First Choice (Sam Wilkinson/Nash Grier)

Chapter 2

Sam and the others talked all through breakfast while I stayed content on my phone, mindlessly scrolling through tumblr. I didn't really feel like conversing, so after a little I plugged in my headphones and listened to music. I felt a nudge on my shoulder, I reached up and pulled an earphone out, "Jasmine, that was the bell." Aaron said, as the rest of my friend stood up and began gathering their things from the table.

"Oh, thanks." I mumbled as I reached down and plucked my bag off the floor and threw it onto my shoulder. He gave me a half smile before turning and placing his arm over Tasha's shoulders. Her green eyes lit up and they turned, heading to first period.

"Hey, you still want me to walk you to first?" Sam slid his arm through the other strap of his backpack. "Cause I've got to go get Sarah's work from her teacher." He began nervously fiddling with a loose string at the hem of his shirt. "Oh, it's fine." I sighed.

"Ok, thanks." He smiled before rushing towards wherever Sarah's first period was. I rolled my eyes and started down the "History Hallway". I pulled the door open and walked into my AP US History class, nodding to Mr. Santiago who was sitting at his desk typing away on his computer. I got there early because I wasn't slowed down by my usual routine of snail walking and joking with Sam.

I walked towards my seat and noticed some kid sitting in it. I immediately became anxious as I realized I would have to tell him to move. I suffered from very bad social anxiety and the fact that this stranger might judge me, considering I had to talk to him absolutely terrified me. I ran my fingers through my hair, it hadn't frizzed yet. I bit my lip as I walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned to look at me over his shoulder, "huh, may I help you?" he asked kindly. He blinked, his eyes were the first things I noticed about him. They were dazzling, to say that his eyes were blue was like saying that the sun was yellow. Sufficient but not accurate to capture the burning.His eyes were almost translucent, glossy, like the palest blue glass, too soft to be turquoise, too bright to be baby blue. "Umm, that's my-" I gulped fidgeting with my phone in my hand, "you're sitting in my seat." I added a half smile because I didn't want him to think I was rude.

"Oh," he paused looking behind me, Mr. Santiago must have sat him there. "Sorry, he told me to sit here." He grabbed his bag from the table top and was about to stand up.

"Wait, I'll just sit here." I took a seat at the other side of the desk. Each desk was basically a table with adequate work space for two students and two cheap chairs. "It's always empty anyways." I forced a laugh as I placed my bag on the table top and he sat back in his chair.

"So, you're new?" I asked. The last thing I wanted was to be bathing in awkwardness this whole class period. "Yeah, I just moved here from North Carolina." He said. I nodded, "So that's where that accent is from." I smiled.

"Yeah, everyone says I've got one but I don't really think so." He bit his lip. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but you do." I laughed.

"That's a cute laugh." He looked at me with an adorable half smirk. Was he flirting with me? No he wasn't. No guy has ever flirted with me. How would I be able to tell? "Umm, thank you" I felt my cheeks heat up.

"You're welcome," he paused reaching out and stilled my hand that had been nervously fidgeting with my phone again. I felt a sudden feeling of warmth shoot up my arm from his touch "Are you alright?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine, just a little jumpy this morning. Too much coffee." I forced a laugh and it worked because his face relaxed instantly. He pulled his hand back from mine and I wished he hadn't. "So, what's your name?" he asked, reaching up and ruffling his dark brown hair.

"Jasmine Smith." I smiled. "That's a type of flower right?" he said.

"Yeah, but don't forget a Disney princess as well." He giggle before sticking his hand out to shake mine, "I'm Nash Grier." He smiled warmly as I reached out and took his hand in mine, shaking it twice before pulling my hand away and placing it on my lap.

"It's nice to meet you, Nash." I smiled to myself at the peculiar name. I'd never heard of anyone with that name, but it fit him well.

"Ok, class! Let's get out our homework." My teacher's voice boomed as the last of the students made their way into their seats just before the bell rang, "Come on, go ahead and pass those chicken scratch filled papers to the front of the room." Mr. Santiago joked.

"Oh, yeah. This is our new student Nash," every single person in the class turned and looked at him. I knew they weren't looking at me but I still became extremely self-conscious, turning away and pretending to dig in my bag for something. "Now it's gotta be tough moving in the middle of first semester so please, be nice." Mr. Santiago said as he walked to the front of the classroom and collected the stacks of paper that had made their way to the corner of each of the front row desks.

"What the fucks up with his eyes?" a kid yelled from the front. The classroom erupted in laughter and I turned to look at Nash's reaction. He was actually smiling, "they're my dad's bro." he shrugged his shoulders and pulled a notebook out of his backpack. I admired the way it didn't seem to affect him. He turned to me, and I looked down realizing I'd been staring at him. "What?" he laughed.

"Nothing. I- I just wanted you to know that I really like your eyes." The words seemed to tumble from my mouth, and I mentally face palmed as he blushed before mumbling a short "thank you," as the class began.