“Ah, but you do think I’m charming, don’t you, Natara Stone?” Seth brightened. His eyes began to pull her in. “Did I mention how lovely your name is? Natara . . .”
Natti’s chest began to heave, and her heart charged with excitement. It wasn’t from the run or the adrenaline that pumped through her vein. It was the way he said her name. Creamy and sweet, like a decadent treat. Her heart crumbled a bit, her breathing quickened, and her legs were shaky. Natti pulled her eyes away from him, trying to regain her senses and regain control of her body.
“How . . .” She gulped. “How do you know my name? You weren’t at roll call.”
Seth nodded to Mrs. Kuft when they ran by, starting on their third lap. The teacher blushed and giggled. Natti suddenly put the two and two together.
“You charmed it out of Mrs. Kuft, didn’t you?”
“And she’s smart too,” Seth mocked as he eyed Natti.
Natti subconsciously pulled up the oversized gym shorts. “Don’t get any ideas or I will kick you right where it hurts.”
“Ouch.” Seth chuckled.
“And what is it with you, anyway?” Natti glanced back at Mrs. Kuft. “It’s like everyone is wrapped around your little finger around here.”
Seth seemed to chew on her question for a moment before responding. “I guess people just find me irresistible.”
“I don’t,” Natti shot back.
Seth’s brow knitted together in concern. “Which truly surprises me. You know how many girls would be putty in my hands by now. Yet you don’t seem to feel anything. Not even a connection.” Natti glanced at him nervously, which caught his attention. “Unless you’re not telling me something.”
“Nope, nothing at all,” Natti said quickly, not wanting to mention the butterflies in her stomach, or how he said her name made her want to swoon like the other girls in her class.
“I don’t get it,” Seth whispered more to himself than to her. “This has never happened with my charm before.”
Natti couldn’t help laugh. “You act as if your so called ‘charm’ is magical?”
Seth shot her a glare, refusing to respond.
“Look, sorry to burst your little bubble, but there’s really only one simple explanation to why you just can’t charm me.”
“Which is?”
Natti leaned in, catching a whiff of his spiced cologne, myrrh, and the soft whisper of sandalwood. A scent she found soothing, and yet intoxicating.
“The British have higher standards.”
Seth lost his footing and skidded along the track, scraping the flesh of his hands and knees. Natti stopped short and walked back with a victorious smile. She knelt down in front of him. “You okay?” she asked.
Seth winced when he pushed himself to his knees. “Fine. Just a bruised ego.”
“Aww,” Natti cooed. She pushed back his bangs so she could look into his eyes. Eyes she would have wanted to gaze into all day, despite his cocky manner and the heaviness that haunted her. “You’ll live.”
A new day, a new start, Natti thought as she rushed to classroom two-forty-five, The Great Gatsby tucked under her arm. People began to whisper as she passed. She didn’t take the time to find out what the commotion was about, her mind too focused on her second day of school. She was looking to make a better impression and also to forget everything about Seth and how he affected her, both physically and mentally. With any luck, that tingling sensation she felt was only a concoction created by her imagination and her possible oncoming of PMS.
Mr. Jackson waited by the door of the room, ushering his students inside. Natti beamed at him when she approached. He had a look of surprise, but quickly replaced it with a delighted grin. “Natti, good to see you this morning.”
“And you as well, Mr. Jackson,” Natti responded.
She marched into room and scanned the chairs. Once again, everyone in the room seemed to look shocked and began to talk among themselves while they glanced back at her. She ignored them and moved toward the empty desk right next to Wanda. She slammed her things down on it and took a seat.
Wanda gawked at her. “You’re-You’re here! Early even.”
“Ah, yeah, where else would I be?”
Wanda opened her mouth to answer, then snapped it shut. Her cheeks burned a brilliant rosy red. She waited for a moment before finally speaking again. “Then what happened yesterday when Seth tailed you after class?”
Natti was taken back. “You were watching?”
“No.” Wanda lowered herself in her chair. “I just saw him run after you after talking with his friends.”
Natti rolled her eyes. “What is up with the whole Seth thing anyway? He’s just a guy,” she stated, resolved that he wouldn’t shake her. Though she was curious about how he could make her head spin with a simple touch.
“Well, girls change when they are around Seth,” Wanda commented. “Even me, I hate to admit. He’s so gorgeous! But someone like him would never pay attention to someone like me. I sometimes wish he would.”