The Flynn Effect

31 | a silly crush

Jo

"OVER HERE!" Amanda hollers as she flails her arms about. The girl with the ball—Harper or is it Hannah? I'm not too sure—volleys it towards Amanda and she shoots it back to me from behind. It's a high throw so I jump sideways and shoot the ball over the net. When it touches the grass, the girls around me cheer and I expel a labored breath just as our PE instructor calls time-out.

"You up for the next game?" Amanda asks as I shuffle towards my gym bag and sling it over my shoulder.

"No," I groan as I stretch my arms. She laughs. "I'm tired. You guys can go on without me."

She waves at me and I walk farther away from the makeshift volleyball court on the field to get a better place to rest. The sky is clear and the sun is shining and the only sounds around me are whistles, shoes hitting the track and students shouting as they engage in some athletic games.

I drop my bag on the grass once I'm a safe distance from the volleyball court and I take out a bottle of water and quench my thirst. Everyone is dressed in the usual dark red LHS gym wear which consists of an armless, collarless top, black shorts and knee-high red and white socks. The cheerleaders are trying to form a pyramid and some football players are running laps on the track.

Just before I plop myself on the grass, I spot Flynn sitting at the bleachers. I haven't seen him since he disappeared after English Lit today so I'm a bit surprised to see him sitting there in his gym wear with his head down and what I suspect to be a sketch pad in his hands. His fingers are moving so I'm assuming he's sketching something.

He looks up and I wave my arms so he'll see me standing there and his attention shifts to me. He gets to his feet so I plop down on the grass, lying face up and spread my arms and legs wide as if I'm about to make a snow angel.

I close my eyes and I hear his footsteps not too long after that. I feel his presence close to me and I hear him take a seat on the grass. Butterflies fill my belly instantly.

"Are you asleep?"

I don't respond. I remain still on the grass and for special effect, I release a soft sigh.

I can hear the surprise in his voice. "Are you really asleep?"

I'm trying hard not to smile as I remain quiet. After a few seconds, I feel him looking at me and then all of a sudden, he leans down and bites my nose.

My eyes fly open as though I was having a nightmare and then I fist his shirt and with my eyes wide, I ask, "Are you an animal?"

"Oh good, you're awake."

"Are you, by any chance at all, carnivorous by nature?" I'm only exaggerating. It was a soft bite but it made my cheeks turn red.

He shakes his head. "I'm not."

"Then why'd you bite me?"

He leans forward and pulls out a blade of dried grass from my hair. "I saw Teen Wolf last night."

"After you left my house?"

"Yup."

"Oh my god."

He grins and tells me he's just joking before bringing my bottle of water to his lips and drinking. I sit up and stare at him. He's wearing my scrunchie around his wrist.