He'd known her since they were in Elementary School… Well, maybe "known" was a bit of a strong word. He'd seen her in class since Elementary School.
That was about right.
But at the same time that's what the problem was. He didn't know her. He wanted to, but he could barely say a word to her. He could barely get past "Hi".
He would see her in class every year excelling in every class. She was an A student in almost every subject. And when she wasn't an A, she was an A and at the very least, she was an A-.
She was incredibly smart and she owned it. She wasn't afraid to speak up for herself, especially when other classmates or even just students in the school would attempt to bully her for her "nerdiness" or so to speak.
She tutored as an extra curricular for their Sophomore High School year and seemed to enjoy helping her classmates and new Freshmen bring their grades up. They'd always work in the library and in a few weeks they'd be passing their tests and pop quizzes with flying colors.
She was amazingly sweet. She almost never refused to help someone even if it meant she'd have to cancel her already made plans. She babysat for friends and neighbors, tutored classmates and incoming Freshmen, volunteered at local shelters, and volunteered to help some school programs, including her favorite, Theater Productions.
She was always busy, yet she always made time for something new. Many other students often gossiped and complained that she had no time to hang out or that she was too nerdy or too busy, but Claire Nuñez didn't care.
She loved helping people and she excelled at almost everything she did.
All that still didn't compare to her just as beautiful appearance. She was elegant, but unafraid to wear camo or tomboyish clothes. She always wore her deep, military green beanie with every outfit she wore everywhere she went.
She rocked it, that was for sure.
She wore that beanie since middle school, and Jim Lake Jr was still puzzled as to why as well as how it looked so fantastic on her no matter what she wore.
Claire had long dark brown hair, reaching to her rear. She had these mesmerizing caramel colored eyes, and didn't wear much makeup. She was tall..ish, well, she was tall compared to Jim's best friend, Tobias Domsalski or Tobes for short. But she was a few inches shorter than Jim himself.
He wasn't sure whether that put her as an in-between tall, short person or because he was only 5'7 so just short.
Claire often wore barrettes and hair pins in her hair to keep her hair out of her face, but not held up. She often wore modest, deep green blouses and black high-waist pants that conformed to that oh-so-beautiful, hourglass figure of hers.
Claire Mariá Nuñez was truly remarkable. She was smart, kind-hearted, and beautiful to no extent.
She was perfect.
And Jim could stare at her for another several hours as he sat in the center of his Algebra classroom…
"Jimbo."
"Jim!"
He tuned everything out as he gazed at nothing and no one but Claire.
"Jiiimmm!"
…
"James Lake Junior! What is it that you focus so heavily upon that you have neglected to hear a single word I have asked you?"
Finally, Jim was nearly knocked over the head with a ruler by Miss Janeth, the teacher of Algebra.
Suddenly Jim's rested chin that sat upon the palm of his left hand slid off and his head dropped to the surface of his wooden desk.
"Oof!!" Jim rubbed the growing bump on his forehead.
The entire classroom burst out in laughter.
Miss Janeth chuckled slightly at the sight. "Well, that serves you right, I say."
A bright pink colored Jim's cheeks as he cleared his throat and pursed his lips. "Wha- um, can you repeat what you asked me?" He knew the moment he said that the classroom would erupt in more laughter. And just as he expected, they did.
He looked to Toby who sat in his usual seat to Jim's left for clarification.
But Toby just shrugged. "I tried to get your attention, Jimbo. This is all you."
Miss Janeth rolled her eyes at the chatter, "Mister Lake, would you mind solving the equation on the board? Perhaps you can spare the time, this century?"
Jim's face flushed even further. "Uh- um, yes- sure. Yeah."
