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the next morning at the bus stop, leah waited on her raft as adam spoke to larson and mcgill. charlie hadn't arrived yet, but she was eagerly awaiting the sight of his shaggy hair.
"waiting for your loverboy, leah?" mcgill teased, sniggering to himself. leah felt the tingling blood rush to her cheeks, smiling sheepishly as she couldn't deny his claim.
"just wait until our first game this saturday! after our victory you could propose." larson chimed in as adam shoved them.
"my sister is not proposing to anyone." adam glared, staring at his friends' outlandish comment with distaste.
"you're right, adam. we gotta get conway to kneel for your sister first." larson exclaimed, patting his friends jokingly. adam scoffed, crossing his arms frustratedly at the sexual innuendo. leah could only blush shyly, imagining how charming charlie conway would look in a suit and tie, asking for her hand in marriage. she really had to stop daydreaming of fairytales revolving charlie conway.
"he's from district five, don't even joke about that." adam growled sternly, sighing in relief as larson and mcgill seemed to nod in agreed distaste for district five.
"speaking of the man! ready to lose this saturday, dee-fiver?" mcgill smugly leaned against a tree as charlie rounded the corner. leah's breath hitched when she looked toward the boy that took all her attention, she gave him a smile before he cutely rolled his eyes and shouldered mcgill. leah silently hoped her pink cheeks from the cold had calmed down - if they hadn't, they were certainly red now.
"not very friendly." larson remarked, tugging the sides of his hawks jacket to fit him snugly. mcgill and adam smirked, looking down at the boy like hyenas stalking their prey.
"leave him be." leah sighed, stepping off the raft to break up the itching fight. she grabbed charlie's left hand, the one she hoped would carry their wedding ring one day, to try and reassure the adorable boy. he snatched his hand away, and she admired his defensive determination.
"need your girlfriend to stand up for you, conway?" mcgill scoffed, as charlie walked away angrily toward his friend, lester averman.
"she's not my girlfriend." charlie grumbled, pulling his backpack straps tightly. larson pouted mockingly as adam glared. what a morning.
———
the august air was still crisp and blissful, so leah was surprised to hear that the school's annual science fair would be held in november. her brain immediately scrounged for ideas: the physics of ice skating, how bubbles of air get trapped in ice, the effect of the change in seasons, and more. there was so much to choose from. though the fair was a few months away, she wanted to think of a good idea as soon as possible.
leah didn't even pay attention for the rest of the lesson, due to her brain scrounging for ideas. she was only awoken from her trance as she caught the familiar scent of charlie conway when he walked by her desk - even the bell didn't pull me leah of her thoughts. she unconsciously grinned and followed him to their history lesson.
history was the lesson where leah sat behind charlie. today was one of those days where she couldn't stop myself from breathing in as much air as possible, just to catch the scent of the boy in front of her again. he smelled like washing powder and apple shampoo, and she thought it was perfect. leah thought he was perfect. the smell reminded her of an open meadow, with bright yellow flowers, spring lambs, baby chicks, blossoming apple trees and— that was it! she was going to hatch chickens for her science fair project. leah mentally thanked her oh-so-beautiful charlie conway.
