Suddenly catching a whiff of masculine cologne behind her, Doris turned around and inadvertently collided with someone's chest once more."
Ow," she moaned, rubbing her face before glancing up.
It was Taylor.
He held her at arm's length and chuckled. "We really need to stop meeting this way, Green Eyes, or you're going to lose your face."
She looked down shyly.
"My bad though," he said, his voice a rich, smooth baritone. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have startled you."
"It's okay," she mumbled.
He cocked his head slightly. "So, are you feeling any better today?"
"What?"
Taylor leaned against a locker, hands tucked casually into the pockets of his Levi's jeans. The sexual appeal he gave off from that casual action was out of the ordinary.
"You were crying yesterday," he pointed out.
"Oh." She shut her locker and clutched her textbooks to her chest, cheeks flaming with embarrassment. "Um, I'm better today."
"Boyfriend trouble?" he asked, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.
She gave a small nod.
"He's such a punk for making you cry."
A small smile tugged at her lips, which he noticed. Stepping closer, his cologne enveloped her.
"You dropped your journal yesterday," he said.
"Yes!" she exclaimed, unable to contain herself. Her head snapped up. "Do you have it with you?!"
She'd written private things in that journal. The blood drained from her face at the thought of Taylor possibly reading it.
He reached into his back pocket and pulled it out, handing it over.
She took it happily, holding it close. As if reading her mind, he chuckled. "No, I didn't read it."
She let out a sigh of relief, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease.
"Thank you so much," she said sincerely.
"You're welcome," Taylor replied, folding his arms as he looked at her.
Doris smiled lightly.
"How about having lunch with me at the cafeteria this afternoon?" he asked.
She froze. Had she heard right?
Drake Taylor had just invited her to sit with him in the school cafeteria.
Taylor usually sat with the popular crowd. Their group had a designated spot, an unofficial throne in the middle of the cafeteria. Being invited to join them was something other girls would kill for.
"Y-you want me to eat with you?" she asked, sounding unsure.
"That's what I said."
"Why?" The question left her lips in a nervous whisper.
His hand moved up to ruffle his hair. "'Cause I want you to."
She stared into his eyes, momentarily unable to look away. He stared right back, until the blaring siren snapped them both out of it.
Doris cleared her throat and glanced away.
"What are the chances I get to bump into you again?" Taylor asked, his voice had grown hoarse.
She stared at her boots. "I'm not sure… but I wouldn't mind it."
Shit. What was she thinking, giving a reply like that?
Doris could feel his gaze on her and shifted uncomfortably. "I have to go to class now."
Her grip around her textbooks tightened with unease.
When she looked up, Taylor's intense gaze was still fixed on her.
"So I'll see you at the cafeteria?" He asked. "You'll come over to sit with me?"
"I-I'm not sure. W-what would people say?" she fidgeted with her hair nervously, inwardly cringing at how much she was stuttering.
Why did he suddenly want to have lunch with her?
"Who cares?"
"I do," she replied quietly. "I can't have rumors about me circulating the school."
"What sort of rumors?" he asked.
She shrugged, her cheeks burning red. "Aren't people going to think we're dating or something? You know how it is here at Pearson High."
"And would that be such a bad thing?" He stepped closer, leaning in until their eyes locked. "Us dating?"
She tilted her head back slightly, adjusting her bag. "I don't know. Maybe? I haven't even gotten over Bob yet."
"Bob's the douche who had you crying yesterday?"
"Yes. Look, Taylor, I have to get to class. I appreciate you returning my journal and all, but I..." she bit her lip, a nervous habit, and looked up at him. "I can't have lunch with you. Maybe some other time."
Before he could respond, she turned and walked away, feeling his eyes on her until she disappeared down the hallway.
Doris made it to English class on time and settled into her seat, releasing a long breath as the tension began to fade. She opened her notebook, but all she could think about were the words Taylor had said… and the way he'd looked at her.
Her heart still ached from Bob, but the warmth she felt when Taylor looked at her was impossible to ignore, and maybe even harder to explain.
******
"Okay, so let me get this straight. You bumped into him and dropped your journal. He came over to return it and then asked you to sit with him at lunch?" Charlotte asked, her voice bubbling with excitement as they jogged around the field during Physical Ed.
"Uh-huh," Doris replied.
"That's crazy, Dee," Charlotte gushed. "Him coming over to give you back your journal is already sweet, but asking you to sit with him during lunch? That's insane! Girls would kill for that opportunity. I can't believe you declined."
Doris slowed to a halt, wiping sweat from her brow and resting her elbows on her knees to catch her breath. "I declined because I wasn't comfortable."
"But why?"
"I don't know. I just wasn't."
"Let's get going. Come on." Charlotte pulled her upright and continued jogging. Doris followed.
"Miss Cho!" Coach Warren's whistle cut across the field as he pointed toward the volleyball court. "Get yourself over here!"
"Yes, coach!" Charlotte yelled back, then turned to Doris as she started running. "Catch you later, bestie!"
Doris nodded, resuming her jog as she pulled her hair back into a tighter ponytail. Her eyes wandered toward the basketball court, searching for Taylor.
She wasn't sure why, but a part of her wanted to see him again.
Then she stumbled, nearly falling when her gaze landed on him, only to realize he was already watching her.
Her cheeks flamed instantly. Embarrassed, she bent and pretended to tie her laces as if they were the cause of her stumble.
Peeking once more, she saw that Taylor had turned away and was now talking to Roman, another basketball player.
He looked so hot in his sleeveless jersey, all toned muscles, fit calves, and flawless skin. Doris didn't know how long she stood there ogling him, until Bob appeared out of nowhere and stepped in front of her, blocking her view.
"Really, Doris? On the fucking phone? You couldn't even say it to my face?"
His voice carried anger.
"You have no right to be mad at me right now, Bobby Springsteen," Doris responded sharply. "Get your cheating self out of my sight, you fucking ass" She pushed his chest and turned to storm off, but he grabbed her wrist.
"I said I was sorry. What else do you want?"
"I want you to leave me the fuck alone!" she shouted, not caring about the growing audience.
All the pent-up anger came flooding out.
"I saw you, Bob. I saw you kissing her. Why would you do that to me? Huh? I knew you were tired of me, but why give me false hope?"
Her voice cracked. "You shouldn't have led me on, damn it!"
He shook his head and tried to take her hand, but she shot him a warning glare.
"Baby, I'm not tired of you."
"Then why did you do it? Why did you cheat on me again?"
"Geez, would you calm down and stop causing a scene? It was just a fucking kiss, Doris. Chill."
She lunged forward and shoved his chest again.
"I fucking hate you!" she screamed, pushing again. "How could you say that to me? Just a fucking kiss?" She pushed him once more, tears spilling from her eyes. "I gave you everything! I loved you!"
"Doris," he said, his voice softer now. "Calm down, please."
Every student nearby had stopped whatever they were doing to watch.
"I gave you a second chance, or should I say a third?! I even quit the cheerleading team because of you! All for what?!"
Charlotte rushed over, pulling Doris into a hug and holding her tight. "Shhh. That's enough, Doris. That's enough."
Doris broke away, scanning the field to find every eye locked on her, including the coach's.
Turning her back to her best friend, she walked away toward the school building.
"Dee?" Charlotte called after her.
Doris held out a hand. "Please don't follow me, Charlotte. Just don't," she said through tears, breaking into a sprint toward the school entrance.
She couldn't bear all those eyes watching her.