"Then what would you normally say to a girl?" Annie picked at her food.
"Hmm..." Billy stared off beyond Annie, probably at another girl, "Well I'd say hi, maybe give a compliment."
"Can't think of anything to compliment about me, huh?" Annie asked wryly.
"If you keep staring at your food, I can't see your sapphire eyes."
The little girl gave him a dry smile and a good look at her blue eyes. Billy flinched back at her sudden expression. Weird. He should be more relaxed around girls. Annie started on the last of her food.
"I noticed that you're a lot more serious about school lately," Billy noted, "I like a woman that is both smart and beautiful." He finished his burger.
Annie stopped with her last fork of food in her mouth. It lacked taste. Not that the food was unpleasant, but it felt so because her senses were elsewhere. They were where her heart was.
He had called her smart and beautiful, qualities that were important to her. But most of all, he called her a woman. Not a girl, but a woman. These compliments became fuel for a fire that melted her heart. This boy really did know how to charm a girl!
She chewed and swallowed hastily. She was going to escape this discomfort by using the technique known as the Blatant Change of Subject. "I don't think Connie's coming back."
"I think you're right," Billy agreed.
"Well, I didn't want to sit with her after what she had said at break time." Blue eyes looked to the boy. "You don't believe that I'm a call girl, do you?"
"Wait, what?" He was confused.
Oops, Billy was not in class that time! "Ah, Connie called me one and I'm still a bit annoyed about it."
"Yeah, that girl says things." Billy smiled. "If you say you're not one, I'll believe you."
"I'm not one."
"Don't take it seriously then." He glanced in the direction of the water fountain at the edge of the cafeteria.
Annie packed away her lunch box and picked up her juice. "Hey, how about studying together after school?"
"Oh, I can't, I've got something on," Billy excused himself, perhaps a little too quickly.
"Not free the other days of the week either?"
"No, pass. Sorry," Billy declined.
So Billy was not keen on spending time with her. His compliments might be genuine but he was not really interested in Annie. Probably there were other girls that were more attractive.
It was just as well that he declined. Annie could not spend much time after school. Second Sis was away in another city for a basketball tournament. Big Sis would not come to pick Carrie up after her basketball practice as she normally would later in the evening. So Annie would be returning home earlier by taking a lift from Mother.
After Billy excused himself to get a drink, Annie went back to class. She never saw Connie again until class started. Annie wondered what flimsy excuse that redhead would give.
Not that she cared.
***
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