Chapter Text
I'm impatiently tapping my pen against my math book, praying this class would end and I could escape to the library during lunch. Oh, yes. I'm Gisele Michaels. Resident loser at high school. I'm sixteen, almost seventeen. Long, strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. For the record, I despise school.
The second the bell rings, I'm out of the classroom like a shot. I don't even bother to wait for my best friend, Ella, and race off to the school library, as I get bumped and pushed this way and that.
I finally reach the school library, hurrying inside. I quietly hurry over to my favorite section: romance books
I'm so engrossed in looking through the newest book titles, I accidentally crash into someone.
"Oh, excuse me!" I look up and blush. There standing in front of me, is a very cute boy, with deep brown eyes and dimples. I immediately duck my head, face flaming.
"I-I'm sorry," I mumble, refusing to look at the boy again.
"It was my fault," the boy says. I just keep my head down.
"No, it-it was mine." I turn, fleeing the area.
"You're a loser," i whisper to myself. "A complete loser."
"Why do you ALWAYS run off to the library the second you can?" Ella is giving me the third degree.
"Bite me," I snap. I'm still thinking about that-boy. I wonder who he is? Of course, if I wasn't such a loser, I could have asked him his name. I try to remember if I've seen him in any of my classes before.
"Ooh, somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!"
"I'm sorry," I apologize immediately. "I just hate school so much!" Ella puts her arms around me.
"It's only for a couple more years, Gisele. You'll survive."
"That's easy for you to say," I say miserably. "You're pretty and popular and EVERYONE loves you."
"Not everyone," Ella says, resting her head on my shoulder
"I feel so inaquate," I mumble.
"You're not," Ella assures me. I push her away.
"What I NEED is a boyfriend." Ella's face lights up.
"Yes!"
"I was kidding!" I growl. Ella moans as she falls back on my bed.
"You shouldn't joke about serious stuff like that!"
"Oh, please! Who's going to date ME?"
"Lots of boys."
"Yeah, the super gross ones. Or the annoying ones. Or the super shy ones." Ella seems to be pondering this
"We'll find you one," she says confidently. I shake my head.
"Not on your life!"
I'm pouring over my high school yearbook, trying to locate the boy I nearly knocked over in the library. So far, I'm not having much luck. Maybe he's new.
I flip the next page of the yearbook. It's several photos of the swim team. I've thought about going out for swimming, but I really don't like the idea of EVERYONE watching me.
I prefer to swim without an audience. As I'm looking through the photos, I spot the boy. I quickly look for a name.
Peter Balmaceda. Oh my gosh. Now I remember him. He's also in my English class. I cringe as I flip the yearbook closed
I wonder if he remembers me? Oh, I sure hope not.
I keep a lookout for Peter the next day at school. Unfortunately, I don't see him until English class. I try to slip in unnoticed. No such luck.
Peter spots me and flashes this huge grin at me.
"Hi! Do you remember me?" he asks, his voice unnecessarily loud in the classroom. I avoid eye contact, hoping he'll leave me alone if I ignore him.
I must be the unluckiest person alive. Peter gets up from his desk and comes to stand right next to me.
"I don't bite," he says softly. I'm suddenly aware of EVERYONE in the classroom watching this little exchange between Peter and myself.
"Leave me alone!" I hiss softly. Peter looks slightly wounded.
"I was just trying to be nice." He retreats back over to his desk. The teacher greets us and I slide further in my seat, wished I could magically disappear.
"Hey. Are you still pissed at me?" What is with this dude? Can't he take a hint? I turn to him.
"Yeah, I am." Peter looks confused.
" I was just trying to be friendly."
"Yeah! In front of the entire class! Thanks so much for embarrassing me!"
"That wasn't my intention, I can assure you." Peter looks away.
"I'm late for my next class." I grab my book bag and quickly hurry to Science class
"Who was that you were talking to earlier?" Ella asks me.
"Some loser who enjoys embarrassing people," I reply. Ella has this little smirk on her face..
"He's cute."
"So ask him out!" I snap.
"Danny would have a fit," Ella says, sighing. Danny Jacobson is Ella's boyfriend. He's not too bright, either.
"Oh! I think I remember him now! His name is Peter "
"Congratulations," I snap. "You win the ten dollar prize."
"He must have really got to you, huh?"
"Ella, he embarrassed me in front of the entire class!"
"How?"
"He had the nerve to call me out! EVERYBODY was watching us!" Ella smirks again.
"I think you secretly like him."
No flipping way."
"Are you seriously going to keep ignoring me?" I don't look at him. I don't have to look at him.
"I think you're really pretty," Peter says softly. My head snaps up.
"Are you making fun of me?" Peter shakes his head.
"No." I stare at him. Man, those brown eyes of his are something else. He grins suddenly.
"Do you think we could start over?"
"I'll think about it." Peter accepts that answer.
"Cool. I think we could get along just great." He winks at me and walks away. I realize my heart is dancing in my chest all of a sudden