The Guardian

Chapter Nine

*warning: contains smut*

I scurried into my first period class right before the bell rang, taking my seat next to Ella before Ms. Brady started the lesson. My best friend smirked at me, and I knew the exact reason without hearing a word. I felt my cheeks turn about a shade and a half darker than normal.

“Sooooooo?” she asked, nudging my shoulder.

I looked around the classroom to see a few pairs of eyes on us. “Not here.” I insisted.

She pouted, but my expression said what my mind was thinking: Nobody can find out.

Ms. Brady dragged on about ancient civilization and my eyelids were losing their fight to stay open. I nodded off halfway through the lecture due to a combination of my lack of interest in history and the few hours of sleep I got last night.

“O’Connor!” Ms. Brady snapped.

I jumped up, quickly shaking my head to wake myself up. “Now, which civilization is most similar to the one I just described?” Oh, shit. I racked my brain in search of anything she said that might’ve somehow made its way in my ear and not out the other, but I failed.

“Um, Ancient Egypt?” I said, unsure of my answer.

“Lucky guess,” she sneered. “Correct. Ancient Egypt is very similar to Mesopotamia because both civilizations were based around a river valley.” I continued to tune her out as she began discussing the importance of settling along a river and comparing and contrasting societies, knowing with only about 5 minutes left of class she wouldn’t be calling on me again. Just as she was about to begin discussing Egyptian pyramids, the bell sounded through the classroom. “Quiz tomorrow, have a good day,” she said as we piled out the door.

 “I have questions, Alison Marie, and you best have answers for me in lunch.”

I rolled my eyes as Ella’s tall, 5’7” frame made its way next to my short 5’2” self, bumping her right hip into my left one.

“Ella Grace, indeed I do.”

She laughed as the hallway came to a T and we parted ways, and I smirked to myself. As I turned the corner, the butterflies that were becoming quite comfy in my stomach began to flutter as I remembered I usually see Brian every day as I walked to second period. Sure enough, I found myself biting my lip as I watched his broad, varsity jacket-clad body  make its way down the stairs, blushing as his green eyes locked with mine. He smiled wide, nodding his head in my direction as he walked with a few of his fellow jocks into the classroom across the hall from mine. As cheesy and cliché as this situation was, my heart still skipped two beats as I entered my math class.

I always used to laugh at those stupid typical TV show scenes where the head jock acknowledges the shy girl’s existence in the halls, and she acted as if it was the best day of her life. Little did I know how amazing it actually felt, and little did I realize that my life was turning more and more into the predictable life of a high school student in a television show. However, I couldn’t predict it all.

I smiled to myself as I took my seat, thankful to see that we had a sub for the period. Something told me I wouldn’t be paying attention to much of anything today.

After the bell rang to end second period, I basically ran out the door, thinking it would make the day end faster (which it didn’t, so I just looked like an idiot). As I shuffled through the crowded hallway as I made my way to my next class, I felt a hand on my bum. I jumped a little at the sudden touch, but sighed once I heard the familiar chuckle.

“Oops, my bad,” Brian said with a wink before heading back with his crowd.

Sweet lord was this boy slowly becoming the reason for my anxiety.