Shattered Ice

Shy

I closed my locker, ignoring Devon's pestering. I could tell that Devon was getting annoyed at how I could still ignore him after all the years he's been bothering me.

Then I heard another pair of footsteps. I turned to see Archer walking over with his smirk. He walked over and put his arm on Devon's shoulder like it was an armrest.

"Hello, peeps," he said looking at me and Devon. "What's going on?"

I didn't say anything. All I did was roll my eyes, cross my arms and began leaning on the locker.

"Nothing," Devon answered. The two boys were the about same height. But both had playful eyes. "Just talking to Eirwen."

"Huh, yeah. Talking," I mumbled.

"What was that?" Devon said, raising an eyebrow.

"Two playboys standing here, aren't I lucky," I murmured.

"C'mon, man," Archer said. "We got PE, don't wanna miss that do we? Besides there's gonna be some pretty ladies." He wagged his eyebrows. Devon's smirk increased.

"Of course we don't wanna be late," Devon said.

I'm gonna throw up. They went away, thankfully. I went on my own way to chemistry.
...

I stepped onto the bus and saw Archer and a group of boys. Oh great. I turned around to get off but the doors were already closed.

I sighed. I quickly found a seat far away from them, hoping I wouldn't be noticed. Another sigh came out of me when I heard my name called.

"Oi, Eirwen!!" Someone called.

And like I always do, I ignored them. I pulled out a book and began reading. Half of me was reading to just kill time while the other just wanted an excuse to ignore the caller.

"Eirwen!! I know you can hear me!!"

Everyone was minding their own business, so no attention. I continued to remain silent. The caller got annoyed so they decided to come over.

And, obviously, it was Archer. "What do you want?" I asked without taking my eyes off the page. He plopped down onto the seat next to me. "Why don't you go and play with your friends?"

"Well, mom," he said with a chuckle. "My friends wanna meet you."

I looked at him with my beady eyes. "And why would they wanna meet me?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Ask them." He nodded behind himself. I twisted my head to see several pairs of bad boys' eyes staring back at me.

I turned back around, sinking lower into the chair. I put my feet up and leaned my back against the bus's side. I hated getting a lot of attention. "My bus stop is almost here."

"Well then we better hurry!" He grabbed my arm. I immediately jerked back. I wasn't use to being touched, nor did I want to be. "What's the matter? Shy?"

"Id rather stay here," I told him.

"Oh! If that's what you like, I'll get the guys over here!"

"Wait what?!" But he already went. Perfect. A cluster of boys sat around me. Then Archer came and collapsed back into the seat next to me, his arm leaning on the top of the chairs.

I pulled my hood farther over my head. Wasn't this comfortable. This is so fun.

I gave him a scornful look. He smiled back. I looked around. They were all still staring at me. The bus stopped. "That's my stop!" I said. "Bye!!" I got up but Archer pulled me back down. "What?!!"

"Sit," he said simply.

"Uh, that's my stop right there," I said. The doors closed and the bus began to move again. "And it's gone." I leaned back onto the wall with an annoyed look.

It wasn't really my stop, it was the next one. I just desperately needed to get away.

"I am Jake," the boy in front of me said. "That's Simon, Logan, Derek..." He continued but all I did was pick my book up and began to read again. The next stop came and I shot up.

"Bye!" I said. "And don't stop me this time!" No one made a move to. They all waved. I quickly walked out the bus.

I was a block away from my house when a voice said, "Why are you so shy?"

I turned. And for the hundredth time, there stood no other than Archer Trayton. His lips were turned slightly up. His face had a amused , she's-so-funny look.

"It's better if I don't meet so many people."

"Why?"

"It's better if you leave that question answered."

"Why?"

"It's better for me."

"Your sounding a bit selfish."

"I'm only sounding selfish because it's for your own good too."

"Me? I'm fine!"

I shook my head. "Why are you so interested in me?! There are girls that will be drooling when you talk to them!!"

"You know you asked me that a few weeks ago."

"You know you should stop talking to me."

"Why?"

"You make me..."

He walked closer. "I make you what?"

I turned around. "You make me feel nervous." I don't know why I was telling him this. I could feel him an inch away from me. I hope he couldn't hear me rapidly beating heart.

"I make a lot of girls nervous."

"Well I'm glad I'm not alone."

"You have a smart mouth."

I turned around. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"No girl has really backfired my comments before."

"Yeah because most will be swooning over you. You could literally see the drool coming out."

"Really?"

"Yep. I'm going. And this time, don't follow me." I turned back around.

"Don't worry, if I did, you'd kill me."

I smiled slightly. "Yep." I walked forward. Half of me wanted him to forget about the conversation. But the other half told me he never will.