• "He is so cute!",I exclaimed.Jerome darkes, a.k.a new kid and hottest guy in Marvin high."Oh come on go talk to him.That red face of yours looks about to explode",Kim smiled wickedly.She was always teasing me.I punched her arm and she flinched back and rubbed it even though I know it didnt hurt at all.She was the schools head cheerleader her body was everything but made of steal.I sighed and continued to watch Jerome.As he walked past everyone in the cafeteria."You know you want to, Nya dont be shy",Kim pressed.She had been there when my now ex-boyfriend Tommy nickels hit me.I got so mad I hit him back and broke his nose.My parents were sued.But I never got in trouble because the
    judge took my side.I had been single and planning to stay that way ever since.But I still had crushes every now and then."It'll never work",I replied.Kim shook my arm."You always say 'it'll never work', its your only excuse",She complained."Its not an excuse it never works out.If it ever did then i'd have a boyfriend, wouldnt i?".Her face twisted into an unusuall frown.She poked her lip out and stretched her eyes."Come on",I whined."I taught you that look.Dont use it against me".Kim didnt reply.Instead she let her eyes fill up with tears. "You. him", she sobbed. She cried extremely loud. People all over turned there heads."Ok, fine",I huffed trying to calm her down.Immediatly her eyes dryed, she quit yelling, and a strong smile spread across her face."Great",she sqealed, excited."A monster I've made you",I supressed a giggle.Her face was serious when she looked at me again."You promised, now go go
    go!",she ordered shoving me out of my seat.I stumbled out before I could fall turned around and ran straight into him."Oh",I breathed.He smiled warmly.But then his head turned down as he began to wipe off his jeans and shirt.It took me a moment to relize that he was wet."Sorry",I blurted a little too late.He looked up and laughed."Its okay",he replied."It'll dry, just water."I could feel the blood rushing to my face. He looked up again."Your blushing". His voice was amused. "Im really sorry", I repeated. "And embarrassed",added a voice.I gulped and looked up.Gretchen williams,the daughter of the most obnoxious, man in town.Though also the richest too."Oh, Nya",she mocked."Look you got Jerome all soaked.But I geuss its not you fault your so clumsy.Maybe my father could help you pay for walking lessons.Ailynn, my little sister.You know, the two year old. she can help you for free.Oh, wait, thats right.charity week isent for another month".She shrugged."sorry".Jerome glanced between us.Before he could say anything I turned to him."Im really sorry about your shirt.I've go to get to class.See you later."Automaticly I walked past Gretchen without acknowledging her and ran to the hall.I heard her shrill laughter behind me as I ran."Wait!",someone called.I was too caught up in getting out of there.I didnt stop until I was half way to my next class even though lunch had just started, and the class did
    not begin until.I glanced down at my small silver watch."In an hour",I groaned.Kim would probably have called the police on a missing person for me by the time it started. Im not hungry, I decided. I was surely not going to go back to that cafeteria even if I had been starving! So I wandered the halls. After a while (fifteen minutes) my feet began to ache."Hey",someone yelled down the hall in front of me.I looked up and saw my friend Sumer.I waved at her."Kims going crazy!",she called."Come on she really needs to see you".She gesture then ran off meaning for me to rush after her."Oh, man",I could not supress this groan.But, absently, I did run after Sumer and followed her to Kim."There you are", Kim screamed crushing me into a bone breaking hug."She was about to call the FBI",Sumer laughed. Kim made a face in her direction then turned back to me."So",she said slowly."How did it go?".I sighed and looked down avoiding her eyes."You've gotta be kidding",she gasped reading my expression.Kim breathed deeply.How she always did when trying not to be angry."He is such an idiot",Sumer agreed with Kim's quiet thoughts.I didn't know she knew.But living with Kim my entire life I geussed she just couldn't help but tell someone else."Its not him but...", I paused. Kim shook me violently."But what?", she demanded."It was Gretchen",I caved in.I heard Kim's in take of breath."That spoiled, talentless, little fragment of evil", Sumer shrieked. I couldn't blame her. Gretchen was dating her ex-boyfriend who'd dumped her for Gretchen. Kim patted her shoulder and mine at the same time."Its okay", she whispered."Told you", I mumbled. Kim turned the full force of her enraged eyes on me. I didn't even flinch.I was so used to it."What?",she growled."I told you",I repeated."It never works out.Why would it I'm just Nya. I'm not some super star or famous actress".Sumer giggled automatically at my sarcastic mocking tone."The football field was filled with her laughter all of the sudden."Shut up",Kim hissed. She hated being wrong and she knew she'd been beat this time.I had told her."Nya!",someone hollered
    from the benches across from us.There he sat waiting.His hair hung around his face and his gold and brown shirt was drying.Kim squeaked in delight and pushed me away grabbed Sumer's hand and ran for the other side of the field.The sun beat down on my neck as I walked towards him."Hey",he kindly gestured for me to sit down next to him."Hi",I replied taking the seat."I was wondering",he smiled."Do you like the beach?".I looked up at him, pure confusion in my eyes."Well",he urged."Yea I do, why?",I quickly responded. "There's not a beach around for miles though".He stared at me."My uncle allowed me to use his townhouse this weekend.He said I could have a party.Its up by Lake Lorshore",he said in explanation."Oh",I breathed.He laughed."Not one much for words",he teased. "Anyway I was hoping maybe you might come?".I was point blank speechless.He grinned at my surprised expression."Well", he pressed.I didn't reply but continued to stare at his amused face."Good",he said a smile in his voice. He was having fun with me! this was so not funny."I'll pick you up at seven o' clock".I glanced around him and unsurprisingly I saw Sumer and Kim spying on us.I laughed out loud.I really didn't mean to but it just came out on its own.They smiled at each other and continued on watching us."I guess I'll see you then Nya,"Jerome sighed.I nodded in agreement."Sure",I gasped.He turned to leave.Then he stopped and muttered something under his breath.It was probably not meant for me but i heard it. He said, "Its rude to watch".He shrugged and strode away.As we both knew they were waiting for me of course."So...",Kim urged.I smiled and pressed my lips together.It drove her insane.She punched my arm.And even though it really hurt i just smiled.Sumer elbowed me and i burst out.They stared at me as i laughed.They're eyes were confused and angry.They really wanted to know.But i walked away from them without saying anything about Jerome.The sound of his name in my head made my heart flip and fly.I pressed my hand to it.The rest of the day went by in a blur. That's all i could remember when i got home.My mom poked her head out of the kitchen and smiled at my bewildered expression. "A boy called",she giggled.I sat up and turned to her from my spot on the couch."What?", I
    said dumbly.She smiled bigger."He said his name was Jerome",she said teasingly obviously knowing everything.