My focus on the pen was running short and, soon enough, it landed on the floor creating a small sound which seemed to echo throughout the entire room. My eyes briefly survey the direction my pen took and looked up at the class to see if anyone bothered to care. Nope. No one. I look down again but couldn’t find my pen. Cursing silently, I search the floor but still could not find said pen. I was about to lose my temper and curse the pen when someone roughly tapped my shoulder causing me to jerk my head at the person in annoyance.

I was in the middle of snapping at the person when the gears in my head click as I realize what I was looking at. Never have I seen such brilliant green ever. I ended up gaping, something very unusual as nothing really did grab my attention. Nothing has ever captivated me this way. Just one look and click! Everything falls right into place. Or I could just be emotional right now.

Mentally slapping myself, I accept it and thank him, going back to slouching. Once I was sure no one was looking, I side glance at the man beside me. He, just like me, was slouching maybe even lower. He was resting his head on a hand and took what seemed to be notes seldom —close to the point of not taking any at all. He had this ‘why did I bother come here’ expression and an aura of recklessness. But despite all that, his sleepy eyes told me he was bored too.

And now I’m wondering who he is. I’m not even sure if he’s new or not. I don’t take notice of my classmates at all. Except him. But I only met him today so that can’t really count right? Besides, I’m normally an ass guy. So how come I’m reacting to this with just a look in the eye? Is he new or not?

That’s it.

I’m finding out.

A folded piece of paper lands on my desk with my name on it. Obviously a note. Note passing is famous in this school but I’ve never actually received one. Unfolding it, I read the simple sentence.

Stop staring at me

He knew all this time?! I scowl then frown, stare and felt my cheeks go slightly hot. I tore out a page from my notebook and poised my pen, ready to reply when he quickly passes another note to me. I opened it and read faster than I usual would and smirked after I managed to calm myself.

So cute. But don’t make yourself too obvious. Wouldn’t want the old fart to catch you, right? As they say: naughty, naughty might get caught-y.

As if I was being ‘naughty’. The whole class was bored to death! I call this improvised amusement. I recall seeing my name on his first note and I passed him one, demanding how a new student like him could remember my name.

He opens my note casually, his expression more alive than before. He’s actually smirking! He made a haste reply and passed it.

So I’m a new student? I’ve been here for as long as you’ve probably been. I didn’t even know you existed—no offense of course. I had to ask for your name.

Oh. So he wasn’t new.

I knew that.

The bell rings, signaling the end of the period. Everyone, including me, scrambles to the door thankful that another lesson was demolished by the bell. With everyone rushing outside, it was still a surprise that I was able to hear the given homework. I was one of the last people to go and took a look see in the room. Imagine my shock to see him still putting his notebook in his bag. Is he stupid? We’re only allowed five minutes to get to our next class and it just happens to be in a separate building.

I don’t have time to think about that though. Time is running.

-

Sure enough, he was late. One minute late to be exact. Not only was he late, he already had a late slip ready. The whole class watches as he gives his slip to the teacher and take his seat. Our teacher frowns and calls our attention scolding us to get back to our lesson.

I slip a note on his desk telling him that if he was a minute earlier than the second bell, he wouldn’t have needed a late slip. I see him open the note but didn’t see how he reacted. I took out something from my bag and his reply was already there on my desk. The pen seemed to have been pressed down into the paper as his note made a dent on the back. Which could mean that he’s angry.

Humph. I’ve reasons. What’s it to you anyway? Isn’t anyone happy I cancelled that sod’s lecture for a minute?

I look at him and see that he did seem a bit annoyed so I left it at that. For the next twenty minutes of my life, I was, as usual, bored. I did try to take notes but damn, who wanted to take notes when after this we would be free? I consider ‘going to the clinic’ but I’m not really in the mood to play hooky.

The teacher is now officially raising and lowering her voice in a unique alto. I don’t think she’s singing the lecture though. That would be a very lame attempt to get us to listen. Plus her voice is horrible.

A crumpled piece of paper hits me at the side. I grab it and take a scan trying to spot the culprit who wished their death today. I look at him and find him doing some small weird gestures. He must’ve seen my quizzical look because he smacks his hand to his forehead and mouth the words: open it. So I do. And what he said did startle me a little, I admit.

I’m not mad.

I know, I reply and as quick as I reply, he passes me a reply asking why it feels like I think it then.

I was lost in my own thoughts. The more I open up to him, the more excited I have become. I’m actually enjoying myself? Even that sounds unusual. To probably the whole department, I am widely known as an anti-social. Maybe I partially am but that isn’t really the reason to them. They think I’m one because I’m known to be alone. I turn down invitations to parties, with girls, even the guys. Even when there isn’t any teacher around, I’m always the quiet one. The ‘cool anti-social’ as my roommate, and possibly only friend, tell me. But just because of that doesn’t mean I’m on the teachers’ good side. Me conclusion: Why is it that someone like me would be feeling something like this? Something has to be wrong—

“Contemplating on the mysteries of the universe?” A voice penetrates through my thoughts. A middle aged woman, a.k.a the teacher, walks down the aisle and stands beside me. I have never in my life been caught. See what I mean about not being on the good side of teachers?

“Well?” she pesters, her shoes going ‘clack’ as she taps them in annoyance. “Or maybe you were reflecting on the lesson? Is that why you did not respond when I asked you to stand and answer my question?”

I quirk an eyebrow. Ouch. Since when have teachers become rabid dogs? They should get offences for that.

The bell rings and everyone makes the usual scramble to get out only to be stopped but our teacher saying that no one is allowed to leave until I answer her question.

My eyes travel to the blackboard but, to my dismay, everything was erased. I look around; trying to get some clue but everyone was either talking to someone or staring. At least nobody was giving me dirty looks. Of all the people I try to look at, I didn’t bother looking at him. I mean, he was barely paying attention to our previous lesson why should he have in this one? He was distracting me though, waving his arms around. The teacher doesn’t notice him, lucky bastard so I glare at him signaling him to stop it. He seemed happy to be able to get my attention though and mouths a word I didn’t get.

“Er..” I ‘accidentally on purpose’ say aloud hoping he’d get that no; I do not have an idea what he said. He writes something in his notebook and holds it up. I read it and frown. Either he has worse spelling or penmanship than I thought but I could not understand what he wrote. “Sea on a clove?” I ask instead of say. A couple of people nervously giggle at my back.

“Are you trying to be funny?” the teacher asks looking at me as if I was retarded. I plan to glare at him extra bad when I see him rotate his notebook. I now know the answer.

“Volcano,” I say hurriedly. She looks at me than at him. Uh oh. I better not have gotten him into trouble. She sees him stuff his notebook and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Dismissed,” she says and everyone makes a mad dash outside.

I have the urge to go home soon so I try to rush for my locker to dump my stuff but the corridors aren’t exactly empty so it was impossible to run. Someone side steps beside me and, out of curiosity, I glance at the person, surprised to see him. Damn. I have to start expecting the unexpected.

“You idiot,” I couldn’t help but blurt out to him. He looks at me as if I was the idiot and says, “How come I’m the idiot?” My heart skips a beat and my breath gets caught in the middle of my throat. So his voice isn’t the most angelic one of all. It isn’t even close to an angel’s! Still.

“You got the message upside down,” I retort.

“Hello! Who wasn’t listening to the lesson?” he knocks on my skull in full mockness.

“Who said ‘be thankful I cancelled the lecture’?!” I half yell. “As if you paid attention,” I added in a huff.

“I did,” he replies in dignity.

“Yeah right,” I muttered sarcastically.

“Yes I did!”

Pfft. He ‘listened’. As if. So what does he know? That it breathes fire and spurts out molten lava?

“I happen to know that they are a fissure in the earth’s crust,” he pipes up as if he read my mind. “I bet you didn’t know that.” I decide that now would be a good time to ignore him and reach my locker in record time. I got my stuff and turn to go when I see him, again, opening the locker beside mine.

Oh no. He’s not a thief is he?!

“What’re you doing?!” I demanded almost in panic. He looks at me as though I was more of an idiot than before. “I’m opening my locker. What does it look like? Don’t tell you me didn’t know that one either.”

I feel my cheeks go hot. “Right. I knew that too. I’ll just go,” I muttered and zoom past him.

-

Ah. This is definitely better. Going out for ice cream. I feel better all ready. In fact, I don’t remember why I felt so embarrassed. Or this giddy feeling inside me. Nope. I’m totally ignoring them.

I finish my ice cream and go to the washroom to.. wash my hands obviously. I go out and start thinking about.. actually, why should I tell you?

“Hey. Aren’t you that person from school?”

I turn around and see.. him. Oh my God. Is he sure he’s a student from my school and not a serial killer stalker person? This is like the third time he surprised me.

“What’re you doing here?” I ask with bewildered eyes. Oh no. I’m starting to remember why I felt embarrassed, foul and happy. Happy? Foul and happy do not go together. Wait. I’m getting this déjà vu thing. I think I saw this already. Was it in a movie?

“Oh. I come here every Thursday with my friends,” he jabs his thumb to the front part of the parlor at some table. “And I need to use the washroom.” He passes pass me and I go on my way. No use waiting for him.

-

I fumble through my bag trying to look for the key to my dorm room. My room mate isn’t home yet, that is a fact I know. So of course I can’t just knock on the door that’s why I’m looking for that damn key but I can’t.. seem.. to find that.. key. A tiny island of books and papers has formed beside me and I still can’t find that key. Argh!

“Need any help?”

I turn around and see my room mate laughing at me. Hey! No laughing!

“Yes. I need you to open the door for me,” I reply. This is so not funny.

While my room mate opens the door, I might as well tell something about her. She has got to have the blackest hair ever! And shiny! Must not forget shiny. And silky too. And she has black eyes but she bought red contacts so she sort of has red eyes. She says it looks ‘cool’. I don’t know though. I think it’s kind of disturbing. But besides looking disturbing, she’s very nice and smart. She can just be.. a tad weird at times.

With her help, I move my stuff in and she closes the door for me. She looks at the pile of school things.

“What?” I ask in annoyance.

“Nothing. It’s just that I think,” her eyes flash with suspicion. “I think something happened to you today.”

“What makes you say that?” I ask while I gather my things and stuff them inside.

“If nothing happened, you’d have remembered that you keep your key inside your jean pocket.”

I feel my pocket and, sure enough, it was there. Stupid me. I wonder what made me forget that. His green eyes came in my mind.

“I smell something fishy and it ain’t the moldy thing you bought last week,” my room mate teases.

I roll my eyes. “What makes you think that?”

“Let’s see. One: I got home and caught you outside, still looking for your keys. Two: I got home and caught you outside, still looking for your keys. And three— you get my point.”

“There’s nothing ‘fishy’ going on, as you put. So I have nothing to say.” I refuse to tell her that there’s this uber cute guy in my class that I noticed only today.

My room mate smirked at my reply, went in her room, saying, “Whatever you say.” in a sing-song voice and left me to wonder why she smirked. I mean, no one smirks at me!

Out of habit, I looked at the mirror hanging, ready to talk to myself on that matter when I saw the reason itself.

I was blushing.

--

author's note: and that is the end of this chapter. i'm thinking of continuing this but you guys have to review and tell me what you think. btw, yes, that ice cream parlor moment really does remind me of a movie but i completely forgot which one.