Author's Note: Read This First

I would've changed the following terms so they'd be easier to understand for those who didn't go to the same university as I did, but I couldn't think of anything to change them into, so I figured I'd just explain what they mean here.

CLA - stands for College of Liberal Arts. In the particular university this story's set in, it's known as the college with the most number of female students, and they're all usually very very pretty and popular. This is also where the really cool guys are, next to CBE (College of Business and Economics - where everybody's rich).

COE - stands for College of Engineering. This is the college the males dominate, specifically the geeky ones. This one-shot is rated PG-13 but only for Language (and only towards the end), despite the seemingly suggestive title. It is told in the first person point of view, by a guy named Matthew.

Thanks (in advance) for reading, and don't forget to leave a review!

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Sitting Behind Her

The door opened and she walked in.

It wasn't a long walk from the door to her chair, which was beside the door, and in front of mine, but I was able to look at her from head to foot before she sat, and she was gorgeous. She was wearing dark blue jeans, blue sneakers and a striped blue and green top that matched her earrings. The watch on her wrist was blue, too, and it looked more like a bracelet. Pretty simple, but it was a cute combination, although, it wasn't really a surprise. CLA girls were always well-dressed anyway, and pretty...

She hung her backpack (the only thing she had that didn't match her clothes) behind her seat and in the process saw me looking at her. She smiled in acknowledgement and then turned back to her friend who was sitting beside her. Her friend was also from CLA, and was dressed even more girly. Right now she had on a skirt and a sleeveless red shirt. Her silver earrings had dolphins dangling on it, and she had on a necklace to match. Both well-dressed, both pretty, both smart, and both from CLA--both definitely way out of my league.

I sighed as I leaned on my desk and tried to listen to their conversation. They were talking about Takeshi Yasutoko again. I learned from hearing their earlier conversations that he was a professional in-line skater, and that Grace, that's her name, Grace, thought he was the 'cutest, most perfect guy to exist'. "He even has a world record!" she had said, and I laughed when I heard it. Luckily, she didn't notice me, but then, when have the girls in CLA ever noticed me anyway? What were they doing in a COE class if they're from CLA? And sure, it's a general subject that everybody has to take, but why didn't they enroll in a CLA class? Okay, maybe the classes in CLA filled up quickly. And they're actually not the only ones from CLA in our class. But still, why'd they have to sit in front of me anyway? It's as if fate's reminding me of the things I'm close to but can't ever get, and just make me feel even more depressed. I sighed again. When is our professor going to arrive anyway, so I have somewhere else to look, and not notice how Grace's shirt goes up whenever she leans and part of her back is shown... "Geez, Matthew," I scolded myself. Could I get any more pathetic?

Just then, our professor walked in.

I breathed a sigh of relief, while I heard some of my classmates groan. I chuckled. I must be the only one who actually wanted class to begin.

Unfortunately, our professor was a nun who didn't ever have a clue of what was going on in front of her, and our classmates of course, took advantage of it. So did Grace and Elaine--that's her friend. They continued chattering on, about some Korean guy this time, and I wondered if guys were really all what CLA girls talked about.

"It's just that, when you're in love with a celebrity, because that guy's a celebrity, you already know right away that that's why you can't ever have him--because he's the type who has the means to go out with people like Britney Spears. But if you're in love with somebody you actually know, like a classmate or something, and you still can't have him, you start to wonder what's wrong with you, since you see him everyday and he's not the kind to go out with anyone famous. It's more difficult to find a reason why someone like that wouldn't like you, and you just end up depressed and insecure," I heard Elaine explain to Grace.

She did have a point, and for some reason, it made their conversation more interesting. I leaned closer to hear what Grace replied.

"There's a point," Grace said. "And heaven knows I know what you mean. I mean, the guys I have a crush on aren't even the heart-throb types, and still, none of them like me."

"Guys? You mean there are a lot?" Elaine said, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay," Grace rolled her eyes. "Now, there's really just one. And, yeah, he knows I exist, but it's just not enough."

My ears perked up. There were actually guys who didn't like her?

Elaine rolled her eyes as well. "Geez, Grace, why don't you just tell him that you like him? He looks nice enough to not shut you down completely."

"I know he's not going to shut me down, I just--" she paused to think. "I just don't want him to think that I'm coming on too strong."

"Then give subtle signs," Elaine told her and raised her eyebrow. "Why do I even have to tell you this? I know you know it."

Grace laughed. "I do know it," she said. "I'm the expert on subtle signs. I just... Every time I see him, my mind just goes blank, and I turn into this mumbling fool who's totally not funny and not charming and just, not at all likeable."

I chuckled to myself. Who was this guy? She obviously had it really bad for him. I listened closely. Maybe they'd mention his name.

"Then try not to talk so much and..." Elaine paused to think. She shrugged. "I don't know, use physical contact."

"Physical contact," Grace repeated.

Physical contact, I heard. It sounded like a good plan. I smiled. They'd sure get a guy's attention with that. I shook my head in silent laughter. Girls were brilliant.

"You know, that's not a bad idea," Grace said thoughtfully. "Maybe I will do that."

"Do it soon," Elaine told her. "You don't want to waste any time, especially with guys that slow."

Grace chuckled. "He is slow, isn't he?"

"Didn't I just say that?"

"Yeah," she said softly. "But that's why I like him," she sighed and leaned back on her chair.

Elaine shook her head in silent laughter as she leaned back on her chair as well. "You're so head over heels," she said, before turning to our professor and finally beginning to listen to the lecture.

I started to listen to the lecture too since their conversation seemed to be over. It was just too bad they didn't mention the guy's name, although they probably didn't need to because I'm sure it's some guy from CLA who can get all the chicks he wants. Although, Grace did mention earlier that he wasn't a heart-throb type. So maybe she was different from other CLA girls. But actually I already knew that. Just that backpack on her shoulder, which didn't match anything else she was wearing, was enough proof that she was different. I sighed. She got more interesting by the minute.

The bell rang and I started to fix my things. Our professor repeated the assignment and some were already standing up. I stood up as well, and then felt something hit my foot. I looked down and saw a pen on the floor. It had rolled underneath my chair. I saw Grace turn from her chair and look around.

I bent to pick it up. "Is this yours?" I said as I handed her the pen.

"Yeah," she said, taking it from me. Her hand brushed mine as she did and a shock of electricity traveled all the way up my arm. She put it in her pocket and I started to turn away. "Hey wait, Matthew," she called and I smiled. My name always sounded better when she said it. I suddenly felt her hand on mine, and then my whole body tensed up. "Thanks," she said, squeezing my hand as she smiled while looking up at me.

"Yeah, uh--" my mind went completely blank.

And then she let go and turned back to fix her things without looking back at me.

I looked at my hand, still feeling the warmth of hers in it. It felt good to hold her hand. It was soft, and smooth, and warm. That physical contact thing was definitely--whoa!

My head turned sharply towards her direction. Did that mean...?

She saw me looking and she smiled again and waved before she started for the door. Elaine was right beside her, giggling.

I raised my hand and waved back. And then instinctively, I smiled.

She bit her lip and lowered her head as she walked out the door. I could've sworn I saw a tint of red on her cheeks.

"Damn," I said as I stood still and put my hands in my pocket. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't fuckin' believe it.

END
04.22.04 14:43