Shucked by Megg Jensen

his
khakis, and then strode back to our table. “Why don’t you do the first ten
problems on this page? Turn them in tomorrow.” He patted me on the shoulder.
“I’m sure with some hard work, you’ll catch up to the other kids in no time. Look,
I’ve got to run. I have a webinar at four. Why don’t you two stay here and work
on the first couple of problems just to make sure Tabitha understands?”
    “No problem, sir.” Alex stood up and
shook Mr. Fenton’s hand.
    Maybe the pod people had captured him
during study hall. This was not the same guy who’d annoyed me in the hall
earlier in the day.
    “I’ll see the two of you tomorrow.”
Illinois Jon started to walk out of the room, then stopped and turned around.
“Do both of you have rides home?”
    “I’ve got my car,” Alex said. “If
Tabitha doesn’t have a ride, I’d be happy to take her home.”
    Illinois Jon smiled. “Great.”
    As soon as he disappeared through the
doorway, Alex draped his arm over my shoulder. His eyelids drooped, sending me
smoldering smoke signals. “Finally, he’s gone.”
    I wanted to move closer, but instead
I sat as still as a rock. I reminded myself Alex was a professional womanizer. Just
because I wanted him, it didn’t mean I had to let him know it. Not yet.
    “Mr. Fenton said we had to keep this
professional.” I wiggled away from Alex, even though my body screamed at me to
move closer. I didn’t want to be just another conquest. That would be the worst
way to have a first boyfriend. Besides, and maybe this wasn’t the teen way, I
wanted him to like me for me, not because I was new.
    “Fine, fine. Let’s get the first
couple of problems out of the way, okay?”
    I pretended to understand and somehow
got through the first line of problems without looking like an idiot. Alex’s
arm rested on the table next to mine, just a hair’s breath away. I cursed
myself for telling him we had to stay apart, but at the same time I knew encouraging
him would be my downfall. If I wanted him to respect me, then I couldn’t fall
into his arms right away.
    “Think you can do the rest yourself?”
Alex looked at me.
    I nodded, unable to say anything. I
couldn’t. I was too busy drowning in his brown eyes and imagining all the ways
I wanted to kiss him.
    “You need a ride home?” he asked,
putting his books in his backpack, oblivious to my inner struggle.
    “No, I’m going to call Mimi and have
her pick me up.” I mirrored him, slipping my math book into my arms. I hadn’t
even been to my locker yet to get my backpack and my other homework.
    “You don’t have to do that,” Alex
said with a sigh. “Look, I’m sorry I keep hitting on you like that. I’ll stop
if that’s what you want.”
    It wasn’t, but it was. Ugh, why did
it have to be so confusing? “Whatever.” I shrugged.
    Alex didn’t look at me again as he
wound through the maze of tables and chairs. My heart started to pound and my
palms sweat. I wasn’t ready to let him go.
    “Wait!” I called out before he could
leave the room.
    Alex pivoted on one foot, spinning
around gracefully, almost like he was in slow motion. His hair floated, and
then flopped down over one almond eye. “Yeah?” A smile blossomed, his perfect
white teeth winking at me.
    “Um, if you don’t mind, I’ll take
that ride home. But I have to go to my locker first. Is that okay?” I stood
with my hip out to one side, my books balanced carefully. I was trying my best
to look nonchalant, uncaring whether or not he’d say yes, to balance the
chaotic churning going on inside my body. Yin and yang.
    “Sure. I’ll walk you to your locker.”
Alex held out an arm toward the doorway. “Ladies first.”
    There was that charm again. It was
like he couldn’t turn it off unless there was an adult in the room. And it was
working. Too well. No wonder all the girls in school had given into him at one
point or another.
    I’d have to fight hard not to be so
easy. If there was one thing