Silverlighters (revised version as I edit)

6

Donald looked up, interest flickering across his face. “What area are you focusing on?”

“Actually,” Jenifer said pompously, her loud squeaky voice making everyone turn our way, “considering how many teenagers have no idea how much damage they’re doing to themselves, I’ve decided to focus on the photochemical interaction of ultraviolet induced erythema of the epidermis, but I specifically want to focus on the effects of non-ionizing radiation not absorbed by chromophones and how it affects the extracellular matrix.”

By now most of the class was staring at her with contempt. Nobody likes a show off – though Daddy Jones had watched with great pride as she prattled on.

“What – so basically you’re giving a convoluted report on sunburn?” I spluttered. To my mortification, everyone laughed – except them – and Mr. Jones turned to me, his eyes brightening.

So did Donald.

Jenifer slunk back to her seat, and spent the rest of the lesson glaring at me as her father grilled me to test my knowledge.

I couldn’t get out of the room fast enough when the bell went, wishing I’d stopped to think about the interaction between the brain and the mouth and the negative side effects of not thinking before speaking.

My eyes glued firmly to the ground, I headed for the lockers even though I already had everything I needed – for the next lesson at least. What I really needed was a moment to collect myself.

When I reached my locker, I just stared into it, as though it held the answers.

“So – how do you like Berrywood?”

I glanced up, and all the breath gushed out of me.

It was him.

“Er … I – uh – it’s fine. I mean, it’s still my first day,” I said, mentally kicking myself for coming across like such an idiot.

He smiled, like he was used to girls fumbling their words.

For some reason this irritated me.

I took a deep breath, and decided to start again. “I’m Ellie.”

“Yeah – I know. We’re in the same chem class.”

“And you are?” I raised a brow.

Our eyes locked. I literally couldn’t look away this time.

“I’m Jonathon,” he said, and even though I saw him smile in my periphery vision, it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

He leaned against the locker. “It’s nice to meet you ... Ellie.”

I tried to look away, disconcerted by the pull he had on me. And I wasn’t at all impressed by his cocky attitude.

I also had no idea how to respond to a statement like that. Or if I even wanted to.

But there was no denying I was attracted to him. It was a horrid, intense attraction that I had no idea what to do with.

It also surprised me. I always thought there was something wrong with me. Bianca had liked a new boy every other week. Me – I usually felt nothing. I could look at a boy and know that he was good-looking, but it didn’t stir the feelings in me that it did for Bianca or other girls my age.

Bianca said I was just a late bloomer. That one day it would stare me in the face and I would know what she meant.

Jonathon’s gaze was so intent that my mind went completely blank.

It wasn’t until he glanced up, looking somewhere behind me, that I managed to pull my eyes away.

“I’ll see you later,” he said abruptly, his blue eyes suddenly going hard.

I watched as he walked away, confused by his abrupt departure.

His undeniably cute butt swayed slightly from side to side, as though waving a cheeky goodbye. Like he’d just won some game I wasn’t even aware of playing.

And then I saw Madison watching me. Her eyes narrowed as she slipped her arm through Jonathon’s.

She swung her thick, blonde hair as she turned her back on me, and the two of them walked away.

I got her message loud and clear.

I slammed my locker door, telling myself I didn’t care. Not in the slightest.

But I was lying to myself.

I had no idea why Jonathon affected me that way. Not then, anyway.

Or why the feelings stirring inside me were so much stronger when I was near him.

All I could think was why now? And why a boy who was so obviously taken?