Unlovable by Sherry Gammon Page A

you?”
    “ What?”
    “ You know, back in Snore’s
class. Are you still angry with me?”
    “ I was never angry, just
annoyed.” His comment jogged my memory back to yesterday and the
whole Hillary incident. “Did you know your endless flirting almost
got me killed yesterday?”
    “ Killed?”
    “ Okay, maybe that’s an
exaggeration. Hillary cornered me in the bathroom and told me to
stay away from you. She said you were hers, and then she tried to
punch me in the face, twice! If Mrs. Volkel hadn’t walked in, who
knows what she might have done.”
    “ Cheerleaders don’t punch
people. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand her?”
    I pulled up the sleeve of my sweater,
showing him the huge bruise on my forearm where I had deflected one
of her blows.
    His eyes focused on the mark. “I made
it clear to her we were just friends, and she agreed saying she
didn’t want to be tied down her last year in high school. Does it
hurt?” He gently caressed the undamaged skin around the
bruise.
    “ Maybe if you didn’t flirt
all the time girls would actually believe it when you say you only
want to be friends.”
    We pulled into the elementary school
parking lot before he spoke again. “I don’t flirt unless I mean it,
Maggie, and despite what you think of me, I don’t lead girls
on.”
    “ So the whole cream cheese
incident back in Dr. Bore’s class was a misunderstanding and not
flirting?” I couldn’t understand why I always overreacted to him, I
was usually pretty easygoing. I hated confrontation. It’s just that
he made me nervous, and I found myself snapping at every little
thing he did.
    He opened my door and stood there,
close, making it difficult for me to get out. I slid halfway
between him and the car and stopped, unable to move any further. He
stood firm, looking me dead in the eyes. It was a bit unnerving to
say the least. His eyes dropped to my mouth, and I thought for a
moment he might kiss me. Instead, he shook his head and went into
the building leaving me to follow.
    Mrs. Mathews suggested we play games
with the kids, and they decided on hide-and-seek. Seth and I had a
difficult time finding hiding places given that we were
significantly taller than a bunch of first graders. After an
exceptionally long seeking turn, I recommended we play something
else.
    “ No, Miss Maggie,” Elise
said, bouncing up and down on her toes. “One more time, please.”
Her request took me by surprise since she and a few of the other
children were talking during the last two rounds of the game
instead of participating. Soon all the kids joined her in chanting
“one more time” and jumping up and down. Seth, being Seth, joined
them, looking silly in a cute kind of way as he bounced about, I
had to laugh.
    “ Okay, as long as you three
hide this time,” I said, pointing to Elise and her little
posse.
    I was met with a
resounding yeah from thirty first graders and one hot twelfth grader. Harrison
started counting as Noah led Seth to the other side of the room. He
sounded excited as he explained how he’d found the perfect hiding
spot.
    “ Miss Maggie, you can hide
in here.” Elise dragged me to a closet I hadn’t noticed before and
stuffed me inside.
    It held stacks of colored paper and
various craft supplies, along with an over-sized easel. “There’s
enough room for the two of us,” I said, squishing over to the side.
There wasn’t much room, though certainly enough for a first
grader.
    She giggled. “I’m afraid of the dark.”
She giggled again and shut the door. A few moments later the door
popped open, and Seth was forced into the closet next to me. The
door slammed shut. Seth and I were face to face, neither of us able
to move. He laughed softly.
    “ I’m glad you think this is
funny, however, you’re standing on my foot.” I bumped against his
incredibly muscular chest and immediately wished I hadn’t touched
him. I needed to get out, fast, and began searching for the
doorknob.
    “