Annie was so glad that gym that Monday morning had passed quietly.
In the past, she had felt self-conscious each time after gym as she sensed herself being observed by all the other girls in the locker room. They had been looking at her less and less as the weeks went by. That particular morning, they totally ignored her as she showered and dressed in the locker room with them.
For that, Annie was relieved.
It was morning break.
Annie checked that her gym clothes were safe in her schoolbag. Then she walked over to Sabine's desk. Life would be boring if she had studied all the time. She should take the opportunity to stretch her legs and talk to her friend.
"Hey, Annie," someone called beside her.
It was that redhead Connie. Tall, pretty, the desire of many boys. As much as Connie loved the attention of boys, she still made time to at least greet Annie regularly. Quite often she had extended an invitation to hang out, which Annie had never accepted as of yet due to schoolwork.
If Connie were a boy, Annie would be flattered by the attention.
"You asked Sabine for help with maths, right?" Connie asked. At Annie's careful nod, she continued, "Why didn't you ask one of the boys?"
That was a good question.
"You could have asked Reese," Sabine said.
"Reese?" Annie glanced around the classroom. The boy was not there at that time.
"Yes, Reese," Sabine confirmed, "He's the boy with brown hair, freckles, and he scored an A in maths."
"Ooh," Connie uttered, "what else do you know about him?"
"He's always so quiet, so thoughtful. Like he's thinking all the time. And his smile..."
"And you're interested in him," Annie prompted.
"Yes, I'm interested... what? No, no," Sabine hastily denied.
"Really?" Connie grinned mischievously. "Then you don't mind if I ask him to teach me maths?"
Sabine blinked. "What? Oh, um, no, I don't care..."
Connie glanced over her shoulder. "Oh look, he's back. Bye!" She pranced off.
Annie looked up. Reese had indeed returned to the classroom. She had to admit that the boy had some quiet attraction to him. Perhaps it was the silent confidence with which he strode or his disinterested eyes. Or the way he straightened his back and rested on one foot as Connie started a conversation with him.
Annie turned back to her plump friend. "Sabine, you're really interested in Reese, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not," denied Sabine, though she kept her eyes on the boy.
Annie leaned closer and gave her a steady look. "Really?"
Sabine gazed into Annie's eyes. "Yes, really."
Annie stared harder until Sabine broke eye contact.
"Maybe I do like him after all," Sabine finally admitted.
"Sabine, you need to be more assertive if you want him to notice you."
"No, I couldn't." Sabine glanced in Reese's direction and sighed.
Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of break.
***
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