“No, I'm not!”
“Tam, shush for a minute,” Amber said turning her so that they stood face to face. “I'm the expert in this. You do remember how long I crushed on Joshua Nelson?”
“How could I forget?” Tamara pulled out of Amber's grasp. “You do remember that you're dating Joshua Kirk and not Joshua Nelson. You're so not the expert in relationships.”
“No, but I know a crush when I see one.”
“Says the girl who claims to have done a spell and had it backfire in a good way!”
“It really did happen!”
“Whatever,” Tamara said, turning her body slightly so that Hayden was once again in her line of sight.
“Ooh! Tamara has a crush!”
“Shut up!”
“Ooh! Should I go tell him?”
“You wouldn't dare!”
“Oh, yes I would!”
The chiming of the first bell sent both girls scrambling to shove their books into the lockers and sprint to class. Tamara's feet knew the halls leaving her mind free to wander.
“Watch it!” Tamara crashed into someone.
“Sorry, Tamara,” Hayden hurried past her, shoving books into his bag.
“Do you need directions or something?”
Hayden didn't answer or slow down. Tamara watched him until he was out of site. She wasn't the only one running late. Tamara sprinted through the last few corridors between her and her first period English class. The bell echoed through the empty halls just as she slid into her desk.
Although Tamara watched for him in the halls she didn't see Hayden again until lunch. She watched him join Greg and the others from chess club. Why? Why couldn't he play basketball or something? Hot and lame, were just two things that didn't go well together.
“Oooh!” Amber said, sliding into her usual seat at their table and pointing at Hayden.
“Shut up,” Tamara shoved her hand down, smashing it into the table.
“Ouch!” Amber shook her hand free of Tamara's and cuddled it protectively against her body, “Don't be such a bully.”
“Are you coming with us to the mall today?” Josh asked appearing on the other side of Amber.
“Can't.”
“What?” Amber asked.
“Yeah, remember Mondays and Fridays I have to go to chess practice now?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Yeah.”
“At least you get to see your hottie!”
“He's not my hottie.”
“Not yet.”