Hiding From Us

6. zack

I always felt that ‘stalker’ was an overused word. Keeping an eye on someone because she was attractive didn’t count as stalking, did it? Stalking was—and I quote from the dictionary—to ‘harass or persecute (someone) with unwanted and obsessive attention’.    

     I was not harassing Jordyn Lewis (I hoped).

     In fact, I was absolutely in love with her. It was the reason why I biked five kilometers twice every day to get to school, so as to watch her leave in the morning and then come home on the bus. It was the reason why I crossed my fingers every time a teacher made us change seats. It was the reason why I took the long way around to my classes just so I could pass her locker. 

     It wasn’t stalking, really. It was devotion. 

     It was my older sister Audrey who convinced me to talk to her. 

     ‘‘Girls want guys to make the move,’’ she said as I watched Jordyn walk her Jack Russell terrier, Rocky, after dinner. ‘‘It’s polite, kind of.’’

     I said, ‘‘What do I say?’’

     ‘‘Tell her that you think she’s awesome, and ask if she wants to go to the movies or something.’’ 

     So that’s what I did, seven minutes later, as she finished walking Rocky and approached her house again. 

     The words got stuck in my throat at first. 

     She noticed me and said, ‘‘Zack.’’

     ‘’Um, hi. Jordyn. Hey.’’

     ‘‘What’s up?’’

     ‘’Um, not much, willyougooutwithme?’’

     Jordyn frowned at me. A crease line appeared between her eyebrows. She looked very cute while doing it. ‘‘Sorry?’’

     I took a breath. ‘’I just want to tell you that I think you’re amazing and pretty and I have this attraction to you, and I’m wondering if you want to catch a movie with me sometime?’’

     She stared at me. Jordyn’s eyes were the color of chocolate. 

     I held my breath. 

     She said, ‘‘Okay.’’

     ‘‘Okay?’’

     ‘‘Yeah, sure. I need someone to go see Into the Storm with, anyways.’’ She gave me a quick grin, light and easy. ‘’So, are we, like, dating?’’

     I didn’t know how to respond to that. So I said, ‘‘Unquestionably.’’ 

     Jordyn smiled at me knowingly, like there actually was something to question, and took my hand.