The Boy who Broke the Rules

5

"That awkward moment when your crush sits near you and you keep looking over at him casually like every five seconds." -Pinterest

***

It had to be the most awkward moment in the entire history of awkward moments.

Did he think I was a pedo now? Maybe he thinks I draw penises as a hobby. Or that I think about it all day.

Crap.

I let out a huge sigh, cursing Ruth ten thousand times to the moon and back. She had retreated to her chair, chastised.

Have you ever been so aware of someone sitting beside you that your skin felt electrified and your ears so attuned to whatever they were doing? And every movement they made, even just a tilt of their head, you noticed.

Well, I haven't. Until today.

He must have felt warm because, even though I wasn't looking, I felt him removing his jacket. A little of his scent mixed in the air and, shame on me, I inhaled.

Good Lord, he smelled so good.

You're an epic creep, Parker. Epic.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him. He leaned back in his seat, stretched one leg in front of him and propped the other one on his knee. And then he started tapping his foot.

Tap, tap, tap. Pause. Tap, tap, tap. Pause. Tap, tap, tap. Pause.

I shut my eyes tightly. "I didn't do it," I blurted, quietly, because Professor Doom started the lecture again.

When he didn't reply, I opened one eye and turned my head to look at him.

Although his head was turned to the front, his eyes looked at me sideways, and I noticed that he was trying not to smile.

 "Really. I didn't."

His nose twitched and he rubbed his pointer finger on the tip of his nose.

You blew it, Parks. You're now officially a pervert to him. And you haven't even done anything.

"I know."

My eyes widened. Did I imagine his voice or did he really speak? When I looked at him again, his body was turned a little toward me. I gulped. He definitely spoke.

"How?"

"Carl," he replied.

And that was it. He didn't say anything anymore.

Carl? Was that the same Carl that had his face and name vandalized on the walls behind the school? Maybe Carl went around the school writing penis on desks. How... weird.

Professor Doom called for a five minute break and left the classroom, his phone plastered to his ear. Not even one minute had passed when Misty, who was sitting in front of me, spun around and turned her baby blues to Noah, batting her fake lashes at him like she was having an exorcist episode. She flicked her red hair behind her shoulder and purred, "Welcome back, Noah."

I expected her to meow anytime now.

Noah nodded at her, but didn't say anything else.

I grinned.