I felt oxygen rushing out of me as I watched him saunter over to my table. That and maybe when I dozed off during class, I accidentally hit my head on my table. A concussion was definitely a possibility.
"So, I guess we're partners now?" He asked giving me a grin. I felt my cheeks burning up at his sentence. This was like a dream come true for me! Here he was my crush for almost my whole life and we were partners for a project! I cast him a sideward glance and felt heat rush to my face when he gave a smirk.
"I know you like what you see, Addie." He said cockily. Needless to say, my happy, girly side went away and my usual one, reserved solely for him alone, came on.
Arrogant ass.
"I do not. Don't eventry to flatter yourself." I said hotly hoping he'd get the hint and back off for a little while. He was hoping to say more, but I decided to focus a smidge of my attention to my blabbering teacher.
My Home Economics teacher could not be any crueler than to pair me up with Blake Robinson who other than being my one and only crush, also happened to be my greatest enemy. Cliché anyone?
"Remember, it has to be something that benefits people and I don't just mean food. Now, you know this project will be taking up more than 30% of your total grade, so do your best and present this project in 3 weeks time." Mr. Hastings said cheerfully or should I say, diabolically?
Apparently, I was wrong about my teacher.
The bell rang just in time to allow others to happily leave the classroom including the evil teacher. Except of course me. I was too busy thinking over all the pros and cons of the situation and ended up with more cons than a statistics chart. Over reacting, I'm sure but almost true nonetheless. You see, when you put someone who can't say a nice thing in public to her crush and said crush in one room for a while, things end up messy.
This is not going to end too well. I groaned inwardly as I banged my head on the table for the second time that period.
When I was finally sane enough to realize I was going to be late, I rushed out of the room only to be greeted by a solid thing or rather, a person who had solid bone structure at the halls making me lose my balance with a loud "oof!"
I awaited the impact of my butt on the floor but it never came. Instead, arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me into a standing position. I blushed at the fact that someone had seen my klutziness live, but I didn't want to seem rude to the person who saved me so I looked up and jumped out of the warmth the arms gave me.
"I always knew you wanted me Adrianne." Blake said with a seductive voice and then promptly burst into laughing at my red face both from embarrassment and… well, mostly from his statement.
Embarrassment soon made way for my anger at him laughing at me and pretty soon, I was bubbling over with my temper.
"Oh shut up you cocky jerk." I said angrily as I left without letting him have his say. Although I did hear him cursing as I walked away to my next classroom I kept going in hopes to maybe agitate him even more. He never did like not getting his way. I smiled at his frustrated self then quickly felt bad for doing this to the guy I was practically in love with.
Stupid, stupid girl you are Adrianne! I mentally scolded myself.
I let out a sigh and decided on a resolution. I would not give Blake any more reason to hate me, in fact I was going to try to make friends with him and then, maybe then, I could admit my feelings about him to soften the blow of his reaction which would most likely be rejection.
Low self-esteem, I know.
Feeling pumped up at the opportunity to make amends with him, I grinned triumphantly and gave more pep talks via my head.
You can do this. You are Danielle Adrianne McAllister. You can do anything you set your mind to.
Okay, I thought putting on a smile. I can do this.
~ After 2 weeks ~
I CANNOT DO THIS. NO freaking way.
This was the thought that kept repeating itself in my head as I did my best not to glare at the buffoon beside me. We were sitting in his living room STILL trying to find something for our project which was due next week. His parents were out for the night to go on a date and his little sister was at a sleepover at a friend's house.
Yup, we had the whole house to ourselves at the moment but if he wouldn't shut up soon, I'd be leaving an empty house.
I kept mumbling as I watched Blake laugh at my "stupidity". For the past week, he trashed every single idea I thought would benefit us in less than ten minutes flat. I had kept a plastered smile on my face for the last few minutes of trying to persuade him, but it was starting to crack as my anger seeped in. Again.
"If you don't like any of my ideas, let's see you come up with some yourself you prick!" I shouted at him finally breaking my promise to be nice.
Well, you should have inserted: If he was willing to try being friends too. My brain argued.
Stupid brain who only thinks of answers after the dilemma or epiphany.
His laughter died somewhat at my outburst and turned to face me still snickering.
"Okay, I'll think of something that even YOU will love. In fact, you'll love it so much you'll start praising me for our perfect grade." He said smugly.
"What I wouldn't give to hit you in the face right now." I muttered as low as I could to myself.
Unfortunately, I didn't mutter it low enough that he could be rendered deaf.
"You don't mean that, Addie. Besides, you'd be hurting yourself if you hurt me." Once again, he was smug about it.
"Right. Not." I said as I glared at him keeping whatever indication of a blush on a minimum.
He looks so hot right now! Why oh why does he have to grow up to be exactly my type?
It's not fair for a guy to fit the "perfect" description!
I quickly broke my glare as I turned to hide a blush escaping me. He stayed quiet for a while after my remark, so I took it as a good sign that he was hatching the perfect project in his head and peeked at him through my curtain like hair.
Bad move.
He was deep in thought alright, just trying to make holes in my head and not about our project. His gaze traveled to my eyes and I flinched slightly. I hurriedly closed the curtain between me and him and gulped quietly.
He has such intense eyes! So brown and deep. I was taken by surprise at this comment but reluctantly agreed to it anyway. No use denying the obvious really.
Yeah, you could practically melt like chocolate under his gaze. I groaned softly as I sorted out his features in my mind.
He was tall and lanky, about 6" or taller making me seem short beside him and at 5"6 that seemed like an insult. He had brown hair, to complement his brown eyes and it was always messed up. Not that anybody was complaining of course, he made it look… meant for him. He was also in most of the AP honors classes. With these simple facts alone and of course, his parents' gorgeous genes, he could have been mistaken for a model.
A smart, cute, funny, annoying, arrogant model. I hate beautiful people who got away with things they shouldn't. I groaned some more as I realized I had just contradicted myself.
Just when I was about to mentally scold myself again, I felt a prickling feeling at the back of my head and turned around only to be met by a stare from him.
"What?" I asked irritated hoping my voice wouldn't show how nervous I really was. Silence was thick as I waited for him to break it. When he finally did, I didn't know whether to be relieved or freaked out.
"Let's do our project on make-up." He said.
I blinked a couple of times before finally looking at him calmly. Huh. Weird.
"Make-up? As in, lipstick, mascara, eye-liner, the works?" I asked him slowly just to make sure.
"Well, you're a girl. You should be happy about this kinda thing. And it's an idea."
"Because I'm a girl? What exactly are you trying to imply Blake?" I narrowed my eyes at him all the while praying he wouldn't go all chauvinist pig-like on me. That would destroy the dream of the perfect guy.
"Girls love make-up. It's a way to hide things they don't want others to see." He said it so naturally and confidently that it took me a while to react i.e. leave my mouth slightly agape with horror at his statement.
While that was the purpose of make-up to most of the world, it didn't help that I wanted to defend females who used it rarely and for the purpose to look appealing to people they were attracted to.
So I'm a romantic, big deal.
"Don't give that look. Not like you don't use any yourself." He scoffed at my expression and even dared to give a smirk.
BAM!
He was visibly shocked at the fist coming in contact with the table but not as shocked as I was at the pain shooting up my arm but I dismissed it.
"That is it, Blake! I've had it with you! It's been 2 weeks and if I go for any longer, I'm going to snap!" I fumed at him taking a sadistic moment when I saw his lips turn downwards into a frown.
"Whoa there Adrianne, you don't have to get that mad if it's true you know. I was just stating a fact." He said raising both eyebrows in an amused fashion.
He had the nerve to be amused?
I spluttered for a moment to find the words to make my anger understood in simple terms.
"You are being a total egomaniac and a typical chauvinist! Why do I even put up with you?" I spat at him and turned to leave but his hand found a way to my wrist and he held on even going as far as pulling me back near him. I struggled against his hold but gave up pretty soon.
"If this were a movie, this would be how any character leaves after getting pissed off." I said frustrated at his obvious strength (stupid male genetics) and finally turned to glare at him.
Sad to say, my glare died midway when he looked at me with his dark eyes all over again.
Emotions like confusion, and regret clouded his chocolate orbs but there was something else. Only I couldn't quite recognize it.
"Come on Adrianne, you know I don't mean any harm." He told me as he did what I liked to call the kissing-up-using-charm tactic he used to get his way.
In spite of his somewhat honest intentions, I was still me and the words escaped my mouth before I could regret them. To be honest, I was still recounting all the aggravating moments I had with him in all the time I knew him which only made me seethe even more.
"Of course you don't Mr. Suave and I-can-get-what-I-want by manipulating people into thinking I'm nice."
He gave a shocked look at my words and then he looked upset, or mad, or well, whatever you prefer that is synonymous to angry.
"I can be nice you know," I scoffed at this "it's just that you make everything so complicated. You're the problem too Adrianne. What are you PMS-ing?" he said almost ruefully.
"PMS-ing? Isn't that the international guy answer for everything? You are so stupid! I really don't know what possessed me to try to be nice to you when all you do is try to get a rise out of me." I shouted at him as I moved away from his grip which lessened considerably at my outburst.
"I do not try to get a rise out of you Adrianne. You just find the smallest fault in every single thing I do, every freaking day!" He said angrily still trying to keep his calm but I could see that a couple of sentences more and he would burst into a frenzy like I had.
"I don't try to get a rise out of you everyday! In fact I-" I stopped myself from going any further. He didn't need to know of my affection for him when we were in the middle of a fight like this. It just isn't done.
"You what? You try to get my attention? Puh-lease Adrianne. Don't try to say that. That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard of."
I felt my cheeks go red and gave a look of horror and contempt at his last statement.
"Lamest excuse you've ever heard of eh? So now I don't know how to like somebody." I said coldly but felt the prickling sensation in my eyes.
"Adrianne, I don't mean it that wa-" I closed my eyes warily praying that my tears wouldn't fall. I turned to leave once more this time, grabbing all my things in a weird daze. Just as I was nearing the door, he blocked my path and I felt all patience run out of me. I guess you could say I snapped.
"You know what Blake? You're right. Trying to get your attention is a lame excuse, I mean, it's not like they're real feelings right?" He opened his mouth as his guilty face told me he was going to try to "apologize" but I cut him off.
"I don't know what I ever saw in you. I've always watched you from the sidelines Blake; you know that because you do everything you can to get a reaction out of me whenever we're in the same room. It sucks to admit right now, but yeah, I like you. A lot." From his shocked expression, I could tell he didn't think he was right.
Too bad he was. And too bad I was on a roll too.
"I've liked you since the first time in kindergarten when you sat in class, exactly three people away from me sleeping at the teacher's lesson. I still see you do it sometimes at school too. You looked so cute trying to keep your head up." I gave a mirthless laugh as I tried to continue, swallowing the last bit of my pride.
"I liked you when I found out you were going out with Melanie Fletcher. I was so mad at you that week that I went as far as ignoring you. I couldn't keep it up though. Sucks to say I couldn't ignore you when you flaunted her everywhere you went. She acted like you guys were attached to the hip. This of course turned my crush on you into well hidden hate. I couldn't help it." I shrugged carelessly as he continued to stay in my path looking as mystified as ever at my confession.
"I have no idea why I'm telling you all this right now," I paused in thought. "Actually, I do know. I want to get over you Blake Robinson. I want to tell you what I think I feel and then leave at least knowing that I did try my best.
"You have no right to call being a girl an excuse to like some things and all that. You didn't even have the right to call my crush on you a lame excuse because I don't think it is. Every fault you thought you had just gave me an excuse to call on you. To talk to you." I rubbed my temples as I willed myself to continue. I had gotten as far as this, I couldn't just stop mid-confession.
"I'm being so pathetic right now. And this whole thing actually began when you suggested make-up. You're right. I do love the idea. I don't like the attitude you had to give to show you were right but there are some people who aren't shallow; people who just want to look attractive to those that they are attracted to.
I let out a sigh and focused my eyes on the door.
"I'm done making a fool out of myself, so I'll be going now." I told him tired after saying so much and still hurting so much. I made a motion to the door and held the knob when he called out my name.
Willing myself to not look back at him, I said as carelessly as I could over my shoulder,
"We'll be doing the project in two ways then. I'll tell you which products I can do and then you do whatever you choose okay?"
"After confessing to me, you won't even try to find out my reaction?" He said softly near my ear. I flinched clearly shocked that he was in such close proximity.
I wheeled around to face him and shocked myself again. In my dazed state, I didn't notice his hands on either side of my head keeping me in place. He was so close I could smell his scent.
A lazy grin made its way to his face when he saw how uncomfortable I was. I didn't have the strength to be mad anymore so I just looked at him expectantly for the rejection. After a short while, he chuckled. I tilted my head in confusion and waited for an explanation. He had me stuck anyway, what else was there for me to lose besides my pride?
"What are you laughing about?" I asked out of pure curiosity. I wanted this whole thing to be over with already and he was practically making it a suspense thing.
"This whole thing began when I suggested make-up." He said as if he was asking a question we both knew the answer of. I decided not to talk in case my words came out like they were constricted so I just nodded in consent.
"Adrianne," I shivered but hid it quickly enough. "The only reason I suggested make-up was because you wore make-up too making the project easier to handle." He said calmly.
Frankly, I was exasperated at having to tell him twice or thrice for the day that I did not in fact wear any make-up but I felt compelled to tell him one last time before giving up and letting him say whatever he wanted.
"Like I said before, I DO NOT WEAR MAKE-UP. Kindly get that through your head."
He pondered on this for a while and then looked at me with his eyes gleaming like crazy. Here I thought they were deep and emotional. Huh. Must be a feminine instinct to see something like that.
"Really? I could have sworn I've seen you wearing blush-on, some mascara or whatever you call those eye thingies are and even some lipstick." He looked amused as he said this and I stared at him blankly trying to think back to the moment when I even bought make-up.
"You don't have to deny it Addie; you were trying to look good for people. I get it." He smirked after he said this and suddenly, things began clicking together.
He was trying to get a rise out of me again. The sneaky little bastard. Not wanting to let him actually say that I did use make-up, I took his hand in mine and put it to my cheek.
"Look closely. I have never used make-up, much less bought it. I'm not wearing any now, and I'm not going to be wearing any anytime in the near future." I tried to say in my least irritated voice as I also did my best not to glare at him.
He gave a thoughtful look and thinking he finally got it, I put down his hand. Only, it remained on my face as he spoke.
"You're right. Your skin feels too smooth to have ever had make-up on it." My breathing hitched up a notch when he started making a circular motion on my cheek. It went up even more when his fingers brushed over my lips gently.
I did my best to get my heart and breathing to go back to normal afterwards but that was kind of hard when Blake's face came closer to mine.
I wanted to ask what he thought he was doing but all thoughts stopped when his lips met mine. I felt my eyes widen at frantic thought I was having: "Blake's kissing me!" Shortly after that though, I found myself kissing him back. The electricity that ran through me was exhilarating and I knew Blake was feeling it too.
When we broke apart, we were both panting and gasping for some air. His arms still kept me in my place and supported my frame as my whole body turned into pudding. I shocked myself when I repeated the words in my head. Blake and I kissed.
I guess he took one look at my shocked face and decided now would be the best time to say something.
"You were always sort of dense Adrianne. I nearly drove myself crazy trying to get your attention and getting my ego bruised all the time, but I feel it's worth it now." He chuckled some more at my astonished expression. I felt I needed to voice out my thoughts so I did. Or at least, I tried to.
"You—but—I… This is so confusing." I said looking down when I finally realized that he felt the same way about me. It was great! Really, it was…only, I didn't know what to do next.
"So, uh…What now?" I asked feebly forgetting my last thoughts of exiting the house in a dramatic manner. I wanted to know where this was going and what would we be then.
He grinned again and his eyes showed the same gleam it had before he kissed me.
"Simple, we make out."
After another kiss, he decided to let me have some air.
"You know what? You may not put on any make-up and still look beautiful, but I love make-up anyway." He said unabashedly. I didn't really get it, so I asked why.
"If you weren't so insistent that you didn't wear any make-up, which I already knew by the way, I wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to kiss you like I've been dying to do since we were 12."
He kissed me so fast I didn't have the time to yell at him for taking advantage of the fact that I didn't wear make-up. Then again, I could always yell at him another time. After the make out session that is.
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