How to Get Away with Lying

Chapter 7

Adley

In Loving Memory

"So, you're telling me to just bump into him on purpose?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Anna remarked as she slammed her locker door shut. "It's been two days, and you've got to start on your assignment eventually. Plus, it's not like you two have anything in common. Therefore, just casually bumping into Kyle in the halls and dropping your books would force you guys to talk and meet each other. From then on, you can have a reason to know him, and you don't have to just randomly walk up to his lunch table and ask to eat with him."

I rolled my eyes even though I knew that it had been a lame idea the minute I said it aloud. "You sound like a love expert," I laughed before realizing what I had just said. "Not that it's love. I just need to become good friends with Kyle, that's it." I looked away from Anna to see Kyle and Ethan talking together down the hall. I felt my heart sink to my stomach.

"I mean, Kyle is kinda hot." I looked back at Anna, raising an eyebrow. Didn't she not like Ethan's moronic friends? She then shrugged and said, "Oh, come on. You had to have noticed it too."

She was right. From his messy dark hair to his gorgeous azure-blue eyes, if he stopped fighting in the halls, he could be a heartbreaker. I honestly didn't mind that he was my assignment.

"Are you sure there's no better way to meet somebody?" I asked, not wanting to agree with Anna's statement. I didn't want her to suddenly think that I would cheat on Ethan like that.

"Without any parties or common hangout places, this is my best advice." Anna smiled wider as the fifth-period bell rang, reminding us to get to class. "Besides, if clumsiness doesn't say 'love at first sight,' I don't know what does."

I chuckled, speeding up my already-fast heart rate as we got closer to Kyle and Ethan, who were now walking in our direction down the hall. "You better be right."

Smiling, we continued to walk down the hallway, getting closer to the boys every millisecond. I hated how nervous I was feeling, even when Ethan disappeared into a nearby classroom, leaving Kyle alone.

I wanted to murder the butterflies in my stomach.

Come on, it can't be that hard, I told myself. Just bump into him.

I looked up at Kyle, my arms shaking as I tightened my grip on my books. He was barely five feet away from me, and all I could think about was what he would say. I felt my heart thump in the pit of my stomach, and I was starting to want to abandon this stupid plan–

Anna shoved my shoulder way too hard for it to have been an "accident." I then tumbled into Kyle's path, dropping my books – and crushing him against a locker.

For a second, I just stood there, startled by his bright blue eyes. I then remembered that I had to make my way to class, though, and got off him so that I could gather my belongings in the middle of the empty hallway.

"I am so sorry," I told him as I bent down.

Kyle picked up my books before I could, though, handing them to me before flattening the wrinkles that formed on his blue buttoned-up shirt. "It's fine. I needed a smack in the head." I looked at him, puzzled until he laughed and combed a shaky hand through his hair. "I'm kidding."

"I knew that," I laughed, trying to act calm when I was afraid that he could hear my racing heart trying to escape my ribcage. "Thanks for picking up my things."

"No problem." Without another word, he flashed me a smile and disappeared down the next hallway.

Sighing, I turned around, hoping to find Anna. But she had vanished, probably laughing to herself at the moronic reaction I had.