my father does business in Phoenix a lot because he owns a few
buildings there.
She smiles.
I tell her Ive never been there but Id like to go one day.
She smiles again.
I think she says its a nice town, but its hard to understand her
words when all I hear in my head is her name.
Rachel.
Im gonna fall in love with you, Rachel.
Her smile makes me want to keep talking, so I ask her another
question as we pass Mr. Claytons room.
We keep walking.
She keeps talking, because I keep asking her questions.
She nods some.
She answers some.
She sings some.
Or it sounds that way.
We get to the end of the hallway, right when she says
something about how she hopes she likes this school because
she wasnt ready to move away from Phoenix.
She doesnt look happy about the move.
She doesnt know how happy I am about the move.
Wheres Mr. Claytons classroom? she asks.
I stare at the mouth that just delivered that question. Her
lips arent symmetrical. Her top lip is slightly thinner than
her bottom lip, but you cant tell until she talks. When
words come out of her mouth, it makes me wonder why
words are so much better coming from her mouth than any
other mouth.
And her eyes. Theres no way her eyes arent seeing a prettier,
more peaceful world than all the other eyes.
I stare at her for a few more seconds; then I point behind me
and tell her we passed Mr. Claytons classroom.
Her cheeks grow a shade pinker, like my confession affected
her in the same way shes affecting me.
I smile again.
I nod my head toward Mr. Claytons class.
We walk in that direction.
Rachel.
Youre gonna fall in love with me, Rachel.
I open the door for her and let Mr. Clayton know that Rachel
is new here. I also want to add, for the sake of all the other
guys in the classroom, that Rachel is not theirs.
Shes mine.
But I dont say anything.
I dont have to, because the only one who needs to be aware
that I want Rachel is Rachel.
She looks at me and smiles again, taking the only empty seat,
all the way across the room.
Her eyes tell me she already knows shes mine.
Its just a matter of time.
I want to text Ian and tell her she isnt hot. I want to tell him
shes volcanic, but he would laugh at that.
Instead, I discreetly take a picture of her from where Im
seated.
I send the picture in a message to Ian that says, Shes gonna
have all my babies.
Mr. Clayton begins class.
Miles Archer becomes obsessed.
I met Rachel on Monday.
Its Friday.
Ive said nothing to her since the day we met. I dont know
why. We have three classes together. Every time I see her, she
smiles at me like she wants me to talk to her. Every time I work
up the courage, I talk myself down.
I used to be confident.
Then Rachel happened.
I gave myself until today. If I didnt work up the courage by
today, Id be giving up my only shot with her. Girls like Rachel
arent available for long.
If shes even available.
I dont know her story or if shes wrapped up in a guy back in
Phoenix, but theres only one way to find out.
Im standing next to her locker, waiting for her. She exits the
classroom and smiles at me. I say Hi when she walks up to
her locker. I notice that same subtle change in her skin color. I
like that.
I ask how her first week was. She tells me it was fine. I ask her
if shes made any friends, and she shrugs as she says, A few.
I smell her, subtly.
She notices anyway.
I tell her she smells good.
She says, Thank you.
I push through the sound of my heart pounding in my
ears. I push past the sheen of moisture developing on
my palms. I drown out her name, which I keep wanting
to repeat out loud, over and over. I push it all down
and hold her stare while I ask her if shed like to do
something later.
I keep it all pushed away and make room for her response,
because its the only thing I want.
I want that nod, actually. The one that doesnt require words?
Just a smile?
I dont get her nod.
She has plans tonight.
It all comes back tenfold, spilling over like a flood and Im the
dam. The pounding, the sweaty palms, her name, a newfound
insecurity I never knew existed, burying itself in my chest. All
of it takes over and feels like its building a wall around her.
Im not busy tomorrow, though, she says, obliterating the
wall with her words.
I make room for those words. Lots of room. I let them invade
me. I soak those words up like a sponge. I pluck them out of
the air and swallow them.
Tomorrow works for me, I say. I pull my phone out of my
pocket, not even bothering to hide my smile. Whats your
number? Ill call you.
She tells me her number.
Shes excited.
Shes excited.
I save her contact in my phone, knowing itll be there for a
long, long time.
And Im gonna use it.
A lot.
Chapter three
TATE
Normally, if I were to wake up, open my eyes, and see an angry man staring me down from a bedroom doorway, I might scream. I might throw things. I might run to the bathroom and lock myself inside.
I dont do any of these things, though.
I stare back, because Im confused about how this is the same guy who was passed out drunk in the hallway. How is this the same guy who cried himself to sleep last night?