Part Two: Chapter One: Curiosity

“Only eight days left!” Lia exclaimed the second I was within hearing distance. I grunted in response - it was too early to think. We fell in step, side-by-side. To any passer-by, we would have looked like twins, in our matching bright blue hats and our black coats. I tuned Lia out as she rambled on and on. She was a morning person; I was not.
As we stepped into the warmth of the school building, Lia took off her hat and shook out her long black curls. Her bright blue eyes brightened as she grinned mischievously.
“Did I tell you why I didn’t answer your texts last night?” she asked with a sparkle in her eye.
“Nooo...?” I responded, a bit confused.
“Teepee-ing Mr. Wilson’s house with my brothers,” she said animatedly. “Jasper’s idea - I told him how Mr. Wilson failed me on that last test.” As we arrived at our lockers just across the hall from each other, she pulled her camera out of her backpack and handed it to me. I glanced at it and saw a picture of a house and a tree covered in strips of white paper. I laughed, wondering what our teacher would say. I hoped he didn’t find out it was Lia. Though she was smart, she was always getting in trouble. That was just who she was - daring and mischievous. I wished I were as brave as her. I had always been shy and submissive.
My curly auburn hair tumbled over my shoulders as I pulled off my hat. I turned around, textbooks in hand, when something caught my eye. There was a boy nearby, looking at me. His bright green eyes caught mine and held there for a moment.
“Nicole, come on, we’re going to be late,” Lia complained, pulling on my arm. I pulled my eyes away from the boy’s as I replied,
“What? Oh, yeah.”

* * *

After school, I waited outside for Lia. As she stepped up beside me, I saw the same boy from that morning in the crowd.
“Lia, see that guy over there? With the blond hair and the gray shirt?” I said, nodding in the boy’s direction.
“Yeah,” she responded. As she said that, his head turned and his eyes caught mine.
I leaned in towards Lia, never taking my eyes off of the boy, and whispered, “What’s his name?”
“I dunno, I’ve never seen him before. Must be new.” I tore my eyes away from his brilliant green eyes as we turned to walk home. We walked in silence for a few minutes, shivering in the cold. Finally she turned to me and opened her mouth, as if she was about to say something.
“Hey! Hey, you!” we heard a shout from behind us and spun around in sync. We saw a distant figure sprinting up the hill we had just climbed. As the shape grew nearer, I realized that it was the boy. He reached us and stopped. He shook his head and his blond hair fell into place. He was hardly out of breath. He hit me with those green eyes as he grabbed my hand. I looked at him curiously as he pushed a small slip of paper into my hand and then ran down the hill, with just a backward glance.
“What did he give you? What did he give you?” Lia inquired excitedly. I unfolded the slip of paper to see two words: “Ashton Johnson,” Lia read. “Is that his name?” she asked me as if I would know.
“I guess. I dunno, though.” As I went to put the paper back in my pocket, Lia grabbed my hand.
“Wait,” she said. “There’s something on the back!” I flipped the paper over and saw ten numbers: [phone]. “He gave you his number!!!” I glanced at her, confused.
“Why?” I mused.
“I guess he likes you. I think he’s a little creepy, though. He’s never even talked to you, and nobody knows who he is.” I shrugged and we walked the rest of the way home in silence.

* * *

The next day at school I saw the boy - Ashton - again. But this time he came up to me when I was alone. He wove through the crowds to come stand next to my locker.
“Hey,” he said with a dazzling grin. Those green eyes caught mine again. I didn’t know what to say.
“Hi,” I whispered feebly. Why was this guy hitting on me, of all people?
“M’name’s Ashton. Ashton Johnson.” He held out his hand for me to shake.
“Nicole Cameron,” I said, my throat dry and papery.
I thought I heard my name behind me, and turned around quickly, but there was no one there. When I turned back to face Ashton, he was holding my phone in his hand.
“How...” I gasped. “Give that back!”
“You left it in calc,” he said, one eyebrow cocked as he tossed my phone in the air and caught it again. As he handed it to me, our hands brushed, making my heart stop for a second.
“Thanks,” I said wonderingly. I turned to leave, but the sound of his voice again stopped me.
“Wait,” he said, reaching out to catch my shoulder. “Could I get your number?”
I stared at him for a minute. No boy had ever asked for my number before - Lia got all the guys. “Sure,” I said. “Area code 857 - it’s still set up from our old house in Massachusetts; we moved here a year ago and the plan hasn’t expired yet. 379,” I paused as he typed the numbers into his phone. It was one of those new texting phones - the sleek, black kind. My old blue Razor looked ratty next to it. “8442,” I finished the number.

He waved at me and walked off with a quick word of thanks. He walked with his hands in his pockets, his leather jacket flapping in the wind. As I watched, a piece of paper blew out of his backpack and he ran to catch it. I giggled as he tripped and fell on the grass, paper in hand. It was only then that I remembered I had promised to bring Lia, who was at home with the flu, her homework, and rushed home without a backward glance.