She Fell In love with Me First

As I stepped out of my chemistry class, the air bussed with excitement, an intense energy that sent shivers down my spine. The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the campus, illuminating the vibrant flowers that lined the walkways, and the sprawling oak trees,that provided shades to the students lounging on the grass. It was one of those perfect days where everything felt alive, but the real reason for the commotion was just around the corner. "Did you see him!?" a girl squealed, her voice rising above the chatter. "He's even hotter than last week!". I rolled my eyes, but my heart raced in sync with the giggles and whispers that echoed through the halls. Jake Carter has arrived, and with him came his entourage_ his loyal followers who seemed to orbit around him like the sun. I could see them from my vintage point, from the far end of the corridor, leaning against the lockers, their laughter ringing like music. Jake was everything the rumor said he was; Tall, with tousled hair that fell just above his piecing green forest eyes, and a smile that could light up the darkest corners of the school. He wore a leather jacket, that hugged his broad shoulders, and the way he carried himself exuded confidence, or perhaps arrogance. I couldn't decide which. As I stood there, my heart fluttered with a mix of admiration and longing. I was just Kayla, the girl who is at the back of the class, always minding her business. The one who preferred to stay unnoticed. "Look at him!. He's so dreamy" another girl chimed in, her eyes sparkling with infatuation. I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy, as I watched them frown over him, their laughter echoing like a siren's call. I leaned against the cool metal of the locker, trying to appear nonchalant, but my heart was racing. "Hey, Kayla!" a voice called, breaking through my thoughts. It was my best friend, with her wild hair bouncing as she approached. "You're not seriously hiding, are you?" I shot her a glare, but the corners of my mouth twisted upwards "I'm not hiding... I'm observing" "More like day dreaming about Jake Carter" she teased, nudging me playfully. "You know he's not going to notice you, if you keep lurking in the shadows" "Thanks for the pep talk, Chloe" I replied, rolling my eyes. "But it's not that I can just walk up to him and say, 'Hey, I'm Kayla, let's date" "Why not?" she challenged her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're amazing Kayla!, you just need to believe it". You're amazing Kayla, you just need to believe it. Those words kept on ringing in my head throughout the week. I thought thoroughly about it, checked myself in the mirror a few times and Yeah, I'm amazing. I just decided to stay unnoticed. But that ends today. I spent the whole weekend trying to change my looks, so I can grab Jake's attention. I started with a new haircut, opting for soft waves that framed my face. Next I applied make-up on my face, learning the art of subtlety from YouTube tutorials. With each look, I felt more confident, but I knew looks weren't everything. I needed a change to show Jake whom I really was. With a new closet and a fresh haircut, I felt a surge of confidence. The following week, I woke up very early to embrace the start of a new week and a new me. I wore a vibrant sundress that complimented my newly styled hair, and Instantly felt like a different person. Not just the nerd, at the back of the class always minding her business. As I was done dressing, I waited for Chloe my best friend in front of our house, to pick me up like she usually would. When she stopped the car in front of the house, I immediately got in. Once she set her eyes on me,she became stunned. She stayed staring at me for a few seconds, lost in her own thoughts. "You might want to close your month, before you catch any flies", I told her. " is...is the you?" she stuttered, a bit in shock and staring at me, still trying to process my new look. "of course it's me" her face lit up, when she heard my voice, she couldn't help but laugh. She tilted her head and looked at me up and down, still stunned by the change in my look. " holy crap, you look different... and damn, you look good girl.... when did you decide this?" she asked, her eyes still appreciating my new look. "Just wanted to try something new" I told her, as she drives us to school. " Oh really, just wanted to try something new, huh? she asked, raising an eyebrow and giving me a sly smile. "mmn.. why do I have a feeling there's more to it than just that ?" she seemed to guess the intention behind my decision to change my look, but she enjoys teasing me. "Whatever" I said and got down from the car, when we got to the school's parking lot. With my heart pounding like a drum, I walked in to the school, my new found confidence radiating with each step. As we walked through the halls, I noticed heads turning, whispers of surprise following my every step. I catch a glimpse of my best friend smirked, as she watched me walked away to the class. She knew there was more to this, and Will not give me rest until she fished it out of me. " Oh come on, you can't fool me. You're trying to impress someone, aren't you?" she asked with a mischievous smile, nudging me with her elbow. "And what if I am? " I asked, with a smirk on my lips. Chloe's smile widened as she realized, she has finally hit the target. "Oh so you finally admit it" She said with a grin, clearly enjoying this conversation. She leaned a little closer to me, and lowered her voice into a whisper. "So who is the lucky guy then?, someone I know?" I ignored her and walked into the class. As we entered the class, my eyes darted towards the back, where Jake sat, animatedly chatting with his teammates, his laughter ringing like music. Everyone in the class was shocked and amazed, by the look on their faces. I heard some students whisper to each other admiring my new look. I took a deep breath and walked towards my seat, trying to remain calm, but my heart raced as I felt the wait of his gaze on me. I catch a quick glimpse of Jake with his eyes wide open, he was clearly stunned by how different I looked. He wasn't expecting me to change so drastically, and he couldn't help but keep staring at me. Chloe sat beside me, and continued with her teasing. "I guess your plan has worked. You should have seen the way he was staring at you just now " She leaned closer to me and whispered into my ears and giggled. Just then the History teacher entered the class, the class became abruptly quite.