Chill

“What can I get for you?”

I looked up to see Logan Solano standing behind the counter at the coffee shop. He was the star football player at my high school. Everyone knew who he was, but I didn’t know he worked here, my favorite place in town. He must have been new.

He was looking at me strangely, and I realized I hadn’t answered.

“I’ll have one caramel latte, please,” I said quickly.

He picked up a plastic cup and wrote something on the side of it. He glanced up at me. “For Allie, right?”

I nodded, already feeling the blush creep onto my cheeks. “Yes.”

“It’ll be out in a couple of minutes.” He looked past me to the next person in line. “What can I get for you?”

I walked over to my favorite seat in the coffee shop: the one in the very corner of the store, where no one would bother me and I could read my books in peace.

I couldn’t believe he knew my name. Sure, I was currently the salutatorian of my class, but the school clique lines were very strict. Our groups didn’t mix, didn’t interact, didn’t do anything together unless forced to by a teacher.

“Caramel latte for Allie!”

I raced to retrieve my warm drink from the counter. Logan looked up and gave me a small smile as I passed.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Boys didn’t pay attention to me. I was the school freak, the one everyone made a fool out of. Boys didn’t pay attention to me. No one wanted to be friends with the pathetic girl. I was lucky enough to have Marissa and Kelsey.

Boys didn’t pay attention to me.

I returned to the corner table and tried to lose myself in a book, but for once, I couldn’t do it.

Logan Solano had smiled at me.