Peanut

16. iParty with Victorious

His lips, plump and glistening. They come closer and closer until they're an inch away. His honey brown eyes flutter shut and then our lips meet. Our mouths fit together like perfect puzzle pieces. Puzzle pieces that have been lost for too long. Puzzle pieces that have finally found each other. I shut my eyes and float in the darkness.

Squawk! BANG!

I jolt awake and jump upright in seconds. A bird travels away in the distance. Dazed, I stumble toward the window and inspect the smudge left by the bird. Animals can be extra dumb at times. With a yawn, I drag my feet to the bathroom where I get ready. As I shower an image of my dream flashed in my mind again.

What was that about? I don't feel that way about Leo right? Right? I mean he doesn't like me anyway. Sure he flirts 90% of the time but that's just his personality. He's like that with every girl... Right? Yeah, of course he is. He isn't my type anyway, he's too arrogant, funny and attractive, and he's way too much my type. Wait! What the goose?! Oh... Oh God.

I think about it for a bit longer and I can't help but agree with my previous thought. I Ophelia Walker have a big fat crush on Leo Alberro. I have no idea when this began. Was it the first time we met and I screamed 'Leonardo DiCaprio'? Or was it when we spent the night together in school? Maybe when he broke the bathroom door to help me or perhaps when we had a dance off.

"Ophelia! You'll become pruny if you're in there any longer!" Gabe shouts from behind the bathroom door.

"Sorry!" I apologise.

I speedily dry myself down, put on my robe, brush my teeth and head to my bedroom. With a quick check of my phone I find that I have 10 minutes before we leave. Thanks Leo for making me late. I aggressively pull on some black mom jeans, soon realising that I shouldn't have skipped gym class. I then throw on an oversized yellow sweater, slip on some vans, run a brush through my hair and then I'm rushing down the stairs.

"Bye Dad!" I call to my Dad who's taking orders.

The car honks nonstop outside. Jeez give me time to breathe. I launch my bag onto Jasper resulting in complaints from him. I lunge myself into the old jeep and then we're off. We have exactly 8 minutes until school begins but Gray's an expert on getting us to school on time... he's had a lot of experience.
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We pull into the parking lot just as the bell rings. Me and Jasper speed off to math. We get to the door and I freeze. Leo. How am I meant to face him? People knock against me as they try get to class. Just act normal. Be cool Ophelia. As cool as a cucumber. I take one completely normal step, then another. This isn't so hard.

"Ophelia why're you walking like an ostrich?!" Jasper burst out laughing.

Everyone's head turns in my direction due to Jasper's eruption of laughter. I bow my head, hiding me red face with my hair and hastily stumble to my seat, tripping over someone's bag and knocking into their desk at the same time. Why me universe? Tell me what I did wrong? Is it because I scratched Gray's Spice Girls CD and blamed it on Jasper?

"Sorry" I mumble.

"It's all good, Peanut" Leo says with an amused smile.

Yikes, jinkies, crikey and any other expression of shock. I'm just going to sit down, stare straight ahead. Focus on the lesson, not the dude behind me who I just realised I like less than an hour ago.

"And that students is why we don't leave our backpacks on the ground."

I sigh with humiliation and rest my head on my hand. I immediately jerk back however when pain shocks my cheek. That, is when it hits me, I didn't cover the bruise. The huge dark bruise on my cheek is on display for everyone. I wonder if Josh showed up to school. I doubt he'd be allowed to. Would people put it together? Three students showing up with facial bruises, may be a bit suspicious.

My train of thought is interrupted when my phone bleeps in my pocket. Wow the universe is really holding something against me. I glance to Mr Dove who is focused on algebra. Seems he didn't hear, or doesn't care. Discretely I pull my phone out of my pocket, switch it to silent and look at the notification.

Leo: 'tie your shoes I don't want you falling for anyone else.'

Calm down heart! He's just bored. He isn't being serious. I lean back a bit to see my shoes which are perfectly tied when my phone vibrates in my hand once again.

Leo: 'Made you look, made you see, now you owe me a kiss.'

I almost choke at his boldness, earning and odd look from Jasper. I begin tapping rapidly.

Ophelia: 'My brother's sitting right beside me. Also that doesn't even rhyme.'

I tap send and then look up to see a hand right in front of my face. Mr Dove is stood there with straight face. Other's in the class are sniggering at my continuous embarrassment. Jasper on the other hand is almost shaking from trying to hold in his laughter. Annoying twig.

"I thought we were bros Ophelia, uncool... uncool" Mr Dove tuts.

I lock my phone and place it in his hand, "Sorry sir"

"You can get it back at the end of class, now pay attention to the wonders of algebra. This is exciting stuff guys! It's like that crossover episode of iCarly and Victorious!"

I lean forward to place my focus on the lesson but next thing I know, a note is thrown in front of me. Oh for the sake of McDonald's! I reach for the note and I slightly aggressively flatten the paper.

'Sit with me at lunch?" It reads.