After first-period American History, which was rather boring, I had English with Dane. It was the first lesson, I suppose. But I was excited to be learning more about the Native Americans.
In English, we were to study Jane Austen’s works, which I was pleased about because I loved Pride and Prejudice.
I sat in the middle of the room because I didn’t want to seem like a nerd or a teacher’s pet by sitting up front. Even though I loved English, it was my favorite subject, but I also didn’t want to be one of the back seat rebels. All the cool kids sat at the back of the room, furthest from the teacher so they could muck up.
But I wasn’t a cool kid. Not yet anyway.
So, the middle of the room seemed like the best choice.
I was early, according to all the other kids. But I didn’t mind. I wanted to get a head start on my course reading list. I opened my copy of Austen's complete works and began to read Pride and Prejudice when the energy in the room changed.
I didn’t have to look up to know who had just walked into the room.
“Hey, D- man! Saved you a spot, dude,” said Ashton Striker, the lead singer, and guitarist in the school rock band.
Of course, they were friends. It seemed logical that someone like Dane O’Connell was friends with one of the most famous people in town.
Dane began to walk down the far aisle, the row of desks where I was seated, closest to the window, and then stopped beside my desk.
“Hey,” he said, tapping my desk with his fingers. I looked up then and saw his hand only inches from mine, where it rested on the desk. My left held the book open. I didn’t know whether to move it closer or away. I settled with staying frozen where I was.
“Hi,” I replied meekly.
“Welcome to Mrs. Petticoat’s English class. You’re going to love it.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
I looked back down at my book to show him I was busy. But it was damned hard to tear myself away from his handsome face.
He got the message at last. “Well, I’ll see you after class? Enjoy Pride and Prejudice.”
He gave me a wink and then made his way toward the back of the room to join his friends.
I sighed quietly and sank a bit deeper in my chair.
What was he doing to me?
I enjoyed English immensely, just like Dane said I would. The next class was Math, after a study break. I didn’t feel like seeing anyone, especially Dane or Stacey, so I headed to the library to continue reading. I made my way to one of the reading corners on the newly renovated library's upper level and sank into a soft green love seat near the window. Outside I could see the elm trees swaying in the breeze in the courtyard, and beyond that, mangroves lined the beach.
I munched on my apple as quietly as I could while continuing with my re-read of Pride and Prejudice. I had read this book so often that I knew it almost by heart, but I still loved reading it like the first time.
I didn’t sense him at first until he was right in front of me. By then, it was too late. There was no more hiding from him.
“Hey, I thought I might find you in here. You aren’t hiding, are you?”
I closed my book around my well-loved kitten bookmark that was frayed and falling apart, but I refused to replace it and looked up at him with a sheepish smile.
“Is it that obvious?”
He sat beside me on the two-person love seat. I didn’t move over, but the lounge seemed large when I had sat on it, but now it seemed too small with him sitting there. His jean-clad leg bumped mine. I was wearing a long flowing skirt today with my favorite sneakers. It had a slit up the side, so my knee was poking through. It wasn’t until Dane reached for my bare knee that I realized with horror that I hadn’t shaved very well this morning.
But I couldn’t pull my leg away from his touch. That would be too obvious. I’d hurt him. So I stayed in the position I was.
“What are you doing here, Dane?” I asked.
“I wanted to see you. I couldn’t very well talk to you in class.”
“Why? Because I’m a nerd, and you’re one of the popular guys?”
“It’s not like that, you know. It’s not. Besides, I love a girl who reads. Bookworms are sexy.”
My heart skipped a beat. “But what about that girl at the beach?”
“Who do you mean?”
“That blonde girl in the short shorts and bikini. She was all over you.”
I cringed. I sounded jealous now.
Dane winced and shook his head. “I don’t know her. She’s one of the hangers-on, I think, one of Ashton’s groupies.”
“Ashton has groupies?” But of course he did. He was a rock god in this town. He was sex on a stick. But so was Dane.
Dane laughed and threw out his hand to say, of course. What’s the big deal?
“Anyway, you don’t have to worry about her. She just did that. I don’t even know how she knows who I am.”
Was he serious? Couldn’t he see it? The effect he had on others around him? He was like the sun and everyone else, the planets. I repeated the very words Stacey had said to me.
“Everyone knows who you are.”
He looked embarrassed. He pulled his hand back and looked down at them in his lap.
“I don’t know why. I’m nothing special.”
“You are, Dane.” I didn’t know myself. I reached for him then, and he reached for me. He pulled me into his lap and kissed me hard on the mouth. It was needy and wanting. My God, I wanted him. I couldn’t remember the last time I had wanted someone as badly as I wanted Dane.