[4] Smooth Moves

The whole weekend I was trying to figure out Karen. If she wanted me too, why didn't she just push through with it and let go of that stupid dare?

I forgot the most of that evening, but that conversation was stuck in my head for the most part. Karen and I didn't go to the same university, but Richard, Trish, Tyler, Lauren, and Stephanie went to Anberlin too, and they would certainly update her.

Damn this!

I groaned to myself as I am forced to believe her that I couldn't do it. I don't think you can, but the boys think you could. It's either I swallow my pride, let her have me with her knowing that I couldn't make some ugly lonely girl fall in love with me or just do the damned thing and get it over with.

Do I really have to bed her? I'm not sure if this is a good idea. Maybe I can do it while drunk?

Felice Li.

But didn't I say she was already in love with me before? What could possibly be so hard about this? This would be easy.

I called Karen up one early Monday morning to tell her that the dare was on. She giggled conspiratorially as I told her to get ready for me. She was on her way to school, as I was in a short break between Literature and Math. Richard and the others already knew. It's about time to put my plan into action.

Sitting in the chair waiting for her was not an easy task, especially as her block mates have not arrived yet. This tells me, she's going to arrive with a battalion, which makes my work harder since there will be witnesses.

A few minutes later, she arrived first while her block mates trailed noisily behind her.

"Good morning." I greeted.

She was startled by my greeting; I could see it in her widened dark brown eyes. She gave me a nod and a very weak and odd smile.

I didn't turn my head as I usually did. I stared, but not creepily as stalkers do... I admired, or at least tried to as I fished for something to compliment about.

Finding nothing to say, I turned my head to the blackboard and placed my action plan rolling.

"I uhm... excuse me, Felice right?" Two can play at this game.

"Yeah?" She said looking at me through her bangs.

"I seemed to have forgotten my pen at home. Do you happen to have brought an extra I could borrow?" I said as she smiled a knowing smile and dug in her pencil box. I guess she knew these moves too well, I just didn't know how or why.

"Thanks," I muttered as she gave me the pen wordlessly.

Math was a fairly easy subject, but not once did I recite even as I knew the answer. I took care of my reputation very delicately as I have before, and look where it has gotten me?

Into eternal bliss and perfection.

I glanced toward her and saw her scribbling endlessly while deeply buried in her notebook. Justin, her block mate in front of her would once in a while look back at her to make small talk as if they haven't been together every day.

"Justin." Her voice called.

My mind became momentarily distracted as she talked for the first time today.

"Justin, I don't get number 2... how did that radical become a whole number?"

"Ah, wait a minute." Justin went back to his notes.

Seeing this as a good opportunity, I took the liberty to answer Felice's question.

"Because it's a composite number," I said as she faced me with startled eyes. Justin looked at me too, "If you break it down, you can take it completely out." I smiled.

"Yeah, what he said." Answered Justin.

I guess my work today is done. She muttered a small "thanks" not that I was expecting more. She must be dumbfounded as the man that avoided her for four years had suddenly come to light to make small talk with her.

Ha! Pshh.

This will be enough to put me in her mind for a couple of days.

When PE came, I didn't make any attempt to approach her of any sort. A small recognizing smile here and there was enough. She seemed to be very distracted by the way I was acting, and this put me in a very happy mood until I heard some gossip in the boys' locker room.

"She's so sweet..." He laughed, "I swear, that's what he said. Man, he's smitten about this girl who's not even a bombshell to begin with."

"That's too much man, you'll never know, she might really be something."

"Dude, Felice is the complete opposite of the girls he'd been dating."

"Felice? Our classmate in swimming? You can't be serious." He choked. "Well, I couldn't blame him. He's always with her anyway. He's bound to get attached, but he's not getting anything from her that I can assure. Just her mere walk screams VIRGIN." He laughed.

"Justin's turning a new leaf. Maybe we should too."

Then he laughed, "Not."

Justin? A competition? I have a competition for Felice? Plain and ugly Felice?

What happened to the world?