"Thanks for letting me borrow you're notebook Kim," he said. I don't think I've ever heard anybody say my name like that before. It was like his tongue caressed it and I had never loved hearing it as much as I did now.
"N…no p…problem," I stuttered out. I grabbed it and put it down beside me looking at my tray. I was quiet for a moment until I realized he was still standing there. I looked up again.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked. My eyes widened but I was too tongue tied to speak. His face fell when he realized I wasn't going to answer. He almost looked… heartbroken? I really need to stop overanalyzing everything.
"Of course we don't," Carmen said covering up for my muteness. He smiled again and sat down beside me.
"So Kim are you new?" he asked me. I laughed sadly.
"I've had classes with you for the last 3 years," I said. He looked shocked.
"Oh Kim, I'm so sorry," he said. I smiled and shrugged it off.
"It's no big deal. I'm easy to miss," I said blinking back tears. Jared winced almost as if he was in pain.
"That's not true. I was an idiot before today. You're hard not to see. In fact it seems like I can't stop looking at you," he said. I blushed again and Carmen sighed and made googoo eyes at him. I rolled my eyes at her. Traitor. She was supposed to be the sane one. I realized people were starting to leave and I stood up quickly to grab my tray. Jared snatched it up before I did. I gasped and looked at him and he just smiled again. I picked up my notebook and glanced over at the table where he usually sat at. Paul and Embry seemed to be laughing at him and then it hit me. This was all some kind of big joke wasn't it? Let's all have a laugh at poor, pathetic old Kim Connweller. Of course I was the easiest target. I'm sure by now that everyone knew how obsessed I was with Jared. I glared at him and stalked away.
"Kim!" he called after me but I ignored him and kept walking. I needed to be as far away from him as possible where I could go and lick my wounds.
"Kim!" I heard Carmen say as she caught up to me. "What's wrong?"
"They were laughing Car," I said heartbroken.
"Who was? She asked confused.
"His friends. It's all some kind of big joke. He's not really interested in me. He's just doing it for some kind of bet or something," I said. I opened my locker and stuffed my head inside.
"But how do you know that Kim?" she asked me.
"Oh Carmen don't be obtuse. Why else would beautiful Jared Kaleel want to talk to me? You heard him. He didn't even know I existed and I've been sitting next to him for years," I said dejectedly.
"Oh hun," she said rubbing my back. "Give yourself some credit. You're not as plain as you think you are. And anyone who gets to know the real Kim will see how truly beautiful you are." I rolled my eyes. Easy for her to say. She was gorgeous with curly black hair and green eyes with slightly dark skin. Carmen was only half Quileute.
"God Car you sound like my mom," I said. She giggled. This was my free period so I just grabbed a book to read and some homework to catch up on.
"I'll see you after class hun," she said. I smiled and waved as she rushed down the hallway. I sighed and began walking to the courtyard. It was an abnormally sunny day for La Push so I decided to take advantage of it even if it was 60 degrees. I continued walking when I felt a warm hand reach out and grab me and pull me into the stairwell. I almost screamed but I collided with something hard and it came out as a grunt. I pulled back and rubbed my nose.
"Kim are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you need some ice?" I heard a frantic and familiar voice ask. I looked up and I mean really looked up to see Jared's distraught face. Gosh he was tall. I was an average 5'6 but he was still a foot taller than me so my head barely reached his chest.
"Yeah I'm fine," I said rubbing my nose a bit. I blinked a couple times and then stood back so I could look at him. He almost looked like he wanted to snatch me back to him but he refrained from doing so.
"Look I wanted to talk to you," he said running his hand through his short hair. I glared.
"Jared I really have nothing to say to you," I said turning to leave. He grabbed me and I gasped again at how hot his hand was.
"My god do you have a fever?" I asked. He quickly released me but stationed his body so that I had no way of getting around him.
"No I don't," he said. "Now about earlier…"
I put my hand up. "You don't have to explain yourself. I know that it was just a bet. I saw your friends having a good laugh over it."
He growled. "What do you mean? You think I was talking to you only because of a bet?" he asked clenching his fists.
I smiled sadly. "Why else would you want to talk to me? You've never said a word to me in all the time we've been in school together. You didn't even know who I was today. What else am I supposed to think?"
His fists unclenched and he looked at me sadly. "I'm so sorry Kim. I feel like such an idiot. All I can say is that I have changed a lot over these last couple of weeks. Maybe I just wasn't ready to see you then but I am now. Kim I really lo…like you. A lot!"
"Y…you do?" I asked not wanting to believe it but believing at the same time.
"I do," he said looking at me with his scorching eyes. Almost as hot as his skin.
"Why me?" I asked confused.
He smiled softly. "You're beautiful. Smart. And you have a little bit of a temper," he said. I blushed a little and looked down. I felt his hand come under my chin but this time I was prepared for his burning skin. It didn't scare me. It felt…right. It was strange. He lifted my head to look up at him. "I want to get to know you Kim. I want to know everything about you." He looked so sincere that I had to believe him. My heart left me no choice. I nodded slowly.
"This is my free period now," I whispered.
"Where do you usually go?" he asked smiling.
I smiled back sheepishly. "Well I usually go to the library but it's such a nice day outside that I was headed to the courtyard."
"To the courtyard it is," he said grabbing my hand. I was shocked but I didn't pull away. My small hand was engulfed in his large one but oddly we fit together perfectly.