Ashes & Flames

Chapter 14

It took me six weeks to come to a realization that I had a crush!

I wasn't sure if one would call it a crush but I kinda liked this boy in my Geometry class.

It started a couple of days after I joined the high school in my neighborhood. The boy- Tom Rogers had occupied the seat beside me and we were at the back of the class.

I had specifically chosen that spot to stay out of the groups that had already formed prior to my arrival.

I believed they would ignore me and thought it was best to stay out of sight, and attract as little attention as I could.

But to this day, I have had no trouble with my new classmates. I had not spoken much, except to  ask doubts on demanding situations and they had replied politely.

Needless to say, I was still glad for choosing that corner seat at the back, as it was the only class I got to sit close to Tom and would never have gotten the opportunity to talk to him.

With the teacher in the front not making any sense to me, I had rested my head over my hands on the desk and watched his skillful fingers glide over the paper making fine strokes and elegant curves.

"It looks great." The words had been out of my mouth and a second later I realized I had said my thoughts out loud. The ash blond boy turned towards me questioningly and his confused, green eyes glimmered in the light until I pointed at his work.

The sketch was that of a hand with a skull necklace hanging by the fingers. He was adding precision to it when I had abruptly interrupted him without consulting my sane thoughts. 

He smiled at me politely, crimson coloring his cheeks lightly as his hand hovered over the sheet as though insecure about his art.

"Thanks." he replied, and we turned our attention back to the teacher demanding it.

Blissful days passed quickly, soon followed by weeks and my life was back in it's tranquil pace as it had been during my early childhood.

And as a bonus I got to share a few words with Tom either at the beginning or at the end of the hour.

We exchanged names in the first week. And by the end of fourth, we had progressed to making fun of ourselves and our inability to comprehend the teacher or the subject she was handling.

He often teased me playfully but I felt too shy to tease him back. Once I tried to mimic his sketch and it had made him crack with laughter and I blushed fiercely before joining him. I had to admit- drawing for not my thing.

The hour had always passed quickly with me paying my full attention to the boy beside me, watching him silently work with an attractive furrow between his eyebrows, while waiting for him to ask my opinion at the end of the hour which he did much to my delight.

I was having my dinner one night, with dad sitting by the porch changing channels when it struck me. 

I  realized I liked Tom Rogers. A lot.

I don't know how it had come to that or why. 

The thoughts of him had always brought a smile to my lips, and I found myself thinking about him all day long. They were times I reminisced our conversations over and over in my head though they bore trivial matters.

It was strangely maddening  that I had to wait till morning to see him again.

And the thought of school for the first time made my heart leap not with fear but delight. 

I wondered if that was what it felt to...to like someone not as a family or friend but in a romantic fashion...

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