The Heart Exchange

Chapter Two

"I bet I look like a cross between Kermit the frog and Kanye West on my photo," expressed Toby, joining me at the back of the queue.

Nikita was still having her photo taken.

"I'm not sure if that's a bad thing or not?" I asked, picking up on another conversation happing further down the line.

"I heard she couldn't even feed herself at the beginning."

"Yeah! My Mom saw her dad at the grocery store a few weeks ago. He looked exhausted."

"He probably can't sleep at night knowing his daughter has a brain condition. I've been told she can't be trusted on her own."

Rage tore through my body but rather than allowing it to consume me, I shook off their meaningless gossip and focused my attention on Toby. He was mid-way through describing what Kermit the frog and Kanye West's baby would look like when Nikita joined us, smiles all around.

"Chase Samuels is looking good in those jeans," she acknowledged, nodding in his general direction.

We both followed her gaze towards Chase by the sign-in desk and appreciated the sight before us.

"Yeah, I see it," agreed Toby, more interested in the guy stood next to him–Warren Baxter.

"I thought you were over Chase?" I asked, trying my hardest to keep up.

She'd been crushing on him since middle school.

"I was but I'm a sucker for boys in skinny jeans."

"Amen," preached Toby, throwing his hands up in a claim to reach the high heavens.

I rolled my eyes at their behaviour and stopped dead in my tracks. That's impossible. The boy in my dreams–the one I was supposed to have made up according to Caroline–stood slightly to the right of the sign-in desk, chatting to a girl I recognised as being in my grade yet for the life of me, couldn't remember her name. Hair the shade of chocolate. Eyes a deep green like cut grass on a hot, summers day. There was no denying it was him but who the hell was he?

"Who's that?" I asked, before truly thinking things through.

This was clearly a trick of the imagination.

"Jessica West?"

"No, the guy she's talking to," I persisted, now staring directly at him.

Toby squinted his eyes, going in for a better look. "I've no idea. Maybe he's new?"

"So, we don't know him?" I questioned, attempting to calm my wildly beating heart.

Toby glanced to Nikita for confirmation.

"No, we don't know him. Why?"

The pair shared a quick look, clearly concerned.

"No reason. I just didn't recognise him."

The last thing I wanted was to tell them about my dreams. I'd sound utterly crazy admitting something like that.

"Who's next?" interrupted Mrs. Hopkins, manning the table distributing ID badges.

Having seen me, she offered up a blinding smile. "Maddie, how are you?"

"Good, thanks. Yourself?"

I recognised her from mine and Dad's meeting with the school last month.

"I will be once I get through this queue," she whispered, gifting me a quiet laugh.

I smiled at her and accepted my card, throwing a friendly, "Thank you" her way shortly after. I then moved on and waited by the bleachers, not wanting to proceed onto the next part without Toby and Nikita. I still required their presence and after what had just happened, I was slowly questioning my sanity. It couldn't be him, could it?

As if no longer in control of my body, I found myself seeking him out, desperate for validation. Anything to confirm I wasn't going mad. In no time, I spotted him. LOOKING. RIGHT. AT. ME. Huge, green eyes shone bright under the gym's lights and bore into mine, intensifying our stare off of sorts. A connection so deep and powerful passed between us, unexplainable to anyone watching from the side lines. His mouth tipped up in what seemed to be a half smile and although confused, I caught myself smiling right back.

"Check you out flirting with the new guy!" accused Toby, delighted to have stumbled upon such a thing.

"Shut up, I wasn't!" I defended, wafting his arm.

Soon, Nikita joined us and off we went, though not before I risked another glance towards the new guy. As suspected, he was looking at me again. Reading me. Stripping back my defences.

Wow.

My body went cold, yet somehow sweat poured from my every crevice. Who was this guy? And more importantly–did we know each other?

***

Serious question...what would you do in Maddie's situation?

A) Run away
B) Approach the new guy and GET ANSWERS
C) Run away again?