The bell rang as Sam and I gathered up our trash and threw it in the receptacle. I knew the next fifty minutes would be tough. Everyone in the class would be watching Mark and me to see if we ogled each other. I’m sure it would make their year if we made a spectacle of ourselves.
Sam and I grabbed the same seats we sat in the day before. I pulled out my notebook and sat ready to take notes. I felt everyone’s eyes boring into me when Mark walked in the room. I kept my eyes firmly on the paper in front of me and thought of him as Mr. Russo.
He started right into the history lesson, and soon the scratching of pencils on paper could be heard throughout the room as all the students took notes on the day’s lesson. He had an engaging voice and everyone was soon listening to him with rapt attention as he lectured about Europe during the turn of the century. If he ever decided to pursue a career in education, he would make an excellent teacher; even the gossip hounds were silent as he grabbed their attention with his warm voice.
He walked up and down the aisles as he lectured, and each time he passed me, my breath would catch and my heart would race. His voice soothed me like none had ever done before. I could have listened to him talk forever. His voice seemed to hold the nourishment my body craved.
Before I knew it, the bell rang. I finally looked up and met his eyes. I could tell the class had been just as tough for him.
He gave me a half smile as I gathered up my belongings. As Sam and I passed him, once again I felt him press something in my hand.
I did not open my hand until I left his classroom, but when I did, I saw another note and a small wrapped chocolate. I smiled. I had mentioned my addiction to chocolate during our morning talk. I placed the chocolate carefully in my bag.
Sam looked at me with interest.
I shrugged my shoulders. “I think I’ll save it. It’s the first thing he’s ever given me,” I said, feeling slightly self conscious.
I opened the note as Sam and I walked down the hall. There were only six words on the paper.
I can’t wait to see you.
My palms grew sweaty. It was hard to believe that he liked me even though it was quite obvious just how ordinary I was. It would be one thing if I was as cute and bubbly as Sam. I felt a slight feeling of panic, wondering if he would change his mind.
The rest of the day passed quickly and I was pleased that I was at least able to concentrate more attentively on my afternoon classes than the day before. I would have hated to try to explain to my mom if my grades took a nosedive.
After the last bell rang, Sam and I both pulled out our cell phones to call our parents. I turned on my phone and saw that I had a voicemail from my mom. Hitting the button to retrieve the voicemail, I listened to the message.
“Hi, honey. I hope you don’t mind. I heard there’s an art seminar this afternoon in Aptos and I wanted to go check it out. I hate to abandon you two nights in a row. I promise we’ll catch up tomorrow night. Call me if you have any problems.”
Well, that worked out perfectly. No need to lie or find an alibi. I was free to meet Mark with no guilt. I felt giddy at my good fortune that we could spend the whole afternoon together.
“They said it was fine,” Sam said as she dialed another number. She stepped away and I discreetly turned away to give her a little privacy.
“Shawn says he will meet us at the park.”
“Great, let’s go,” I said in an impatient voice. I was ready to see Mark again. It had only been two hours, but I felt a small distinct ache from the separation.
We walked swiftly to the park.
Mark was already there sitting on the top of a picnic table under a big shady oak tree. It should be a sin to look as good as he did, I thought as I once again admired his physique.
He stood up as we approached.
“Hey Sam, how’s it going?”
“Oh you know, my best friends dating our teacher’s intern. I’m dating some guy I dreamt about my whole life and oh yeah, I share some kind of mystical connection with my friend and the intern,” Sam quipped in a dry voice.
Mark and I burst out laughing.
Put that way, the whole situation seemed like some crazy story you would read about in the Enquirer. Sam was right, in the last thirty six hours our lives had taken a drastic turn.
A few minutes later, Sam’s whole face lit up as she spotted someone walking toward us from the parking lot. She got up and practically bounced to his side, not bothering to even contain her enthusiasm. Sam gave him what I could only describe as a scorching kiss and then dragged him over to us.
“Krista, Mark, this is Shawn,” Sam said with shining eyes.
I reached out to shake his hand. The now familiar electricity flowed between our hands. I was expecting it, but it was obviously a shock for Shawn.
“Wow,” he said.