When was she on my mind? When was I wishing she would notice? All. The. Time. It is extremely rare that I would feel like this. The constant nervousness and excitement mixed into one was still very new to me. I waited for English every day. I hoped she would tap me on the shoulder and talk to me. But no, I acted chill. Or at least I hoped I did. I didn't want to act like a total loser and start to fall for her right away, but I didn't want to not fall for her. So I waited for her to talk to me, to do something. But she wouldn't want to be anything more than friends. She will never notice how I really see her. I shouldn't be having these thoughts about her. I can't like her! I wasn't ready. I won't be ready. I can't think stuff like this about her. But I was, all the time.

I had a plan though. I was going to have to start. Even though I knew it was wrong and I shouldn't, I had to. I practiced what to say and how to act with not looking too stupid, without embarrassing myself too much. So I turned around and opened my mouth too say what I had planned, what I had rehearsed, but the only thing that came out was pointless questions. "When is the homework due?" I asked. "What about the project?" But that wasn't what I wanted to say. I wanted to say something more on the line of "Yeah, we need to go out now!" I got nervous. She had that effect on me that no one else did. So she didn't know what I really wanted to tell her. She would never know.

I'm sure she would want a boyfriend. So why not me? Oh that's right, because I scared her away. Because the times she has wanted to be flirty, I would reject it because I would think I wasn't ready. But here I am, regretting all of that and wishing I could have swept her off her feet. I wanted her to be mine.

I woke up from my phase, totally forgetting I was still in English. Ms. Dawes was handing back tests.

"Definitely not your best, Eli. Only a D. What has gotten into you?" she said.

"Sorry, Ms. Dawes. I'll try harder." Great just what I need a bad grade. As I sat there in annoyance, Clare was getting her test back.

"Very good, Clare, B+," Ms. Dawes told her, then she walked away.

The bell rang, and I ran to the door to escape this room. I jetted to my locker. As I was twisting the lock I hear my name.

"Hey, um Eli?" Was that Clare? I turned around and there she was.

Shock took over my body and when I recomposed myself I answered. "Oh hi, Clare." Chill.

"Hi. Well, um, I was wondering if you could help me with this English project. I've really have been having some trouble with it. I don't understand this topic at all."

What. Did. She. Say? "Yeah, I guess I could help you out."

"Awesome. That's great! Can we meet at The Dot tomorrow, after school?"

"Sure, I'll see you there."

"K. Bye, Eli." She walked away then, but turned around once to see me staring at her.

She had definitely heard Ms. Dawes say my grade. I did way worse than she did on the test. It was a known fact that I was not great in English. But she was. She was one of the best students by far. She knew that, but yet she had asked me for help.

Maybe this was more than studying. Maybe she liked me. Maybe I had a date with Clare Edwards.