The Boy who Broke the Rules

10

"That awkward moment when you're making a stupid face and your crush looks right at you." -Tumblr

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"Crapfreakcrap!" I jerked the curtain close, backing away from the window, but instead of peacefully and gracefully landing on my feet, I tripped on the books on the floor.

It was a reflex action to reach for something when you were about to fall on your butt, and my hand stretched out to grab anything. The problem was... I reached for the curtain.

Pingpingpingpingping pingpingpingpingping!

It sounded like big and heavy coins falling on the floor as, one by one, the rings that hooked the curtain popped in the air, and it kept on pinging as I held on for dear life.

 I screamed.

Like a mad cow.

In labor.

The books that I hadn't bothered to put away played hockey with my feet, tripping me again. I had a brief look at Noah's face –and I half choked and half laughed as I took in the shock in his wide eyes and open mouth—before I landed face-first on my floor.  

Good Lord!

I was utterly, unquestionably, horribly mortified.

I would never get out of my house ever again. I would be one of those old women I'd seen on TV who didn't leave their house, had twenty cats and had food delivered to them.

"What in the world is happening?" My dad pushed open my bedroom door, his eyes alarmed as he looked around my room, then to me. "Parker?"

"Dad," I groaned, "why did you let me out into this world?"

He scratched his head. "I told you not to drink all that cough syrup," he joked. "Come on, I'll help you get up."

"No! Dad, please just..!"

My dad paused in the doorway at my sudden outburst.

At this point, I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. Or maybe I can invent a time machine. Something.

Was Noah still there?

"Parker, you're face is sitting on the floor," he pointed out uselessly.

My heart was pumping crazily against my chest. I breathed in, breathed out then sat up slowly.

"I'm okay now, dad. Honest."

I will never be okay again. Ever.

He narrowed his eyes

"Is this one of your I'm-a-teenager-you-will-never-understand-me moods? Because you know, I've been one before too."

"Yes, but times are different now, dad," I groaned. "We have ipads and coloured TV now and we don't have to build a fire to cook," I deadpanned.

My dad looked at me with equal parts fondness and exasperation. "What am I, born in the ice age?" he chuckled, shook his head then backed away and closed the door.

Like a cat, I crawled on all fours to the wall below the window. Cautiously, I inched myself higher to peek at the boy next door.

His window was open, curtains drawn back. He was now sitting in front of his drawing board that faced the window, head bent down, smiling –smiling!—as his hand moved like a maestro on the sketchpad.

Without moving his head, he lifted his eyes so that they met mine.

"Ah!" I screeched, crouched and hugged the floor with open arms.

"I'm so dead," I groaned, but I was smiling.

Why am I smiling?

Because he was.

I sighed dramatically and closed my eyes.

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A/N: Hope this chapter made you laugh :)