The perfect kiss. Personally, I never believed in "true love" or "the perfect guy" or any of that sweet, sappy, lovey dovey stuff. Until Ben Nelson came along and had to stand there being so cute and funny and smart and cute and down-to-earth and kind and cute and helpful and patient and cute and strong and persistent and cute and caring and loving and... did I mention cute?
My name is Lexi. Lexi Nova. Not Alexis or Alexandra. Just Lexi. That's what is on my birth certificate. That's my name. Whenever teachers see that on their attendance charts they always think that there's been some sort of mix-up and send me to the office to try to fix the "mix-up." Normally, it gets me out of 1st period, so i just go along with it. That's kind of where our story starts.
"Lexi! Get up RIGHT THIS MINUTE!" Mom sounded so angry, but I don't know why. It's only 6:45. I don't have to be at school for at least another forty-five minutes.
"But Mom-"
"No, Lexi, it's not 6:45 anymore. It's now... 7:30!"
"Shizznit!" I pulled out my iPhone and checked the time. Sure enough, I read 7:30 across the top of the screen.
I grabbed the same royal blue halter top that I wear for the start of school every year. Then I grabbed a new pair of bleached faded short shorts and got dressed. I grabbed an orange, got on my motorcycle, and got to school five minutes later than I should be there. but I do that every year on the first day and everybody knows that. Everybody. Except the new kid.
Ben Nelson.
I liked him as soon as I knew his name. Mainly because it's kind of like mine in the sense that his name is Ben. Not Benjamin. Not Bennett. Just Ben. That's what's on his birth certificate. That's his name.
As I walked into the classroom, the name of my arch-enemy, Madelyn Mishler, was being called for roll call. Only one person looked at me as I walked in, Ben. He didn't take his eyes of off me until I sat down next to my best friend, Megan Adamski.
"You're going to be here for your own name to be called? That's a shock," Megan joked.
"Yeah, I got up really early today," I teased back. I smiled. She smiled. Then we looked up front.
"Benjamin Nelson?" Miss Sandy asked.
"Actually, it's just Ben, not Benjamin," he said. Quite politely really.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Positive," he said. It was kind of... charming actually.
"Well, we better send you to the office to be sure," she said.
I couldn't stop myself and before I knew what I was saying, I blurted out, "I think he knows his own name."
The class laughed.
Miss Sandy didn't. "Well, then I guess you know yours?"
"Lexi Nova," I said more confidently than I felt.
"Lexi?" she questioned.
"Yes, I responded. "Lexi."
"Not Alexis?"
"Not Alexis."
"Well, I think that you could show Ben, here, to the principal's office. And why don't you stop there yourself?"
"Oooohhh," the class chorused followed by a series of giggles
"Glad to," I said with a smirk. "Benjamin. Let's go."
We started down the hallway to the principal's office.
"So," Ben started. "Lexi? I'd your name really Lexi or is it Alexis or something else like that?"
"It really is Lexi. Hard to believe, I know. I deserve a much more complex name than simply Lexi."
"Oh, yeah?" he responded.
"Yeah," I said with a smirk on my face.
"Why's that?" he asked, truly curious now.
"Because, do I look like a simple girl?"
And with that I took off into the principal's office not bothering to knock.
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End of chapter one.