We Start With Stars In Our Eyes

Evan's POV

We Start With Stars In Our Eyes

    I am sitting in biology class, absentmindedly tapping my pencil on the desk while I'm supposed to be doing some kind of worksheet on some topic I don't understand, when a loud voice comes on through the intercom, and we all jump a little.
    "Mark Hansen and Zoe Murphy to the principal's office. Mark Hansen and Zoe Murphy to the principal's office please."
    A small sigh of annoyance slips through my lips at the mention of my first name, Mark, but I reluctantly stand up to go.
    "Oooo, Evan! I wonder what they're calling you for?" My friend, or rather, family friend, Jared Kleinman turns to me and wiggles his eyebrows dramatically. "Is it because you were caught making out with Zoe in Ms. M's class before school?"
    I glare at Jared and cross my arms. "Shut up."
    "Never," He rests his chin in his hand and stares up at me, acting as though he is mocking me. "Oh my goodness, Zoe, I love you sooooo much. Please be with me forever and ever and ever." He laughs at his own joke. "Oh, but I should let you know that I stalk your Instagram and dream about marrying you every night as I fall asleep."
    I really feel like slapping Jared right now. "I said, shut up." I try to look threatening, but obviously Jared laughs again. I'm not threatening
    "Mr. Hansen?" the teacher looks up from his desk. "No fooling around. You heard the loudspeaker. Office, now." he points to the door.
    I look down, instantly feeling guilty. Shouldering my backpack I shuffle nervously out of the class. I feel as though all eyes are on me and as soon as I get in the hallway the gossip would start. Everyone talking about how I was fooling around with Jared Kleinman in biology class. They would think we had a thing for each other, and my life would be over.
    Of course, these thoughts were completely irrational, I knew that, I was invisible. Always invisible. Nobody notices me. I don't think anybody even noticed that Jared and I were talking to each other.
But you see, my brain doesn't work that way. There are always thoughts racing through, winding around each other until they're all just one jumbled ball of yarn, and I don't know how to untangle it.
I race down the empty hallway, and soon come to the office. I take a deep breath, steadying myself. I quickly run a hand through my hair and check my palms for dampness (spoiler alert: they are sweaty). Then I walk up to the secretary, a fake smile on my face.
"Hello, Mark, I presume?" She smiles up at me, a few strands of her wispy gray hair coming out of her bun.
I nod, not feeling the need to correct her that I preferred to go by Evan, my middle name.
"Great, just wait here," She points to a small area with a few chairs. I inhale sharply and sit down on a chair, next to, of course, Zoe Murphy.
She looks around for a few moments, before turning to me. "Evan, right?"
"Y-yeah. Evan, I'm Evan." I try to calm myself.
"Zoe," she smiles and sticks out a hand for me to shake. "I'm Zoe."
I stare at her hand for a few moments before nodding. "Yes. Zoe. I kn-Zoe. Cool."
She looks slightly confused at my stuttering, but she keeps smiling anyway. "Why are you here?"
I shrug. "No idea, honestly."
She nods and frowns. "Me either. I almost never get called to the office, so this is weird. I just heard my name and came down here."
I nod along, only half-listening. "Yeah, me too."
Zoe smiles more, and I accidentally catch myself staring at her face. I quickly look away, blushing. I only hope she didn't notice. But that smile... it's just so beautiful. I wish she would always smile. It's like that smile would be able to cure all of my problems. All of my sadness and anxiety and pain washes away whenever I see that smile.
Suddenly, a head sticks out from the principal's door. "Mr. Hansen? Ms. Murphy? Please come in," he beckons us both towards his office.