Toxic

Toxic: Chapter #4 | A Crushing Infatuation

Zach's Past

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A Crush. Infatuation. Love.

All these words are used to describe an intense attraction in some way to another person. Whether that person is family, a friend, or a lover.

When I was in eighth grade I developed my first crush. Alright, my first crush on a person I would see on a daily basis and not just someone on my tv screen. My celebrity crush is Matthew Gray Gubler from Criminal Minds. I tell you I've seen every single episode and never missed one. Not even a rerun. I also have another celebrity crush on none other than Emma Watson. She's beautiful and so talented and I just love all of her movies.

My first crush on an everyday person was Jayden Knox. Jayden was your typical jock with a social status of untouchable who always got his way and excelled in everything. He always had a girl on his arm and his friends were the loudest and most disruptive in the cafeteria during lunchtime. Now granted this was mostly based on rumors I'd heard because while I was in eighth grade just figuring out how fun puberty was, Jayden was a Junior in high school. I knew that he was way above me and out of my league but a guy can dream can't he?

I remember the first time I saw Jayden. We were on a class trip eighth grade year to visit the high school. After all, we'd be freshmen the next year. So they took us to get a peek at what it would be like. Man, it was crazy but crazy cool and yet intimidating. I wasn't short by any means nor was I lanky or super skinny but I definitely wouldn't have been considered super fit. I was sort of just...Zach. Anyways while we were walking into the gym I was startled when a basketball bounced in my direction. I caught it easily but then what was I supposed to do with it?

It was then a voice called out, "Hey. Pass it here." I looked up to see who the voice belonged to and when I did, I was star struck. He was tall with dark chocolate locks, dark brown eyes, and a leather cord necklace around his neck with a shark tooth on the end of it. His voice was firm but not rude and when he headed towards me, I felt my breath leave me.

All I could think to myself was...'Hell he's gorgeous.'

When he got to me, he held his hands out for the ball but when I didn't give it to him right away, he quirked an eyebrow. "You good there?"

I snapped out of my Jay-dream pretty quickly my cheeks slightly twinged with pink. "Y-Yeah. I'm sorry. Here."

I handed him the ball which he took and placed on his hip then surveyed me. "It's alright. What's your name?" My voice seemed to leave me then and all I could do was stare. He tilted his head at me. "You sure you're alright?"

I blinked and finally managed to find my voice. I had fully intended to speak at a normal volume but when I opened my mouth not only did I say the stupidest thing ever but my voice cracked with nerves. "I'm Zach. My name is alright."

His mouth quirked at that and he let out a chuckle. "Well it's nice to meet you alright. I'm Jayden." I wanted to disappear into the floor right then because I was acting like an idiot and making a fool of myself. An imperfect two for one.

My cheeks twinged a deeper shade of pink as I tried to correct myself. "Hi Jayden. I'm Zach."

Jayden smiled again and nodded. "I figured but you know it was sort of adorable how you said it so flustered."

I melted at that asking myself. 'Did he just call me adorable?'

The blow of a whistle startled me out of my thoughts and I looked around realizing my class was on the other side of the gym and it had been Jayden's coach that blew the whistle. "Well I'd better go. Coach is a stickler for starting on time."