The entire class period, I had to keep myself from glancing over at Grayson. My mind kept on tempting me to look at him, just to make sure I wasn't dreaming, or that it was someone other than him. Instead of looking at him, I decided to look at the clock. It became a routine, whenever I had the itch to look at Grayson, I would look at the clock, but looking at it every 5 seconds was not helping. After the first 10 minutes of class, I gave in to the temptation and glanced at Grayson.
He was taking notes, but with a somber expression on his face. His face was looking from his paper to the board, but his eyes were millions of miles away. His hand moved along the page lazily, not attentively like it usually does. I sigh, I blew it. He thinks that I never wanted to be with him. He thinks that I don't want to be his girlfriend and now he's just going to take back his things and disregard anything ever happened this morning, and I don't want him to disregard this. The way he kissed me this morning was something I never wanted to forget. I loved the feeling of Grayson's lips on mine. It left a lingering sensation, leaving me wanting more. All the passion in the kiss was something I wanted to feel every single day, and now, it was certain that I would never feel that with Grayson ever again.
After a while the bell rang and Harrelson dismissed the class. Everyone started to gather their things and leave, but I don't get up. After struggling to pay attention all class period, the thought still hadn't left my mind.
What was I supposed to do now? I mean, this is something good that has happened to me. My first kiss coming from someone that I am probably in love with. My best friend, just like in my mind, had fallen for me and now told me that he wanted to be with me. It's all I ever wanted, but I was freaking out because I didn't know what to do anymore. I mean, I should just act normal, just the same because he is my best friend, but now I had new information and I did not know what to do with it. I mean, him taking these actions means that he likes me and would like to be with me, right? I ran a hand through my hair and tucked some of it behind my ear.
After another hour and a half, Harrelson concluded his lecture and dismissed the class. I slowly gathered up my notebook, textbook and Chamber of Secrets and stuffed them in my backpack. Once I looked up, the team was in front of my table, looking at me as if I had dropped out of the sky.
"Are you alright Esther?" Luke asked, scrunching his eyebrows together at he looked at me.
I slowly nod and start to get up, "Y-Yeah, I'm fine." I say slowly and walk out of Harrelson's class, not paying attention to several people calling after me. I walk out of the psychology building and go over to the clock tower bench where I try to catch my breath. I wasn't running or anything, but with the way my heart was pounding, and the way my breath was hitching with everything going on, I needed to calm down. I put my bag down on the floor and I walked around, taking deep breaths.
Grayson James Allen kissed me. Grayson James Allen, starting guard for the Duke Blue Devils, gave me his cap and his wristband that mean so much to him, to make sure other guys would back off until he had time to ask me to be…his girlfriend. Is this really happening? Is it safe to believe this? Can I really just be with my crush like I have always wanted?
I go over and sit down on the bench and balance my elbows on my knees, holding the cap in my hands and letting my hair cover all my face. I take deep breaths until I hear someone stop in front of me. I slowly look up and see Grayson standing there, his face twisted into an apologetic grimace. I sit up and look at him, saying nothing, not knowing what to say. I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what.
In the end, Grayson spoke. "I-I'm sorry about how abrupt I was about this all, and I'm sorry for possibly making this awkward, and um-I'm sorry if you never want to talk to me again, I wouldn't blame you."
"You're stupid." I say with a smile slowly creeping up on my face.
He looks at me and a smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "What?"
"Okay, so the reason why I just like ran out was because I needed to clear my head and let the oxygen flow to my brain. I was so shocked and happy and I couldn't think straight. It was all glory of God's that I was able to read without cracking a smile or stuttering." I smile at this.
He smiles and comes over to the bench and sits next to me, facing me. "So, that's a good thing."
I nod, "A very good thing."
"So, I didn't mess up? This was actually something that would lead into the start of something….new?" He says, with a smirk.
I look at him with a 'you did not just do that,' expression then chuckle. "You're more of a dork than I am."
"Well, apparently dorky is what makes you blush." He says.
I purse my lips to hide a smile and look away, no knowing what to say to my best friend.
The clock tower behind us tolled, letting us know that we had 10 minutes until the next class. I look at Grayson and he stares back at me. "So, you know how you said, that you didn't want to be that guy who just lead a girl on?"
He nodded.
"Well, I don't want to be that girl who just makes it seem like I'm happy, without reassuring you. I want to give you the confidence to ask me, so want to walk me to class?"
He chuckles, "But I always do that."
I get closer to him, "I know but um," I take a deep breath and take his hand in mine, lacing my fingers with his. "I just wanted to ask this time because it will be a different trip over there?" my voice broke a little at the end with all my nerves. I look down and wait for his answer, but instead he tilts my chin up pulls me in and kisses me. Just like the first kiss we had earlier, I was very timid. Grayson had been my first kiss, and I was still not used to it, but I really liked it. He was gentle with me; he understood that I had never been in this position. I thought that I was too naïve and too innocent for him to understand or for anyone to understand, but Grayson took the time to understand and to figure out exactly how to make me feel okay with it.
He pulled away and pecked my lips 3 times before smiling and looking at me. "Of course, let's go." He gets up and pulls me along with him. I put the cap back on and we start walking over to our next class.
The walking didn't take that long, it only took about a minute to get to it, but it was a little odd, and awkward, but the good kind of awkward. We kept on getting stared at by some people, and it got really weird and awkward when we passed by the group of Plumlee, Derryck, Abbey and Antonio, who were all waiting in front of the speech building.
"Oh boy, here we go." I breathe out, Grayson just chuckled.
The first person to notice us was of course, Abbey. She broke into a wide smile then started slapping Derryck's arm, squealing like me when I see a picture of Josh Hutcherson.
"What woman?" He exclaims then looks in our direction. He looks taken a-back then smiles and shouts, "Finally! Get it Grayson!"
This makes Plumlee and Antonio turn to face us too, and they have similar reactions. Plumlee smiles and nods approvingly as Antonio raises and eyebrow and wiggles them.
I feel my face get red and I bury it in my free hand.
"Hasta que por fin?" Antonio asks as Grayson and I scale the stairs.
"Callate." I say as we reach the top.
"Okay, so I'm going to steal her for a little while," Abbey says as she takes my other hand and pulls me away from Grayson and the guys, to the corner of the entrance.
"Ay Abigail. That hurt."
"Ay, shut up, you can complain later. What was that? You guys came into Harrelson's holding hands, then you get here like that too, when did this happen?" Abbey exclaims.
"Hold on Abbey, we're not dating."
She raises an eyebrow.
"He hasn't asked me-"
Abbey holds up a finger to stop me. She turns around and stomps back to the boys.
"Uh oh," I say as I follow behind her.
Abbey pushes Derryck aside and gets in front of Grayson. "You had better make the asking of Esther to be your girlfriend so damn adorable that she fangirls about it for the rest of her life because all this 'friends with benefits' thing is lasting no longer than until the end of the day, okay?" Abbey jabs her finger at Grayson's chest as he looked at her, scared out of his wit, nodding frantically.
"And you'd best believe that if you break her heart or make her anything but happy, I will break your face, your leg, your arm, your-"
I decide to intervene here, going over to her and grabbing her arm, "Down girl, he gets it." I pull her away, "Besides, if that happens, I think I would be able to handle it myself." I wink at the boys before dropping her into Derryck's arms, who then drags her inside the building.
Plumlee and Antonio were laughing as Grayson's face turned red.
"Well, I'm going inside to try and calm her down too," I say as I turn around, but Grayson stops me.
"Wait," he grabs my hand. "You don't really think that this is just a friend with benefits thing right?"
"No, of course not. I don't even know where she got that from. I never said that okay, I promise." I say quickly.
He laughs, and covers his mouth with his free hand. "Well, um I meant what I said, about wanting to ask you, to be my uh," his hand started sweating and his face started to get red.
I felt myself blush as well, and I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, "Yeah, the whole uh keep these on until I can ask you what they're symbolizing." I flex my wrists and glance up at the cap.
"Yeah, but please don't think that I'm trying to play you or anything, I just want to make it special and I don't want to lose you because you mean so much to me not just as the girl I want but as my best friend and-"
As he was saying this, I was smiling at him and thinking he was an idiot. I leaned in and kissed him, just to make him shut up.
"I get it. Don't sweat it. I'll say yes no matter what." I say when I pull away. "You've had my heart in your hands ever since the night of the puddle."
This makes Grayson chuckle and blush.
I caress his right cheek with my hand before I turn on my heel and go inside to find Abbey with a huge smile on my face.
