They met in a class after school. She could feel her face blush the first time he smiled at her. She was too tough to admit it though. Instead, she would respond to his comments with off-handed sarcasm, all the while trying to suppress any inner giggles that might slip out. She figured she couldn't possibly have a chance with him anyway. There were plenty of other more attractive alternatives for him to choose from. His piercingly gorgeous blue eyes could never fall on her. One day after class, he asked her for a ride home. She could feel her heart leaping from her chest, pangs of excited giddiness running through her stomach. She contained all of this and calmly said, 'Sure, where do you live?'.
She drove and he rode, quietly. Both sensing the tension. Both watching each other from their peripherals. "Turn left right here," he said, pointing to a long drive that led to his father's apartment. They stopped in front. She put the car in park. He clutched at his bag. Her hands dropped to her lap, while she desperately tried to avoid saying something final, like "Well, see you next week in class." They shyly glanced and smiled at each other.
At last, he asked if she would like to come in for something to drink. Unsure, but excited, she stammered, "Yeah," clears her throat, "Thanks, that would be great."
She turns off the ignition, climbs out and follows him up to the front door. He was just as nervous as she was, but he was much smoother and didn't let it show. He opened the front door and invited her in. She politely took off her shoes, even when he said she didn't need to. He plopped his bag down and headed towards the kitchen.
She stood, rubbing her hands together, clasping her fingers, together and apart, together and apart, while looking around, thinking, "So, this is where he lives." The couch looked soft and inviting, so she decided to sit down. He walked back into the room after a minute with two glasses of cold water. She thanked him as she carefully took the glass from his hand. She sipped it, careful not to finish it too quickly. She looked around and said, "Hmm, I thought you'd have more trophies or medals. You're so good in class. I thought you were in more competitions." He looked around as well, "Oh, most of them are in my room. Wanna see?" "Sure." She got up and followed him towards his room. Indeed there were a few more trophies sitting on his bookshelf on the back wall. She stepped in to have a closer look. He tried to close the door behind her quietly, but she turned around when she heard the click.
Their eyes met for a moment before he rushed over to the bookshelf, "Here let me show you the rest of my trophies." She walked over and looked over each one intently. "Whoa! You got First Place? That's wicked!" They both reached out for the trophy. Their hands brushed and they both contracted quickly. She backed away to sit on his bed, while he wandered toward the chair at his desk.
His eyes darted, before saying, "You should join some competitions too. You're pretty good in class." She's elated at the compliment but she laughs it off, saying, "Don't feel confident enough. And confidence doesn't exactly come easy for me."
Pause.
"I'm a little envious of you sometimes. Confidence seems to come so easy for you."
"Ha! Far from it."