Chapter 1: Sparks

Monday's weren't exactly my very best days.

The fact that I left my water bottle at home wasn't helping.The fact that I was hopefully trying the water fountain over and over again but to no avail wasn't helping.The fact that I had chemistry first period and was two minutes late for the class made it worse.The fact that the chemistry teacher was awfully strict made me cringe.Thinking about all that made my head hurt.

"Ugh! This thing shouldn't be fucking up now!" I muttered giving the fountain one last desperate try.

My chemistry teacher wasn't exactly the friendliest of teachers.He was the type of teacher who considered lateness to his class a serial crime.

With his attitude,ditching was not even an option .Trust me, the man was eagle eyed.

All this hell started last month when my class flunked an impromptu chemistry quiz he organized to earn himself a payment bonus.

He's been grouchy ever then since we were the class who broke his perfect score streak.In our defense we weren't ready for an impromptu test.

"Hey,"A deep warm masculine voice called giving me a jolt.

My right arm in reflex action lunged a punch to the source of the foreign voice sending the owner writhing in pain ,pure anguish written on his face.

I was visibly surprised to see that my attacker wasn't a vicious killing maniac but a gorgeous killing maniac.I swallowed nervously scanning the boy clutching his tummy in distress.

As if by magic, the water fountain sprung to life getting us both wet.

Wonderful,just amazingly wonderful.

" I'm so sorry. I thought that you were a perv or a stray or a rapist or something like that,no offense."I apologized profusely correcting my earlier made rant.

I made a fist in the process and clutched it with my other hand just below my chin giving him my best I'm sorry,I hope you're not going to sue me look.This drew a chuckle from his demure lips bringing me back to my senses.

I quickly turned to the raging fountain before struggling to calm it down.

I gave him a handful of paper tissues and the tips of his fingers grazed against my palm as he reached out to take them sending these cute little waves of electricity through my body.

I quickly withdrew my hand not wanting the situation to seem even more awkward.

The tissues got mushed up quickly and I handed him my hankie.I could clearly trace the outlines of his body as his white shirt clung firmly to his skin.I drifted my gaze to his face which has hidden by my hankie he was using to dry himself.

He rubbed his chocolate brownness of hair dry and looked up at me holding my gaze in the process.

He wasn't from around here,that I was sure of ,because from his looks my school's female population ought to have made him popular by now.

I finally found myself lost in a pair of startling sea blue eyes after my hankie was moved away from his face.

His masculine features were coming back to life since it was pale as a result of my killer punch.Then I felt something, I realised that the boy standing right in front of me was hot.

"You know, rapist's don't try hitting on girl's under the scrutiny of cameras."He chuckled, gesturing at the security camera in hallway.

"My bad."I replied feeling embarrassed by the second.

Ping! My phone chimed with a new message.I drew it out of my pocket and scanned through the text.

Harry : Where re you? Mr.Hoff is in class!

" Sorry,I've got to go..."

"Jay," He cut in with a smile stretching out his hand for a handshake.

"I'm really late for class." I said hurriedly grabbing my scattered books off the floor and basically forgetting about his outstretched hand.

"I didn't quite get your name."He stated.

"Camilla."I stated clutching my books to my chest and walking past him.

I felt my heart thumping in my chest as I walked to class,the aftermath of meeting a hot stranger.

Mr Hoff was scribbling on the board when I breathlessly arrived.

I scanned the room for a place to sit when my eyes rested on Harriet . She waved me over gesturing to an empty seat by her side.

Thank goodness she'd saved me a seat.Harry was one of my besties,if not the best.We bonded in middle school when her big sis became my homework buddy.She was also my dancing partner during dance class back when we were freshmen.

She took her sweater off the chair and I mouthed a thank you slipping onto it.

I dropped my bag on the floor by my chair giving Rachel,my other best friend a friendly little wave.

I snapped my attention back to class since Mr Hoff had taken a moment from his note writing on the board.He scanned the class for a while and after adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose,he went back to his task. Funny as that was I dared not laugh. Thank goodness his eagle eyes had missed me,that I thought.

Just as I was about to say a silent prayer, he snapped his head from the board and peered through his glasses scanning the class for someone.His scrutiny finally landed on me and I tried avoiding his gaze but to no avail.

"Ah huh,Miss Parker."He called looking at me.

"Yes Sir,"I replied slowly rising up.

"I don't know why I missed you earlier but I've been trying to get your colleagues to understand the term radioactivity but it seems I'm speaking a different language.Can you help me with that?"He asked earnestly.

I mumbled a thanksgiving prayer before opening my mouth and spewing my researched definition of radioactivity for the benefit of the class.Thank God I had learnt it in advance the previous night .

I wasn't the best student in class but I could say I was part of the first ten in school. The best student in school was Suzie Westfield and I'm lucky to say we had only one class together, Biology or else I would have been seriously outshined.

"Thank you for your layman's explanation,I hope you guys have got it now?"Mr Hoff thanked me then spoke to the class.

"Yes Mr Hoff."They chorused as he deftly scanned the class to find someone to repeat my definition of radioactivity.

"Finally,someone who's not speaking geek. "Rachel smirked shifting to a more comfortable position on her seat .She tapped her pen lightly on the table in bored fashion.With Rachel,I honestly wasn't surprised.I let out a smile turning my attention back to the teacher.

Two more horrible periods later,it was free time and I stood by my locker chatting with my friends.

". . . So I handed him my hankie and realising that I was late for class and came rushing in." I explained to Harry and Rachel since they had asked me why my hair was wet.

"Was he cute ? Rate him on a scale of one to ten!"They screamed excitedly.

"I guess he's a seven?"I answered unsure about his looks column.A part of me wanted to clarify that he was an eleven,looks wise and and a seven , attitude wise but I decided to let it rest.

"Hot?Tell us,how hot?"

"Average hot ." I replied coyly stuffing my books in my locker.

"Don't be a wet cloth Cami.We want the details,the googly eyes part."Harry encouraged.

"There were no googly eyes."I responded slamming my locker shut.

"Now I've got to get going." I announced walking away.

I just loved keeping them in suspense.

I smiled heading for the Principal's office .I was interviewing her for our school's newsletter.I arrived at the coffee brown door reading Principal and gave two quick taps on her door .

I received the affirmative and calmly walked in to realize that she had a visitor occupying the seat to her left across her large dark brown table.

I made as if to leave when Principal Mullins beckoned me to stay. I stood meekly by the door as she wrapped up with her visitor.

"You'll be okay now I guess?" enquired the Principal.

"Yeah Aunt Sally." her visitor replied,his voice unreasonably familiar.

"Oh forgive my manners,you may have a seat dear."She offered and I sunk into the plump cushions.

I swivelled my head to the side to catch a glimpse of her visitor whose intoxicating voice made my insides churn only for my blood to run out cold --He was the last person I expected to meet today.

"Sick twist,we meet again."He acknowledged me with a smile.

I looked at the well sculptured body reclining on the chair and swallowed nervously.I

t was the boy from this morning,the boy I had punched,the boy I had accused of various bad acts,The Principal's nephew.I told you Monday's weren't my best days.

I ignored his comment and turned to look at the Principal who had a smile on her face.

"You know each other?Oh, I'm so glad you're mixing with the right crowd already."She coed looking at her nephew with unmeasurable ease.

"We're just short term acquaintances."He replied with a teasing glint in his eyes.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat resisting the urge to roll my eyes.What was the boy trying to get at?

The Principal snapped her attention back to me,"I guess my lunch break is over now,you may proceed."She directed as I took the questionnaire from my folder.

Jay sat throughout my interview with his Aunt expressionless as if trying to depict some random truth from my face.That annoyed me to the bone since I felt it was rude to keep on staring at a girl for that long.Was he trying to entice me by his charm?Such a flirt he was.

I was done with the interview with the Principal in less than twenty minutes .

As I stuffed my sheets into my file, she suddenly had the bright idea to do me the honours of showing Jay around ,she thought that we were friends of some sort.

I had no option but to agree since it would seem rude if I said no ,I desperately wanted to say no.

I didn't want to take the burden of trekking round the whole school with the Principal's nephew who happened to be a boy I physically and verbally abused this morning.Talk about awkward.

"I never knew you were a journalist in training."He commented closing the door to the Principal's office.

I looked up at him shocked.How old did he think I was?

"I'm neither a journalist nor one in training and before you ask I work for the newsletter committee."

"Isn't that the same thing?"He asked scratching his head.

I sighed and decided not to explain further,I would get myself annoyed in the process.

He hadn't muttered a word to me about this morning's incident since the Principal's office and I found it comforting . I honestly didn't want to recount what happened ,it was so embarrassing.

I helped him find his locker and he started sorting out his books in it.

Girls walking in the hallway occasionally stopped to stare at him or try to get a few stuff to gossip about him.

I could feel their unwavering eyes glued on all parts of his body as I waited by his side occasionally checking my watch.I didn't want to be late for another lesson ,I still had lunch to take.

Well,the boys ,they just stood to glare or snicker feeling inferior to the well built boy by my side.He seemed oblivious to all the bustle around him though.

"OMG he's so hot!" shrieked one red haired freshman standing by her locker and staring at Jay with lovesick puppy eyes. I nearly felt amused as I gawked at her outfit.She was wearing a see through lacy top with jeans so tight I wondered how she managed to fit herself into it in the first place.After drooling over the boy who had barely noticed her,she shut her locker and trotted of to where ever she was going to.

If bitches flew, my school would have an airport I sighed.My school,Hamilton High had just got a new boy to fret about.

At first it was Chad , a friend from one of my classes and Aiden Sanders,our school's quarterback.Now him!

Snapping out of my present dilemma,I noticed my hankie tied decoratively around Jay's wrist.

"Can I have it back?" I asked gesturing to his wrist.

"What?"

"My hankie,It's tied around your wrist."

"Oh that,it's just a new trend." He said unwinding it from around his wrist.

"Yeah,I know that." I said sheepishly.

"No you don't.I just made that up." He said with a light chuckle.

I rolled my eyes in mock annoyance making a grab at my hankie .My fingers touched his skin in the process and I felt that chill again.I retrieved the hankie from him quickly.

"Can I see your schedule?"I asked as he handed it over.I wanted to give him a good lead to his class before sprinting off.If I left it to one of those girls, they'd try showing him to the janitors closet instead.

"Camilla ,"A girl called from behind.I drifted my eyes from his schedule to notice Mabel walking up to us.Mabel was a girl from my literature group.We had a few other classes together but we weren't really that close.She was just casual friend.

"I've been looking for you for a while now,um can I get your Literature notes? I missed class last week."She explained.

"Sure."I replied uncertainly not sure about her motive, for her eyes were glued on Jay the whole time she spoke.

"And who is this hottie?" She demanded running her eyes over Jay's figure .

"Jake." He replied shutting his locker gesturing that we should get moving.I found this a perfect opportunity to weasel out of showing him around.

"Mabel why don't you continue showing him around while I grab the book?" I suggested.

She gave me a warm smile obviously happy because she was going to spend some time with him.I shrugged it off ,as far as I was concerned he was her problem now.I handed his schedule to her and slipped away.

" The onus is on you to show me around Blondie!" Jay called as I walked away.

"Like I care."I mouthed as Mabel led him away excitedly telling him whatever it is.

I quickly made my way to the cafeteria and was a bit bummed out to find non of my friends at our usual table.They had probably finished their lunch and went off to class already.

I grabbed my lunch and sat with a bunch of kids from the newsletter committee.They asked me a couple of questions about how the interview with the Principal went and they were glad to hear it was carried out smoothly.I purposely left out all matters related to meeting the new boy to avoid unnecessary questions.

After lunch ,I marched straight to my locker and picked up the books I would be needing for the next period not forgetting to add my literature notes for Mabel.I wondered how it was going on with her and the new boy.That boy was a handful,thank God I got rid of him early.

I made my way to my next class humming a little tune to myself.

I scanned the room for Mabel and finally caught sight of her,my tune dying in my throat.She sat at the back of the class with Jay on the seat next to hers.I wasn't really surprised that we three had the same period but I was surprised it was this particular one, Literature.

I let out a sigh and walked up to her seat stretching out the book to her.

Totally oblivious to my presence,she giggled and flipped her hair flirtatiously not noticing my presence.

My hands were starting to get cramps since the girl just totally forgot the book I was stretching out at her and instead engaged herself in a hearty conversation with Jay.

I stood at her desk for a considerable amount of time waiting for her to acknowledge me. I wondered how hearty the conversation even was since Jay just replied in mono syllables or nods as she chatted on and on.

It was then I decided that the girl wouldn't acknowledge my presence unless I did something. I faked a cough and she looked up at me startled.

" Oh,thanks."She said sheepishly as I handed the book over.

"Guard it with your life." I warned before walking away to an empty seat at the front of the class.

I dropped myself on it with a contented sigh.

"Where were you?"Harry asked from the seat next to it looking at me incredulously.

"I looked for you everywhere."She complained.

"I'm sorry,the interview and some other stuff held me up."I explained removing my glitter coated pen from my pouch.

"How did the interview go by the way?"

"It went well actually."I confided giving her a confident smile.

We drifted our attention to the front of the class as Mr.Jeff walked in,his lesson plans stacked in between his arms.He got himself settled and scanned through the register for sometime before looking up.

"Jake Greene?"He called.There was deafening silence in the class as everyone peered around trying to catch sight of the owner of the unfamiliar name.I for one knew who it belonged to and decided not to grace him with a stare.

The teacher made a simple gesture with his hands beckoning Jay to the front of the class.

They spoke for sometime before Jay finally walked back to his seat.I buried my head down the whole time not wanting to get lost gazing at his eyes.

"Is that the hottie you were telling us about?" Harry whispered unzipping her pencil case and handing a pen to the boy behind her.

"Yeah," I said calmly.

She smiled and fanned herself for emphasis that he truly was hot. I rolled my eyes at her immature behaviour.

"You totally underrated him, He's a ten."Harry winked with a smile.

Fahd who was sitting behind her flinched and played with the pen in his hands when she said that.

I noticed it and smiled.Fahd liked Harry.Harry liked Fahd.The feeling was of course mutual.The two of them were making some progress though they were not dating yet.To see Fahd jealous over something that flimsy was simply divine.That boy should grow some balls and ask her out already!

***

The day seemed to go by quickly seeing I sat at McDonald's with my friends the next day.

I gave the potato chip a swirl in sauce before popping it in my mouth.

"If you're not having that can I ?" Rachel asked referring to my half eaten tray of chicken nuggets.

She picked up a piece before I could reply sending Harry and I into gales of laughter.I was too full to complain.Not that it would have mattered anyway.

"And to what do we owe Harry treating us to a girl's day out? " I asked gleaming.

"Oh nothing, can't I show my besties some love at least once in a while?"

"Now we know for sure something is up,definitely." Rachel said.

" Spill,"I urged.

"Okay.So . . . "Harry started as we looked at her expectantly.

" The suspense is killing me."I gushed as she paused to look at our facial expressions.

"Fahd asked me to be his girlfriend."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"You bitch!Shut up,no way!"Rachel screamed as we all shrieked excitedly.

"Yes way."Harry replied in giggles.

"OMG what did you tell him?"

"I told him I'd think about it."

"Tell him what you think is right okay?" I advised all seriousness.

"Okay."She nodded in unspoken agreement.