I walk towards school, eager to meet a certain someone. I've spent all weekend thinking about him, a thousand scenarios running through my head.
I imagine how he'll greet me with that cheeky smile of his, eyes gleaming with mischief. I will whisper in his ear how beautiful he looks today and he'll blush in response, maybe even giggle shyly.
In one of these scenarios he'll squeal my name and fling his arms around me as if we've been dating for years. The way lovers do when they've been separated from each other for a long time. I picture him wrapping his legs around my waist, kissing me with a passion our classmates have never seen before. Yeah, the last one is not very likely to happen.
I spot my friends, Pavel and Marina shamelessly making out while Kasim and Teo discuss something on the side. Teo sees me first and waves my way.
"Hi, guys!" I fist bump Teo and give Kasim a bro hug. Pavel, of course, is too busy to notice that I'm even there.
Kasim starts filling me in on the latest gossip while I subtly scan the school yard for my Angel. He's getting late.
I hear the roaring of the bike before I see it: black, powerful, mounted by two riders. It was rare for Angel to come to school by bike but it happened.
I hold my breath as he takes the helmet off, his jet black curls dishevelled from the ride. He turns his back to me, dark green vest hugging his slim frame.
The guy that drove him is dressed in denim from head to toe, his helmet - glossy black with a dark grey spiderweb on the side.
I was never curious enough to ask him who this guy is and why he is driving him to school but now I'm itching to know.
They exchange a few words and the biker speeds away, Angel watching him as he disappears round the corner.
Angel turns around and I grin like a fudging love-struck fool while he walks towards school.
"Emo boy has a biker boyfriend." Kasim laughs in my ear.
I shush him, hoping Angel isn't close enough to hear him.
"What?" Kasim sneers.
I tense, wishing my friends weren't such morons. Joking from time to time is fine but not here, not now, not in front of him.
Angel walks past us, glancing briefly at me without faltering in his steps. While Kasim is right next to me, still paying attention to his movements, I do not dare say 'Hello'.
"Hey, emo boy!" Kasim calls to him and I freeze in horror. "Did your boyfriend drop you off?" How could he be so fudging embarrassing sometimes? And why now? Any other day but now!
Angel ignores him and keeps walking.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Kasim nearly shouts and moves to catch up with him.
I hold him by the arm before he advances any further.
"What?" Kasim barks at me annoyed.
"Stop making a fool of yourself! You're embarrassing!" I try to keep my voice calm through gritted teeth.
Kasim glares at me but lets it go. He crosses his arms over his chest with a scorn on his otherwise handsome face.
"I was just asking." He pouts.
"So anyways! I have a new haircut. Thanks for noticing!" Teo fills the silence.
I look at him but his hair isn't much different than usual. A little shorter on the sides but still more or less the same dark brown mess.
"It looks great," I say regardless.
"So get this!" Teo goes on. "I've decided to go to a different hairdresser this time. Beats me why. I thought she would do a better job or something." Obviously not. "And she goes like 'You need to make an appointment first!'" Teo raises his voice mockingly.
"And I'm like 'How the duck am I supposed to make an appointment when this is the first time I come here?' And she looks at me like I just killed her puppy or something and makes this-" he scrunches his nose in disgust and I try not to laugh- "stupid expression and hands me a business card... So get this! I look at the business card, I look at her and she goes back to blow drying the hair of some blonde chick. I look back at the card and take my phone out... I dial the number and it's HER ducking phone that is ringing!" Teo throws his hands in the air.
"She looks at me with narrowed eyes and answers the call... And she's like 'Zora Beauty Salon. How may I help you?' And I'm like 'Hello! I would like to book an appointment.' And all this while I look at her straight in the eyes, just a ducking meter apart! At this point the other boy that's cutting hair next to her starts laughing his butt off and I can't help but smile at the ridiculousness of it all-"
"Hey! What's up?" I hear Goran's husky voice behind me right as his muscular arm wraps around my neck.
"Hey, man," I greet him without turning around.
"Hey." Teo smiles at him and carries on with his story. "I was just telling the guys how I had to call for a ducking appointment to get my hair cut, which doesn't take more than a few minutes, mind you, but the hairdresser was such a stupid... Well, whatever! And I called her on the ducking phone when we were like a meter apart and she looks at me, answers the phone and keeps talking as if I'm not standing right there! She was so annoying it was funny! At the end it was her colleague that ended up cutting my hair and I had to wait for only like 5 minutes until he was free. It took me more time to argue with his stupid boss..."
At this point I finally tune out Teo's rants, as amusing as they are, and focus my attention on Angel's slim back. The school doors open and he enters along with a few eager nerds, not exactly in a rush but still one of the first to set foot inside the building.
"Man, your hair looks like a bird's nest," Goran says.
Teo looks offended but doesn't miss a beat. "It looked really good though. When he did it. I just can't style it properly by myself." Teo pouts. "Look!" He shows us a photo on his phone. It is of him but his hair is really styled better. He almost looks as good as Pavel!
"Man, that hairdresser is magic!" I exclaim. "How did he make it look so good?"
Usually when I style my ebony black hair, I use so much gel nothing can move it.
"Pretty boys and your stupid hair," Goran grumbles. "Just cut it like mine and you won't have to worry."
Goran's sandy brown hair is formed in a buzz cut. His cloudy grey eyes are twinkling in amusement as he listens to us discussing haircuts like a bunch of girls.
That shuts us up though.
"What are you doing, boys? You'll miss fist period." Olga walks next to me and hangs on my other side, not occupied by Goran. Her honey blonde hair is perfectly styled in gentle waves but after Goran's comment I do not dare ask where or how she does it.
"Yeah, lets go." I free myself out of Goran's hold and tap Pavel on his shoulder before going in. The guy is so focused on sucking Marina's face off, I doubt he even registered my action in this sex-crazed brain of his.
Whatever! It's not like I'm his babysitter. If he wants to be late for class so be it!
We walk into the classroom a few minutes after the teacher but thankfully he's not a total douche so he lets it slide.
I go past Angel who is listening to something on his phone as always, not even glancing my way, and I take my seat next to Enver.
Enver is this cute little boy that tends to wheeze for air when something or someone is bothering him so I try not to joke with him too much. It's not fun to watch him frantically searching for his inhaler while you try to recall CPR in case he stops breathing altogether.
The teacher finishes taking attendance and makes Enver read the poem we will be discussing today. My classmate readjusts his round glasses and starts reading aloud...
Put aside that song of love,
do not fill my heart with pain
The door bursts open.
Pavel and Marina stumble in, both red in the face and breathing heavily. She giggles, her pale pink lipstick smeared all over her face. And, of course, Pavel looks like he's using the stuff himself, his full swollen lips glimmering in pink. You would think she could afford kiss-proof lipstick with the amount of money her parents are making. But I guess not.
"Well, good morning!" The teacher laughs. "I would ask why you were late for class but it's rather obvious at this point."
"Sorry, teach." Pavel smiles innocently at him but I could tell he's anything but sorry. You just couldn't wipe the smug look off his pretty face.
"You may take your seats," the teacher says and turns back to Enver as if nothing happened. He's chill. I like that guy.
Do not tell anyone but Literature is my favourite subject. Even when we study the work of some boring long-dead geezers, this guy somehow manages to make it interesting.
I glance at Angel every few minutes while we're analysing the poem but Bahar is blocking my view. She's this crazy chick with raven black hair that likes to wear a leather jacket over her uniform. Sometimes even in class. Even when it isn't all that cold. Like right about now. Who does that?! She apparently.
They kinda suit each other. Both dark and moody. I haven't seen them conversing much so maybe they aren't that close?
Why am I being jealous over a girl? He's bi. That's why. And by the looks of it he doesn't like me much. The only time he looked at me today was when he passed me at the school entrance. Not a single glance since then. And here I am, gawking at him like a total idiot. I need to stop. Or make him mine.
I need a plan to win him over.
~*~
Poem mentioned above is 'To My First Love' by Hristo Botev.