Oh My Soulmate

I couldn’t keep myself from looking at him. There was something about him that screamed for me. I felt as if we were alone in the classroom. I thought of different scenarios of how to say things to him. Or do things to him. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. He caught me looking at him a couple times but it didn’t stop me from looking at him.

“Ms. Robins? Ms. Robins?” I heard Mr. Ekleson calling my name. “In what year was the U.S. Constitution written and what year was it ratified?”

“Oh, um it was written in 1787…” I spoke.

“And? What year was it ratified?” I didn’t know the answer, I was panicking. I flipped through my book quickly but ended up knocking it over. I was so embarrassed. I didn’t even want to look in the direction of John. I’m sure he thought I was immature for staring at him.

“1789.” I looked over. John, the new guy, answered the question.

“Thank you Mr. Smith but next time Ms. Robins can answer it herself.” Mr. Ekleson turned his attention back to the lesson. I decided to pay attention or at least try. John was making that extremely hard.

“Cute and smart, mommy like.” I heard Jessica whisper. She was so weird sometimes. But she was right, cute and smart was a great combination. The bell rang releasing me from the torture of the classroom. I wanted to thank John for saving me but Jennifer was at his side almost instantly.

“I wanted to be the first to say welcome.” She flittered her eyes flirtatiously at him. “I know everything about the school. My dad’s head of the board.” He stood from his seat smiled and walked away. I was smiling silently to myself. Jennifer was rejected, how funny it was to watch that. She stared right at me. “What are you looking at?” I smiled and she just stomped off. I continued to sit my seat for a few seconds longer than usual. I’m not exactly sure why. I guess I liked seeing Jennifer being rejected I was afraid the memory would be lost.

“Let me guess she always gets her way.” I turned in my seat and there was John. I looked around the room to make sure he was talking to me. There was no one in the room, even Mr. Ekleson was gone. I turned back to him.

“Yea and she hates being rejected.” I stood from my seat and gathered my stuff. “Thanks by the way.”

“It was nothing. I’d get lost staring at me too.” I could feel my cheeks turning red. He just laughed at me.

“Oh-I-um…” I stammered.

There was an awkward silence for about 30 seconds before either of us spoke.

“So yeah, um I’ll see you around.” I just nodded and hurried out the door.

“Did I just over hear you talking to the new guy?” Jessica came up behind me.

“He started the conversation actually. You left rather quickly and missed Jennifer being rejected. It was priceless.” I laughed.

“Oh my gosh, why is that Cyrus guy staring in this direction?” She pointed down the hall. I turn to see what she was talking. Sure enough he was staring right as us. Yea, that’s not creepy.

“Can you believe Jasmine wants me to give that guy a chance?” I turned back to her.

“Seriously? Is there something wrong with her? He’s creepy!”

“That’s what I said.” Finally someone who agrees with me, I was so relieved that I wasn’t the only one who thought he was creepy.

“Oh! Oh! He’s coming this way.” She whispered. “What do we do?”

“Just act natural, we can’t make him think we were talking about him.” I continued to switch my books out in my locker. As he got closer I could feel chill all over my body. Not good chills either. The kind you get when you know there’s something lingering in the dark but you can’t see it.

“Hey! You are Jessica, right?” She just nodded but didn’t say a word. Then he turned to me. I swallowed hard.

“So I know you said you can’t go out on school nights… so I thought that maybe we could go out on Friday night.” Great, I don’t have an excuse not to go. I’m really bad at saying no to people. Jessica stood there. She was no help at all.

“Well, I… I think I might have something that night…I don’t…know,” I was trying to come up with something. But I had nothing. I looked to my right and there was John. He was stared at me very intently for a few seconds before jogging over.

“Hey, I almost forgot to tell you I’d pick you up at seven on Friday. Is that ok?” I swallowed and nodded my head. I was saved yet again by John. Jessica jaw dropped. Mine would have dropped too but then it would have looked like I was surprised too. “I’ll see you in class.” He smiled and walked off.

“Oh well, maybe some other time.” Cyrus spun on his heels and walked off quickly.

“Ok, so why didn’t you tell me he asked you out!” She was still in a state of shock.

“I would have if he actually did. I don’t know what to say.”

“I do. He likes you obviously. I mean come on, he saved you in history and now from the creepy guy.”

“I guess.” I shrugged my shoulders.

“You guess what?” Jasmine said without looking up from her phone. Her fingers were typing so fast it was ridiculous. She’d make a great secretary.

“The new guy likes Sophie but she won’t admit it.”

“Oh you mean Cyrus? Of course, he’s been asking about her nonstop.”

“Oh well obviously you haven’t seen John the other new guy and way cuter and less creepier.”

“Wait there’s another new guy?” This time she looked up from her phone. “When did he get here?”

“Beginning of first period.” Jasmine mouth fell open.

“Well he’s move fast.” You’re telling me. There’s got to be a catch to why he’s interested in me. I stared at him all class, I mean come on. That doesn’t get a guy interested in you.

“You missed the best part. He totally rejected Jennifer, it was amazing to watch!”

“I wish I was there to see that.” Jasmine laughed. At that moment Jennifer walked by. If looks could kill I’d be dead. She was shooting daggers at me. I actually cringed a little. Jasmine started laughing. I tried to get her to be quiet but she wouldn’t stop.

“What’s so funny chubby?” The name didn’t faze Jasmine since she was no longer fat. So she continued to laugh. Even Jessica was giggling.

“Oh nothing. But please enlighten me on how it feels to be rejected?” Jasmine couldn’t hold in her laughter.

“I’m not sure how it feels you’re the expert on that. I heard Thomas rejected you. I’m not surprised. He doesn’t like trailer trash.” Jasmine stopped smiling and actually looked pissed. Who could blame her? But then I saw starting to take her earrings out. Jennifer was standing there just smirking.

“Oh that’s it. I’m taking you out here and now.” I grabbed her and pushed her behind me.

“Jas, she’s not even worth it.” I looked into her eyes. “Not here.” I whisper to her. “Not now.”

“Nice guard dog, Sophia.” Jennifer laughed and walked off.

“I’m going to be late for second period if I don’t hurry.” I waved bye and ran to my class. It was geometry. I hated it. I hated math in general. It wasn’t that I didn’t get it; it was just too boring for me.

I was glad when lunch came. I was starving and I couldn’t wait to sit down and just relax. I grabbed my tray and headed to our usual table. Jessica and Jasmine were already there. We sat across from Brice and his gang of guys, which included Thomas and Jeff. I could already see the awkwardness radiating between the two tables. Great, just what I wanted during lunch.

Lunch was extremely quiet. Neither table said a word or made a sound. It was completely awkward. But nothing compared to John walking straight to my table. I guess awkward wouldn’t be the word, it was more like confused. I felt a smile stretch across my face when he asked to sit with me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Jasmine’s facial expression. I waved to the empty seat beside me and John sat down. Our table was still quiet but I knew the girls were dying to ask me what just happened. I just smiled and continued my lunch. Could this day get any better?