept on reading, like seriously how oblivious can a teacher get?

Once we got outside of the classroom I burst out in my personal language, gibberish. “That son of a cakepop, good for nothing, little beetle, how dare she frabjolous on my fringle, what a pain in my donkey.” I finished with a huff and Merlin blinked at me.

“What?” he said scratching his head. “Hey, do you want to go to the nurse’s office?” he asked looking down at my injury. The nerve signals finally made their way to my brain and I yelped.

“Yeah!” I hopped on my other foot and made yet another face of utter anguish. In one quick motion he slid an arm under mine and wrapped it around my waist. “W-what the heck?” I tensed up like a deer in the headlights.

“I’ll help you walk” he said it as if he was stating the obvious. I shot him a suspicious glance and looked down at his hand.

“Okay, but no funny business.” I said staring directly at his oh so enticing eyes.

“Yes, ma’am” he saluted me and giggled. Yes that’s right I giggled, I can’t even believe myself, when had I started to act like such a girl? Anyway, we made our slow but steady walk, in my case hop, to the nurse’s office.

“Hey Merlin” I asked.

“Hmm”

“Can I call you Lin?”

He pursed his lips “Actually I’ll tell you a secret.” He leaned in closer and like all female heroines… my breath hitched in my throat yadayada you know the usual.

“What?” I asked, curious.

“I’ve always hated that nickname”

I mused it over, “what about Lee?” I said and he stuck his tongue out at me.

“Do I look Asian?”

I laughed, “It was just a thought” I thought of Merlin doing kung fu and I just laughed harder. While I was laughing i missed a hop and stumbled forward. Merlin tightened his grip on me.

“Are you okay?” now both of his arms were around me and my breathing rhythm was irregular. Just when it felt like my heart was pounding loud enough for him to hear it, he let go and I dropped to the ground.

“Owwy” I moaned and blacked out, what a nice day…