I Choose You

4. A New Challenge (Edited)

Edited 

"First things first..." Autumn began as we took our usual seats in the cafeteria at our lunch table.

The cafeteria was nothing special. You simply entered through the glass double doors to a somewhat large room that was filled with circular and oval lunch tables. Towards the back of the room was where most of the jocks and popular kids sat, right in front of the towering glass windows that gave you a view of the surrounding campus. It was one of the best views in the school, which explains why the popular kids claimed that area.

Unlike other schools, we didn't have the whole typical social separation. Since it was a small town almost everyone knew everyone even if they didn't speak. Heck, I'm pretty sure a good percentage of the school is related to each other in some way, even if they don't know it.

The only real social separation here, is between the populars, the normal kids, and the normal-but-seen-strange-in-the-eyes-of-the-popular kids. They all sat in the front of the cafeteria, near the actual lunch line. There's also a small school store just to the right of them that's student run.

All in all, it's a pretty normal cafeteria.

Autumn and I sit towards the back, a table or two in front of the populars. We liked it there because it was usually just the two of us and since we're right in front of the glass windows we get some pretty good lighting for when we're studying. People probably classify us as nerds.

"...if you want any shot with Evan we're going to have work on your talking skills." she explained, before taking a few sips out of her water bottle.

My talking skills? What's wrong with my talking skills? I talk to people all the time it's not like I have a speech impediment or something!

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What's wrong with my talking skills?"

"Actually, let me rephrase that. We're going to have to work on your talking-to-Evan skills."

Oh. Now I see what she means.

"Oh."

I don't know what it is, but there's just something about talking to Evan that literally makes me so nervous. It's like my body just completely freezes and stops functioning, like a car with a bad transmission. I'd give anything to be able to hold a decent conversation with him without stuttering or even getting nervous, but I just don't know how. Our conversations are just always so one sided and awkward.

"Oh? Emery, you're supposed to be super excited for this! You're finally going to get Evan to like you!" Autumn smiled, bumping my shoulder with hers.

"I am, it's just – " I looked over my shoulder to the table where Evan sat.

He was sitting at a table surrounded with all his soccer teammates, laughing and joking with them. I immediately felt a tug at my heartstrings as I saw his bright smile light up the room. That smile never ceased to get to me. I'd never seen anything so amazing before. I just wish he'd smile at me like that.

"But what?"

I sighed. "Autumn, every time I try to talk to him it's just so awkward and I just get so nervous I don't know what to say. I feel like I'm going to say something wrong and he's going to hate me forever."

"Emery look at me." she said as I looked up at her. "He's not going to hate you. In fact, I'm pretty sure if you say something wrong he's going to think it's cute. And heck if he doesn't than that's his problem because he's going to miss out on one of the most amazing people I know." she smiled. "And besides the only reason it's so awkward is because every time he asks you something you just reply with one word."