I really hate the bus. I really wish I had a car. Or knew how to drive.
Unfortunately, I'm stuck with this. But playing Taylor Swift helps.
Pulling into school, I can't help but feel nervous. Maybe I won't even see him. Unless I sit with Aaliyah again. But then again maybe she'll sit with someone else since it's a B-Day.
I'm in denial, aren't I?
I don't like how nervous he makes me. Vulnerable.
Being close to someone gives them the opportunity to use it all against you. Or make fun of you.
I've been through it too many times to let it happen again.
The bus comes to a stop and all the students crowd to get off. I honestly just sit and wait. I want to waste every minute I can.
I finally get up and thank the driver before making my way in. Aaliyah is walking me to my first class again. Today I have to start with theatre.
Really, I'm only in the class because I needed the fine art credit. Hoping and praying it's easy.
Immediately I see Fallon sitting at a table in the Union on her phone. No sign of Aaliyah. Well shit, do I ask her where she is?
I take my earbuds out and figure it's my best bet. I make my way over to where Fallon is.
"Hey Fallon." I pinch all of my fingertips, something I do when I'm nervous.
"Hi Dahlia! You look so pretty today." she gives me a big smile.
Her comment makes me smile a little. Just a little. Fallon is a sweetheart, but I'm not sure if I should be open to her just yet. Nothing against her, it just might take me a little while.
"Thank you, you look good too. Have you seen Aaliyah by any chance?" I note.
She looks back at her phone before answering. "She actually just texted me. She's almost here, Logan and Blake picked her up today so they're a little late."
Just the mention of his name makes me tense. I hate it here.
"Ok um thank you. Can you just tell me where the theatre room is? I'll take myself." I respond.
"Of course! If you go down that hallway," she points, "It's the first classroom to your right."
I nod and give another thank you before heading to the room. What do you even do in theatre? Like acting obviously, but it's not like I plan to do any big production.
The sign above the classroom Fallon directed me to reads "Theatre 2304". It matches the one on my schedule.
I walk in the room and see a medium sized stage and seats lined in rows facing said stage. There's a desk with papers scattered all over it. I'm assuming it's the teacher's.
Making my way over to the desk, I'm met with the looks of some students already in seats.
That makes me nervous.
Sitting at the desk is a woman with fiery red hair that is pulled into a messy top bun. She's typing away on her computer, popping cereal into her mouth.
"Hello, I'm new here and I think this is my classroom." I say.
She looks over at me and smiles wide. "Hi sweetie! What's your name?" She asks.
"Dahlia Martinez." The woman goes back to her computer and eats some more frosted flakes.
"Ah yes I see you on my roster! Nice to meet you, I'm Ms.Taylor. Honestly this class is pretty chill, sit anywhere you want." She bubbles.
Ms.Taylor seems sweet. I nod and find a seat towards the back. The other people I saw in the class are at the front. I caught a small snippet of their conversation. Something about a musical, I don't know but they seem invested in theatre.
It's only 8:20, so there's still some time before class starts. I pull out my earbuds again to listen to music.
First song played: Paper Rings. Taylor is the love of my life. Gives me unrealistic love standards, but it's whatever.
I get out a notebook from my bag to start calculating this months house bills. Mom is very busy, so I like to get a head start before logging in to actually pay the bills.
I hum to myself while doing lots of math. It's kinda weird but I love math.
Next song played: Apocalypse.
Don't cry. I could always skip it but it's too good of a song.
This month there's some leftover money. If I get a job too, we could probably afford to get some extra things.
If things keep going like this, Thanksgiving and Christmas might look better too.
It's only September, but I like to think of future possibilities. My birthday is December 28, meaning I rarely got birthday or Christmas gifts. I liked to spend what money we had on the boys.
8:30. The bell finally rings. I put away my notebook and music and look to the front. Ms.Taylor is standing on the stage now.
"Morning guys. We're presenting our group improv scenes today! You have 10 minutes to prep before I start calling up groups."
Ugh, I love that first days mean no work for me. Ms.Taylor walks over to me.
"You can just watch the scenes for today. I'll put you in a group for the next project."
Thank you lord.
I pull out my notes again since I get free time. The classroom door swings open.
"Sorry Ms.Taylor! Logan was being an ass this morning and took a whole extra 5 minutes to get ready."
That is not who I think it is. Lord, I thought we were on good terms this morning?
"Glad you're here Blake. Now hurry the hell
up, you're down to 7 minutes to practice with your group."
Laughs erupt around the room. I'm just mentally piecing together what I did to deserve this.
I can't look at him. Please don't notice me. Please don't notice me.
I immediately take notice of the big brown curls in my direct line of sight.
Please let that be who I think it is.
I make my way over to the seats and see the face I've come to like a lot more than I should.
"Dahlia." I smile. She looks up at me slowly and sighs before frowning.
I want to see her smile.
"Hi." She says swiftly. I notice the notebook she has in her lap. She goes back to writing some numbers down.
"Math?" I ask. She closes the notebook and puts it back in her bag after I say that, I now see what she's wearing. A grey t-shirt paired with black leggings.
Does it make me a perv to want to see her...behind...in those leggings.
Dahlia looks up at me with her soft brown eyes. She starts talking, but I'm very focused on her right now. How is she so perfect?
"Blake?" Say my name again please.
"Blake!" She repeats. "Sorry what?"
She narrows her eyes a little. "I said you should probably go to your group."
"Right. I'll do that." I smile. I not so discreetly place my bag in the seat next to hers, just to let her know I'm coming right back next to her after this shit.
She rolls her eyes a little at my action, but I see her lips turn up a little.
I'll get a smile out of you.
I walk over to my group who are all preparing. I'm in here for a fine arts credit. Like all for passing all my classes, but I hate it here.
Except for Ms.Taylor, love her.
"Blaaake!" Gia wraps her arm around my shoulder. Gia was yet another girl who threw herself at me any chance she got.
"Hi guys. Let's just get this over with." I plead. After around 5 minutes Ms.Taylor announces the first presenters. My group will be third to go, leaving me some time to sit next to Dahlia.
She's humming to herself with earbuds in when I make it back to her. Lost in her own world. I love to see it.
"What are you listening to?" I whisper, trying not to disturb the scene going on. She jumps a little, making it obvious I scared her.
I get a quick look at her phone reading what she's listening to. Her cheeks flush a little and she looks down. "Taylor Swift?" I ask.
"A girl likes what a girl likes." She whispers. I'll have to remember that.
We sit next to each other watching the group finish up their scene. The classroom is full of applause.
Group two makes their way to the stage. I look at Dahlia. She is absolutely mesmerizing. I've never felt so drawn to a person. I don't want to feel like this, or end up hurt in the end. But I can't just stop, not when I haven't even started. I'm ambitious as hell, I'll get through to her.
"Staring problem." She says with a hint of sarcasm.
"You're pretty, haven't I already explained it to you?" I smirk. I like seeing the way she gets nervous when I compliment her. I hope she likes to hear it, she deserves to hear it.
"Lots of girls are pretty Blake, two are even your friends." She snaps back.
"Maybe, but my words still stand. You're the only one I have a staring problem for."
We share a moment of eye contact. It feels like forever though.
"Group 3! You're up."
I curse but give a wink to Dahlia. This is going to be the most embarrassing thing I've done. Our scene is so fucking stupid too.
You know how it's improv, so you have to make it up as you go? Well we have to improv a school scene. I'm playing a "bad boy". Get me out of here.
My group mates start and I wait about 20 seconds into the scene before making an appearance. I bit my lip harshly, obviously faking it.
"We could ride my motorcycle. But I've made out with like 92 girls on it...bitch." I deepen my voice like 10 octaves.
Everyone is laughing their asses off at my attempt to act. But I only care about the one smile I see. She's laughing a bit, smiling a lot.
I would pay to see her smile like that again.
We finish off our scene and I go straight to sitting down. Dahlia is not so good at trying to hide her laughter. "You can laugh." I say cheekily.
She lets out a loud laugh. It's pretty loud in the room right now, but I'm so glad I heard it. I'm going to make her laugh so much from now on.
Dahlia pulls herself back together, a small smile still on her face. "You pulled off the bad boy act really well." She joked. She's interrupted by Ms. Taylor's announcement of free time.
"Thank you, I thought so too." I grin. She shakes her head and does something unexpected. Keeps talking to me.
"I can't believe you got a 72 on your Spanish test." She laughs.
"Hey, it's not my best subject!"
"What is then?"
"Baseball. But if that doesn't count then probably Economics."
Her eyes widen. "You play baseball?"
I forget not everyone has been here long enough to know. "I do. Played since I was 4, and I'm captain here at school."
"It's great you get to do something you love." She softens.
We spend the next 10 minutes talking. She asks me some more about baseball, I ask her about school. She avoids topics like family or anything related to that. She confuses the hell out of me, but it makes me more eager to know about her.
While talking to her, I become more adamant about getting to know her. She's extremely sweet, very sarcastic, and beautiful. I'm stuck in this.
"What's your name?" The question makes both of us look away from each other and up at whoever is talking.
It's Gia. Fuck me, just as I was getting to know her.
Dahlia tenses a bit, something I've noticed she does when it comes to new people.
"Hello?" Gia spits.
"Sorry, um Dahlia." She shares. Go away Gia, I'm not done talking to her.
"Dahlia. You can leave Blake alone now if you'd like. I know you probably aren't the kind of person he talks to."
What? Dahlia drops her shoulders a little bit but keeps a straight face, like she's prepared for this.
"What the hell Gia?" I scoff.
"It's okay Blake, I'm getting her off your back!" She teases.
I see Dahlia put things into her bag before standing up. Bad timing, but her butt looked fucking better than I'd imagined.
"Nice talking to you Blake." Dahlia muttered before walking to Ms. Taylor's desk. Im assuming she asked to go to the bathroom or something because she walks out of the classroom.
I flip off Gia. "I don't know what's up your ass, but leave me the hell out of it." I glare.
This is going to be a boring last 15 minutes of class without her.
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I really liked writing this chapter! Dahlia coming out of her shell is my fave.<33