Emerald Eyes

The first two weeks in Newport Province turned into a complete Asher obsession. I continued gazing at him in the hallways. His locker was faraway from mine but that didn’t stop me from finding out his favorite band was My Chemical Romance and he had a signed soccer jersey from David Beckham. I knew all of this from the posters and soccer items every time I passed his locker on my way to History Class. I wanted to talk to him, to tell him I was the girl he met at the bonfire. I wanted to tell him I was tongue-tied because I had no idea how to make a first impression. But I was too shy and I knew that. I have never liked a boy before, the way I felt the first time I met him, I thought my heart was burning more the fire.

Weeks passed and I watched him across the school cafeteria, and after school, and even in the courtyard. He was smart, all teachers liked him, even the female teachers… Asher Peterson did have a lot friends, he was one of the most popular boys in school. His best friends were Chase Anderson and Jason Parker. I knew Chase Anderson, he was in my Math class. Because we were all in junior high now, all math classes were divided.

There was standard, advanced, honors’. Chase and I were in honors’ and wow, I have never seen any kid so quick in solving problems. Even before Mr. Highman asked us the solution to a question, Chase always shot his hand up before any one else did. I thought it was normal for Asians to be that way, so clever in Math. Asher was in advanced, but that didn’t stop me from embracing his every word he spoke in English class. He sat in the front, with Jennifer Gold and Candace Bryson. I was always jealous of the two them. Jennifer Gold had the most beautiful hair in seventh grade. It was so shiny, it was golden blonde with highlights. My best friend Summer Roberts, being her social, curious self, told me her hairstylist also works with famous actresses like Blake Lively and Christina Ricci.

Candace Bryson was practically a social animal and a socialite in one. I had never seen a girl so talkative. Every Monday morning, all the girls in school crowded around her to hear about her extravagant weekends and hot gossip. Her mother was a fashion designer, owning her own line, Allure. Claire Bryson often took her daughter to fashionable parties and events. She bragged she has been modeling since she was eight. That probably explained her tendency of wearing designer clothing and expensive shoes. Her hair was deep auburn. I admired it; it was wavy with brunette highlights and blended in with her brown eyes. She was pretty good friends with Sadie Adams, both being on the cheerleading squad. Candace is also the first in the seventh grade to have a boyfriend, Logan O’Brien. I see them sometimes walking hand in hand. But everybody knows about their little “experience” behind the bleachers one night after a soccer game.

Anyways, our English teacher was Ms. Quay. She was a tall blonde-haired woman with blue eyes. She often asked us questions and had a passion for essay-writing. I swore I saw her blush one day when Asher rose up to read one of his essays on soccer. I could tell he looked nervous as I stared at him from the third row. I brushed my long brown hair with my hand and listened to every word. His voice was so sophisticated and uptown. He sounded like a teen heartthrob who was merely reaching the youth era. He was my heartthrob though, and so did all the girls in class. He made everyone sigh and blush. I was always envious of Jennifer and Candace as they passed notes to him in class. Asher always smirked at the two of them, while they smiled at each other from behind. I bet he hardly knew I existed.