Chapter 2: A Second Encounter
Two weeks had passed since I'd met Marie, and I'd been thinking about her nonstop. Kylie had been bugging me to go back to church, and I kept putting her off.
"It's Wednesday," Kylie said, poking her head into my side of the room. "You know what that means."
I looked up from my book, knowing exactly what she was getting at. "Wednesday church classes for teens?" I said, trying to sound unenthusiastic.
Kylie grinned. "The very same. Come on, it'll be fun! I'll go with you."
I sighed, knowing I couldn't get out of it. "Fine, let's go."
When we arrived at the church, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves. What if Marie wasn't there? What if she was, and I made a total fool of myself again?
As we walked into the classroom, I scanned the room for Marie. She was standing at a counter, chatting with a group of girls who were all laughing and smiling. I paid them no attention, my eyes fixed on Marie. She looked even more stunning than I'd remembered, if that was possible. Her low-cut jeans showcased her curves, and her black tank top was paired with a red flannel that added a pop of color to her outfit. A delicate necklace glinted in the light, drawing my attention to her slender neck.
I felt my heart racing as I tried to play it cool. I didn't want to seem too eager, but I couldn't help sneaking glances at Marie. The class was making homemade salsa, and everyone was chatting and laughing as they chopped up tomatoes and onions.
I tried to focus on the task at hand, but my mind kept wandering back to Marie. I found myself eavesdropping on her conversation, trying to catch snippets of what she was saying. That's when I heard her mention something about writing.
"...I love writing short stories," she said, her eyes lighting up. "It's my favorite way to express myself."
My heart skipped a beat. She liked to write, just like me! I felt a surge of excitement and nervousness as I turned to face her.
"Hi," I said, trying to sound casual. "I'm making salsa. What about you?"
Marie turned to me, a smile spreading across her face. "Just chatting with the girls. You?"
We started talking, and I found myself getting lost in conversation. I was so nervous that I could feel sweat trickling down my back, soaking the fabric of my shirt. By the time we'd been talking for a while, the back of my shirt was drenched.
Kylie joined in our conversation, and we all chatted like we'd known each other for years. As we talked, I learned more about Marie's love of writing, and we geeked out over our shared passion.
As the class drew to a close, Marie pulled out her phone and typed in a few numbers. "Here," she said, handing me her phone with her contact information displayed. "I'd love to talk more about writing sometime."
She gave me a smile that made my heart melt on the spot. I felt like I was floating on air as I took her phone and saved her number.
Kylie grinned at me as we walked out of the church. "I think someone's got a crush," she said, nudging me.
I blushed, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. "Maybe," I said, trying to play it cool.