Clyde sat at the back of the science lab, staring across the room as he did every lesson when he wasn't distracting Maria or Luke with a whispered joke he'd thought of while half listening to the lesson. The teacher had caught him staring a couple times, but had always believed Clyde was staring out the window. Clyde went along with this because he didn't want anyone to find out the truth.
The way her light brunette hair glinted gold in the sunlight in the morning made it worth coming to school on time when he had science first. It just so happened when science was in the afternoon, the class was on the other side of the building, so her hair would glint red in the afternoon sunshine.
As she sat doing her work, she'd have this half smile, but it wouldn't go to her eyes. Sometimes Clyde would see her read something on her phone when the teacher wasn't looking. She was probably texting her boyfriend. She was so pretty, she must have a boyfriend, Clyde decided. Then she'd smile. In fact, she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Then she'd look up and the smile would have reached her eyes. Her beautiful, beautiful eyes…
"What are you staring at?" Luke whispered, interrupting his thoughts.
"Huh?" Clyde turned around, blinking from the sun spots in his vision. When they'd gone, Luke repeated his question. "Nothing," Clyde shrugged and turned back. Her face was the half smile again as she watched the PowerPoint presentation the teacher had made. Glasses slipping down her nose, she pushed them back into position with her hand before hurriedly copying down some notes.
Luke wasn't convinced by Clyde's response, but it was the middle of class, so he decided to wait until lunch to press the matter further.
—-
Clyde looked around the cafeteria, but couldn't see the girl anywhere. He never saw her at lunch time. She was probably busy talking to her friends. Clyde bet she had heaps of friends. How couldn't she? She looked absolutely stunning everyday. Especially in the afternoon with the sunshine glinting her hair red and when the smile reached her eyes.
"Clyde, what's going on?" Luke asked his friend, coming in with Maria.
"I'm having lunch, what about you?" Clyde replied. Maria rolled her eyes.
"I have to go talk to Miss Burton, I'll see you boys later," she excused herself, leaving them in the cafeteria. Luke sat down besides Clyde.
"What are you always staring at in science? From the angle you tilt your head you aren't staring out the window and there are no posters on that side of the room," Luke frowned, concerned about his friend.
"Just forget it, okay?" Clyde almost snapped. He couldn't tell Luke he had a crush. Luke would say Clyde hardly knew her, or even worse, tell him to talk to her. The idea sent a chill down Clyde's spine. It was one thing to be cool, it was another to talk to a girl you wanted to go out with. He didn't just want to go out with her though. He wanted to spend every second of his life with her. He'd seen the pictures she'd drawn - she was as good an artist as him, even better at painting - many of which were characters from this show on TV Clyde sometimes saw switching channels. He'd gladly sit through it if he could sit through it with her.
The bell rang and they were off to class once more. Trudging through the hallway, Clyde's mind wandered once more to how great his life would be spent with that girl. He was so distracted, he didn't even see Maria until he practically walked into her.
"Watch it!" she told him harshly, narrowly avoiding dropping her books.
"Sorry," he muttered, trying not to look as vulnerable as he felt in that moment.
"Oh no," Maria sighed.
"What?" Luke asked her. Clyde looked up as well.
"You have a crush, don't you," she stated rather than asked it.
"Do not," Clyde instantly denied it. How could Maria work out when he liked someone? Was he that obvious? Perhaps she knew as well? He could never live down the shame if she already knew without him even saying anything to her.
"Clyde doesn't have a crush, do you Clyde?" Luke turned to him.
"Yes, he does, I can see it in your eyes Clyde," Maria explained. "Don't try to deny it." Instead of denying it, Clyde just stayed silent, shifting his bag on his shoulder and walking off to class in a huff.
—-
It was rare that Clyde beat Maria and Luke to class. Sitting down at the back in their usual seats, he was in time to see her walk in. He watched her cross the room, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. It looked so soft, he wished he could reach out and touch it, but she'd probably scream and call him a pervert or something.
"Nerd," someone called out to her. Someone walking behind her shoved her, making her fall over, dropping her books.
"Hey! Don't do that!" Clyde hadn't realise he'd leapt from his seat. The bullies turned to him.
"What?" one of them asked him.
"Don't pick on her like that, what did she ever do to you?" he challenged them. "Leave her alone!"
"What, you gonna make me?" he hadn't noticed one of them get right up in his face until he was breathing right in Clyde's face.
"Johnny, sit down," the voice of Mr Skiver had never been so welcome to Clyde's ears. Johnny did as Mr Skiver said as the last remaining students came in.
"What was that about?" Maria whispered to Clyde as everyone got out their books.
"Some guys were picking on that girl," Clyde shrugged as if it were no big deal.
"Gee Clyde, I never took you for the knight in shining armour kind," Maria grinned, getting out her own books.
"Yeah, well, I can be heroic when I want," Clyde remarked. Maria rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"Which girl, Ace?" Luke asked him.
"Is that her name?" Clyde looked up at the girl.
"The one sitting on the far side of the room, with the glasses, that's Ace," Luke explained.
"Yeah, her, how do you know her?" Clyde asked, still watching Ace as she sharpened a pencil.
"I see her in the library sometimes," Luke explained.
"It's good you stood up for her Clyde," Maria said in a hushed tone. "I've seen her hiding in the bathrooms at lunch, I don't think she has many friends." Clyde turned to her in shock.
"Really?" he was surprised.
"Maybe she could hang out with us," Luke suggested excitedly with a smile.
"Sure, whatever," Clyde tried to seem like he didn't mind whether he could spend more time with Ace or not, but really he desperately wanted her to be friends with them. Then it wouldn't be as creepy if he asked her out. When he asked her out. If he could cough up the courage… or perhaps it would stay his secret.
If she said no, he didn't know what he'd do. She was so beautiful, smart, and funny, he wouldn't be able to handle it if she rejected him. If she said yes, he'd be so overjoyed she'd probably think he's weird. Perhaps it was safer just to keep it a secret.