Sparks Fly

Chapter 3

I walked down the aisle towards my seat. I stopped at Jace's table and faced him. "Hey," I murmured. "I'm sorry for avoiding you the entire morning."

Jace stopped looking at his phone and looked up at me. He's so handsome. No wonder almost every girl in the school has a crush on him, including me. He replied, "I knew it. You didn't have to lie about it. It was kind of obvious."

"Sorry," I muttered.

"Stop apologising," he said. "You didn't do anything wrong."

I nodded. "Okay," I replied. "Um, so you wanted to have lunch with me? I'm actually free today. Yvette already has lunch at home so..." Wait, why am I explaining to him? He doesn't need to know. "Yeah, anyway, I'm okay for lunch this afternoon."

He grinned upon hearing that. "That's great," he said. "I'll pick you up after school. Meet me at the foyer at two. We're going on a date."

"We are?" I asked.

"Yeah, why not?" he questioned.

"No, nothing," I replied. "Oh, look, the teacher's here. I'm just going to my seat. Um, bye." With that, I hurriedly walked forward to my seat. I hope no one was paying attention to our conversation. Jace Leighton asking me on a date? That's unheard of.

As you already guessed, I couldn't concentrate on the English lesson. I can't help it. I just kept thinking about his words. We're going on a date. I looked at the back of Jace's head. What the hell do you mean by that, Jace Leighton?

What does he want to talk to me about? Why did he ask me out for lunch? Does he like me? Or is he trying to play with me? Why would a rich and popular boy like Jace Leighton want to go into a relationship with an ordinary girl like me?

More importantly, we barely know each other. How can you fall in love with someone you hardly know? Jace is a popular person in school so I hear lots of things about it. Additionally, we share English and gym classes so I know what he's actually like.

I know that, behind his popular kid facade, he is a nice guy.

But he doesn't know what I'm like. How is it possible that he likes me? There is no way he had paid attention to me, especially since I have never caught him looking at me. Never. Not once. How much can you know about someone you don't pay attention to?

Does a kiss make you know what a person is like? No, right?

I shook all my thoughts away. Concentrate on English, Belinda. You've already wasted one period away. You can't afford to waste another over a boy, my conscience chided me. Well, okay. I looked up at the whiteboard. Ugh, English is boring.

I looked at Jace. He looks good in every angle. He has a handsome face, a fit body, a nice voice, soft lips... He's just so perfect. How can someone so gorgeous exist? Whoever becomes his girlfriend is the luckiest woman in the world...

Will it ever be me? Will I ever become that lucky one?

He asked me out on a date. Does this mean that he likes me? Does he really want to go out with me? Or is he just playing with my feelings? Gosh, why does he have to be so popular? It's making me doubt his sincerity a lot.

He's a nice guy, though. I don't think he'll do something like that, right?

In the end, I gave up and decided to wait until our lunch date to judge him. I need to stop speculating and wasting my lessons away. I need to focus in class! I need to stop harassing some boy who is sitting right in front of me in my brain.

Time flew by in a breeze and, lucky for me, none of my remaining lessons was with Jace Leighton. So... it's time for my date with him, huh?

"You're saying that your crush asked you out on a date," Yvette reiterated. "Wow, congrats! You've finally got him in your clutches! I can't be happier for you. You're going on a date with Jace Leighton! The love of your life!"

"I wouldn't dare say that he's the love of my life," I chuckled. "But, yes, I like him. I'm so nervous! What if he sees how sloppy I eat and decides that he's too good for me? What if he's just playing with my feelings? What if—"

"Stop it, Bella," she said. "Firstly, you don't eat sloppily. You're fine. Secondly, I don't think he's playing with you. You know better than I do that he is one of the decent guys in school who doesn't make out with random girls."

I nodded. "I guess that's true. He's a very nice guy. He's humble, he's sweet, he's handsome, he's perfect, he—"

"Okay, I think that's enough," Yvette interrupted. "I don't want to know how you feel about him. You better not start describing your kiss." I blushed. "I just want to tell you that he's a nice guy and I don't think that he will cheat your feelings. I think he's legit."

"Thanks for the pep talk, Eve," I muttered with a smile.

"Anything for you, Bella," she replied, grinning from ear to ear. "I think he doesn't look into one's appearance but rather personality. You are a nice girl. He'll love you like crazy. You're just so lovable!" She pinched my cheeks.

I rubbed my cheeks and giggled, "Thanks. I hope that he'll like me. Do you think the kiss we shared sparked some feeling in him and that's why he wanted to ask me out? Gosh, if so, doesn't that mean that it was out of lust?"

"Stop, Bella," she laughed. "I think he has always cared about you. All those little things you two share as you walk down the hallways and you greet each other. They matter. All the little things matter, Bella. I'm sure he likes you to some extent."

"How can you be so sure about that, Eve? How do you even know? Maybe he just sees me as a friend or a sister or something. Maybe this lunch date is just a friendly date," I muttered. She hit my head. "Ow! What was that for?"

"That's for overthinking the situation," she huffed. "Remember the party? Darren asked Jace if he liked anyone. I saw how he looked at you when he said yes. He wanted to see how you would react and indicate that it was you. I picked it up. Roy did too. I saw how Jace became flustered when Roy told you to kiss him."

I gulped. "Is your source reliable?" She hit my head again. "Ow! What now?"

"I'm not blind, Bella," she deadpanned. "I saw it with my own eyes. He chased after you when you ran off after your kiss but I stopped him, saying that he might make the situation worse. He even blushed when you pecked him on his lips."

"Really? I didn't notice," I laughed awkwardly.

"You were too busy wallowing in your shame," Yvette replied. "I swear you didn't see how red his cheeks were after you kissed him from the dare. He probably got an erection."

"Ew! Did you have to say that?" I remarked.

She shrugged. "It's biology. Anyway, he likes you! He definitely likes you! Stop having doubts about him. You should totally go for it! Go on that date. Tell him how you feel. Become his girlfriend. Get married. Have two kids."

I blushed upon hearing that. "That's a bit of a stretch," I replied.

"Who cares? Don't you have to go find him at the foyer now? Go! Don't make him feel like you're regretting your decision. Don't make your future husband feel sad," Yvette urged.

I giggled and waved her goodbye as I ran towards the foyer. There stood Jace Leighton leaning against the wall, looking around. "Jace!" I called out.

He turned in my direction and smiled. Oh, that smile. "Hey, you came."

"Of course, I did," I replied with a huge grin. Oh, such bliss.

***

A/N:

If someone complains that you said something "disgusting", just say that it's biology ;)

Knowledge is the key! It allows you to logically escape any situation.

Do you remember anything from your high school days? It's quite nostalgic, isn't it? Don't you just miss the good old days when the only thing you had to worry about was homework, exams and your teacher's black face?

Jokes aside, cherish school while it lasts. School is fun if you know how to find joy in it!

Stay tuned for more!