‘What?’ She scowls at me, looking at me with her dark brown eyes. It’s not like I was trying to get her attention, I mean, it’s not like I tried messing around with fireworks or something.
But maybe setting her phone to loud, and calling it in class was a bit… inappropriate. I know people think she’s a lesbian… I doubt it, to be honest. But Katy Perry as her ringtone…
that’s sure to get the stories flowing.
‘What?’ She scowls at me, again. I swear, this must have been the fourth time today.
I know, I’m only talking in my head, but I think she is gorgeous, you know? I feel bad, I’m always messing with her head… but she is… mighty fine. Mighty, mighty fine.
I turn around to her. It’s kinda… she has beautiful eyes. I can’t look her in the face. I blush, look down at my feet.
‘Yeah, you do that.’ She gives me this look that could break glass.
‘I’m… I’m…’ I stutter, trying to start speaking, to try and utter some words, begin speaking.
‘What?’ She repeats the same thing again. I hate it when she asks me that, I know what I should be saying something… But I can’t.
‘Sophie… could… could we talk?’ I manage to splutter out these words. It sounds so cheesy… like I’m trying to talk to a police officer, holding a stash of drugs.
She looks taken aback, startled. I don’t know if I should be worried…
‘Joseph… why should I talk to you?’ She seems… shocked.
‘Thirty seconds… please.’ That’s all I can manage to pull out of my mind.
She looks at me. Stares, for a minute. Trying to get a glimpse into my mind.
Frowns… This can’t be good.
‘Joseph… you’ve got thirty seconds. No more. No less, ok? You treat me like crap, sometimes… but I think I should hear you out.’ She looks to her watch, I can hear a beep, as she hits the stopwatch button.
I can hear it beep as each second passes… five seconds, ten seconds… fifteen… and I’m paralysed to the spot.
Twenty five seconds…
I look at her. She seems… sad.
I decide… I’m going to take the risk.
I drop my things to the floor, take the two steps over to her. Slip one arm behind her back, the other up to her shoulder, to flick the wave of hair from in front of her eyes.
She gasps. I think… I surprised her.
I hear the seconds ticking over… its the twenty eighth second.
I lean my head over, so it’s positioned that I’m looking right into her eyes.
I kiss her. Gently, softly… I try to be gentle, I don’t want to hurt her.
I hear the watch tick past thrty seconds. I break away, twisting myself away from her.
I turn around, and begin to walk away… I don’t want her to see me blushing.
Then…
‘Joseph!’ I hear her… she seems… faint.
I turn around…
She looks at me, with slightly bemused eyes…
‘Can I have thirty seconds?’ She asks me, quite cheekily.
I look at her for a split second…
‘Umm… ok.’
She turns me around, as I count the seconds in my head…
She kisses me back, gently at first, but holding me tighter as the seconds past. This is… strange. I didn’t expect that.
After twenty seconds.. she breaks away.
‘I’m not dumb, you know.’ She breathes quietly. ‘I know you like me.’
I pause, in shock. Take in a quick breath…
Then I hear her finish..
‘I like you too.’