Top 10 finalist for TKB Contest.
Written: May 2018

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He's my world, my love, and my secret. And right now, he's looking at me.

My friends don't know, but it doesn't matter - I already know they wouldn't approve. No one wants to admit that you're dating the nerdiest guy in the entire school to her friends when you're some of the most popular girls in said school. It doesn't mix. I just happen to not care - not when my breaths quicken when he walks into the room, or when my pulse races when we lock eyes, or when he touches my arm and my skin feels like I've touched a live wire.

I smile shyly at him, knowing what he thinks of it. He simply shakes his head at me before our eyes slide away.

"Honestly," my friend Meg is saying when I tune back into the conversation. "She looks like she got her outfit at Goodwill." They're talking about one of the new cheerleaders, someone who had recently moved to our school.

"Seriously!" Tasha agrees. "What do you think, Sarah?"

I blink when I hear my name, at a loss since I haven't even looked at the girl they're talking about since I walked in the building this morning. "How can you even tell?" I ask, saying the first things that come to mind. "There's so many people that donate to that place that have designer stuff, I don't know how you guys can tell the difference." I held up a hand. "Don't get me wrong - I know Armani and J. Crew when I see them, but I can't tell when it's second-hand."

They roll their eyes at me - did I fail to mention I'm not the leader of this group? Oops... - and go on about a party they'd been to over the weekend. I tune them out again, my gaze drifting over to Todd. He's looking at me. He tilts his head towards the door ever so slightly and I give him the barest of nods.

I clear my throat and the girls look at me. "Um, I need to use the ladies' room. I'll be right back." They merely flap their hands at me and go back to talking. I slip out of the cafeteria, feeling the thrill of getting away with something and the flutter of nerves that comes before seeing Todd.

He's leaned against the wall just outside the doors. My heart jumps when our eyes meet. I lean my head in the opposite direction and begin walking, knowing he's behind me. Soon, I walk into the library, with him close behind. We go to the stacks in the far corner and face each other. When his hand touches mine the world feels right again. When he leans his forehead on mine, I feel a rush of emotion for him so strong that I have to close my eyes.

This is worth it, I think. Just the touch of his hand in mine makes it all worth it.