The first two months of sixth grade went by just like the rest of my life calm, uneventful, and quiet until Rudy came up to me with one of her infamous toothy grins and dropped a rumour I didn't ask for.
Rudy, who used to bully me when we were kids and somehow ended up becoming one of my friends now, strutted over like she had news that couldn't wait, eyes sparkling like she was holding the secret to some royal scandal.
Oh lord, please not another useless rumour she picked up from who knows where and won't stop talking about until it bleeds my ear, I thought as I braced myself.
"Baby, did you hear the rumours?" she grinned, way too pleased with herself.
She liked to call me baby, which I found hard to adjust to at first, but now I was sort of used to it.
I didn't even answer at first, just let out a tired grunt. But she didn't care as always and leaned in a little closer before saying, "Well, this time the rumours are about you and Lou."
Perfect. Just what I needed, drama involving the one person I really didn't want to deal with. I didn't even take her words seriously.
I twisted open my bottle and took a long sip, more to buy time than anything else, then said, "Rudy, I don't care about any Tom, Dick, or Harry, alright?"
She didn't back off. "Lou likes you. That's the rumour."
I nearly choked and started coughing. "Tell me you're kidding," I managed, staring at her like she'd just grown a second head.
But Rudy, with that mischievous glint in her eye, only smiled wider. "When I asked him if it was true, guess what he did ..he smirked. Ella, the boy smirked. I'm telling you, he likes you."
"I don't believe you," I said, narrowing my eyes. "He didn't actually say that, did he?" I asked again, trying to catch any hint of a lie in her face.
Rudy hesitated just a second and said, "No, he didn't say it, but I'm telling you his smirk said it all. He was acting all weird, and come on, you can't be this anti-romantic forever," she sighed dramatically.
Right then, Rosie dropped into the seat beside me, catching the last part. "Maybe he likes you," she said with a chuckle, clearly enjoying every second of this.
I groaned and pinched her lightly. "It's not funny, okay?"
Before we could continue, the bell rang and everyone began returning to their seats. And then I saw him_Lou walked in with his friends, wearing his usual calm but unreadable expression. Max nudged him the moment they stepped inside and whispered something just loud enough for me to catch, "Isn't that your girl staring at you?"
Lou looked straight at me and gave me the tiniest smug smirk- the kind that makes you question your entire existence.
And like an absolute idiot, I turned my head away so fast I probably looked guilty.
Why did you do that?! my brain screamed. Why were you even looking at him in the first place?!
I dropped my head onto the desk with a long sigh, wishing I could just disappear into the wood.
Now he's definitely going to think I was staring at him but wait... what did Max just say? His girl? Who? Me?
Then Rosie nudged my foot under the table and whispered, "Ella, stand up. Sir is staring right at you."
Startled, I jumped to my feet and, to make it worse, ended up writing an apology letter for "disrespectful posture." Seriously?
The rest of the class dragged on with Sir tossing questions at me every few minutes, but thankfully, it was the chapter I'd gone through last night, so I somehow made it through without completely dying of embarrassment.
Still, I couldn't even turn my head to the right or left, because I just felt like someone's eyes were on me or at least, that's what it felt like.
Finally, the bell rang.
I slumped over my desk, barely letting out a sigh before thud something hit me.
A paper ball?
Why is everyone so annoying today?
I sat up and turned around slowly to see Lou leaning back in his chair, chewing gum and shrugging like he had no idea what just happened, with that same infuriating smirk that made me want to scream.
I turned back around and dropped my head on the desk again, cheeks warm.
What is wrong with me?
Why is my face feeling hot?Why is my heart suddenly doing weird things?