“Trust me, Ara. You’re going to love David.”
That’s what I was worried about. “He’s not that cute,” I said, but the lie showed in my tone, shouting to the world that I was as pathetic as Emily.
She rolled her head to one side. “It’s okay to like him, you know. We’re only human.”
I swallowed my pride and said, “Does he have a girlfriend?”
Emily leaned closer. “He—”
“Sure thing, Mr Benson.” David’s smooth voice filled the hallway a second before he stepped out of the classroom, carrying his bag and a stack of books.
Emily straightened up, poorly masking her conspicuous smile.
“Everything all right, Emily?” he asked.
“Mm-hm.”
He looked at me then and studied my face with slightly narrowed eyes—as if maybe he was trying to figure me out. I wished him luck. “You ready, new girl?”
I managed to nod. Somehow, staying with Mr Benson seemed more appealing. I was going to make a fool of myself in front of this boy, I just knew it.
“Don’t worry.” Emily touched my arm. “David will take good care of you.”
“You’re late for class, Emily,” he said in a dull tone, looking at his watch.
“Okay, well. Have fun, Ara, and…I’ll see you at lunch?” she asked, her eyes round, hopeful.
Terrific, I’d just made a new friend without even trying. Great. Not. “Thanks, Emily, and yeah, sure, I’ll see you at lunch, then.”
She skipped off, beaming, but as she reached the corner, stopped to fan her chin, mouthing what looked like “He’s so hot,” right as David turned to catch her.
I allowed a small smile, watching her quickly press her hands behind her back as she disappeared around the corner, leaving David and I completely alone.
My heart pumped blood the wrong way around my body, and the beat bounced off every wall in the school—a suspenseful soundtrack to a gripping scene. I forced myself to look up from my shoes, and though I sat for hours last night scripting topics for just this sort of occasion, when I met David’s gaze, it was all gone—escaped me completely. All I could find was a white cloud of wordless stupor. I was without ammunition, alone in the wilderness, with a lion.
“Come, I’ll show you to the library.” He started walking. I stayed put, safe and snug against the wall, where I couldn't trip on my own nerves. He didn't even notice I stayed behind, just walked ahead without me. Or maybe he did notice but chose to ignore it, figuring I’d eventually move. But staying behind gave me a great vantage point for hotness-evaluation; I could see the definition in his back through that black shirt—could see the marvellous contours of his arms and how his torso seemed to taper inward at the waist, like an upside-down triangle, despite his otherwise very slim form. I’d seen that kind of physique, but a little bigger, only on guys in the football teams back home. Which made me wonder if David was a football jock. If he so, he disguised that stereotypical arrogance really well under the impression of a kind, well-mannered boy.
“Hey, are you coming?” he said, walking backward to face me.
“Um, yeah. Sorry.” I pushed away from the wall and started after him, giggling to myself when he turned away. I always knew the world was unnaturally cruel and today I learned it could also be cruel in an unbelievably giving way.
David strolled along silently beside me, focusing on the path ahead. I didn't know if I should—or could—say something to break the silence, which made it turn suddenly into the uncomfortable sort. Yet, he didn't seem uncomfortable, and his self-satisfied grin made me feel almost like he could hear every deranged, lustful thought I was having.
I rocked my jaw, searching deep inside for that level-headed girl in me who didn’t get pummelled by a cute face. She was dead, though. David killed her.
“What were you focusing on in your last school—for English studies?” he asked in that buttery voice, like, if I could swallow it in one gulp, it wouldn’t even touch the sides of my throat.
“The standard stuff,” I murmured. “I wasn’t in any advanced classes or anything.”
He nodded. “Do you read much?”
“Not anymore.”
He looked down at his feet.
I felt bad for that answer; it was probably a little vague—maybe even rude. I just…I wanted him to keep talking, but…not ask any questions.
“Why not?” he asked, with a sassy grin.
“Why not what?”
He cleared his throat, the corner of his lip creeping up to his dimple. “Why don't you read anymore?”
“Um, no reason. What do you like to read?”
He laughed to himself. “Dracula, Jamaica Inn, Pride and Prejudice. I actually read quite a bit. Though, not so much anymore, myself.”
“Why not?” I asked, curious about his reasons. Also curious as to why a seventeen-year-old boy would admit to reading Pride and Prejudice of his own free will.
“Well, let’s just say—” he grinned as he leaned against the wall near another brown door, “—I have better things to do with my time at the moment.”
“Er, yeah me too,” I added.
He laughed and stood up from the wall, patting the door. “So, this is the library.”
“Really?” It sat inconspicuously in the long wall of the first floor corridor, rather oddly-placed for such an important room. If David wasn’t with me, I might’ve passed it completely.
“Don’t let looks deceive you. It’s actually quite well-stocked,” he said, opening the door.
We stepped inside and shelves of books, practically touching the ceiling, greeted us with the rich smell of old pages. A group of study desks marked the centre of the brightly lit space, and computers lined the wall on one side. It seemed the school made up in supplies for what it lacked in style.
“They fit a lot into a small room, don't they?”
“Yes,” my unfairly gorgeous tour guide said simply, standing motionless beside me. “Would you like a seat?”
I wanted to ask if he meant I could take one home with me, to keep, but was afraid the corniness might show me up for the dweeb I really was. So, I started off with a determined stride and, using my ankle, kicked a chair out at the circle of study desks. The lone student beside me didn’t bother to look up as I dumped my bag down, unzipped it and stuffed my schedule inside. But then, he most likely didn’t hear me approach since the music coming from his earphones could be heard in London.