Him and Me.

Him and Me- One.

The story of him and me. I would’ve said the story of us because it sounds cooler, but that would be stealing a title of a movie. Or was it a book? Well, whatever. 

Mmmm, where do I begin? Well, I guess you'd say, "Start from the beginning." So I shall.

Okay, so maybe we have not always been the best of friends. In fact, I sort of loathed him the first time I met him. He was arrogant and full of himself. He thought he was the best thing that ever graced the earth since blueberry cheesecake and rainbows.

It started one day in May, last year, our junior year. There was talk of a new guy coming in. See, I’d never been one for gossip, like the rest of the school population was but I was kind of curious to see what the new kid would be like. I thought of which clique he would belong to. Would he be the tragic nerd that worshipped books and libraries? Would he be the jock that worshipped a football as if it’s the best thing that existed (the next things being booze, girls, and hot dogs)? Or would he be a kid who does not fit in anywhere—an outsider? A loser, perhaps?

I might sound like a bitch, but I am not one. Okay, I can be one, but not like the bitchy, girly girl divas at school that do their bitch routines directed at a poor “student of the month,” or so they say. I was actually a cross between a bitch and a nerd—a nertch? (See I’m super funny too). I did well in school, I was on top of my class, but I’m not exactly classified as a nerd. I support the school’s sports team, I cheer for them in the sidelines, but I’m definitely not the giddy-always-have-a-smile-that-looks-like-my-face-will-split-in-two-cheerleader type. I guess I was one of those people in school which is actually well liked by everyone (or at least treated okay by everyone, or someone some people don’t give a damn about at all). Yes even the bitchy girly girl divas do not do their bitch routines at me. This sure made high school life a little bit easier. That, and the fact that I try to be nice and civil to everyone.

When he came in that day though, the ice princess in me decided to show herself.

The class was quiet, as usual, because of Mr. Solis. He’s our Chemistry teacher, also known as the walking sleeping pill. And surprise, surprise, half the class was asleep. I was having a hard time staying awake as well as he drone on about the isoelectric point.

Suddenly, the door burst open and in came a tall, tanned, very good looking guy. He strutted inside the room, seemingly not noticing Mr. Solis who had stopped babbling and was staring at the new kid. Mr. Solis cleared his throat and said, “You must be—“ 

“Colby. Colby Mariano.”

Voice as smooth as silk and as deep as the cliffs I’ve went to last summer diffused into the room. I thought I heard several girls swooned. Some people drooled. Well that was probably due to them sleeping earlier in class. I settled on rolling my eyes and then focused on the star curved onto my desk. I love stars.

Mr. Solis replied, “Well, Mr. Mariano, welcome to River High. Would you like to tell a little bit more about yourself to the class?”

“They know my name, what else is there to know?” My eyes snapped back up to the tall guy standing in front of the room. I narrowed my eyes slightly. I could tell this guy is one arrogant dude. I could also already feel the girls in the class thinking what a cool dude he was, and the guys thinking what a show off he was. I could practically hear their thoughts as they sat up straight in their seats, fully awake now.

Mr. Solis sighed. I guess after being in the academe for nearly 30 years, he was used to these kinds of kids. He was most definitely used to kids sleeping in his class. He just said, “Very well Mr. Mariano. Please go find a seat then.”