Matthew Saracen was the shyest junior I've ever seen. He wondered the halls, head constantly bowed and small frown playing across his full lips. But when he smiled, even his tiny half smile, his face transformed.
Speaking of transformations, my, how that boy has changed. When Jason Street was injured and he was thrown into the spotlight, he took it in stride. He completely changed his playing style, so my best friend tells me, and became the man who led us to state.
I watched him from the sidelines, at games, at school. Even when his relationship with Julie Taylor fell apart, I didn't make my move. That was going to change, soon.
"Whatcha staring at?" I gasped, jumped, and hit my head on the locker door in front of me, causing the source of the voice to elapse in giggles. My best friend, everyone. Oh so caring.
"Bitch." I muttered, grabbing my physics book and slamming the evil door shut.
"C'mon." She said simply as she shrugged, and I shook my head. "So, whatcha lookin at?"
"Nothing." But my actions betrayed me as I turned my head slightly toward Matt's direction.
"Oh." I heard the smirk in her voice. I looked back at her, slightly panicked. "Of course."
"Shut up, Anjilika. Or I promise—" She chuckled before interrupting me.
"You'll what? All I have to do is put a hand on your forehead and hold you back." I groaned, knowing she was talking about her immense arm span, being five foot ten. And I'm only five-two. Asshole. But I was saved a comeback as I looked past her and smiled an evil smirk.
"Here's your boyfriend." She turned around quickly to see the source of her affections, Tim Riggins.
"If you don't behave, I swear to god…" She wasn't able to finish her sentence before he made his way toward us. "Hi."
"Hey Tim." I greeted and he smiled slightly, nodding his head toward me.
"Ladies." He turned to Anjilika and offered her a piece of paper. She looked at it and her jaw dropped.
"An A minus in History?" She grinned up at him. "Tim, that's badass!"
"Thanks to you." He pulled her into a hug and I chuckled at her shocked face.
"I'll see you later." I said softly as she pulled away, blushing.
"Bye Erin!" She called and I waved without looking back. I strolled into the physics classroom, thinking of Jel and Tim. She should just ask him out already. But she was in the same situation I was in; Tim is the star fullback for the Dillon Panthers, he has girls lining up. Just like the rest of the team.
Though she is tutoring him. That means endless amounts of time with him. Meaning endless amounts of opportunities. She's just a puss.
I sighed and sat in my usual spot in the middle of the class, not too close, but not too far away from the board. Truth is I'm excellent at physics. I'm a nerd. And damn proud of it. I flipped through the book aimlessly, thinking about my misfortune of not being attached to the Panthers in any way. I'm not peppy enough to be a cheerleader, I have too much self-respect to be a rally girl, I don't even understand football all that well. I felt movement in front of me and looked up.
"Hey Erin." Matthew Saracen just said my name. Holy shit.
"Hi."
"I was wondering…you're really good at physics, right?" He said quickly, almost embarrassed. And absolutely adorable.
"Sure." I shrugged.
"Well, Coach is pretty adamant about the no-pass, no-play rule. And I'm kinda failing. Can you…"
"Help you?" He nodded, smiling his little half-smile. "Sure."
"Thanks." The teacher came in and he sat in the desk beside me. Three minutes into the class, a folded paper fell on my half-done notes. Should I stop to read it? Should I wait? Oh fuck it.
Lunch? One word scribbled messily made my heart flip.
Sounds good. I watched out of my peripheral as he read the answer and smiled again.
It's a date then. Followed by a little happy face.
This guy is fucking adorable.
