Free Beautiful Torment by Paige Laurens

with,” I beam and he nods happily.
    Perfect, this is exactly what I need to feed my obsession.
    And it does.
    For today was only the start of how we began eating lunch together on the days I have lab. Chloe and Ashley think I go because I failed the last chemistry test, but little do they know, I passed with flying colors.
     
     
     
    The past couple of weeks Mr. Harrington and I have fallen into this easy-going pattern. Every other day, just after the final bell for sixth period rings, I usually catch him on his way to the main office. He always stops me in the hall, just to tell me he’ll be right back, like I don’t already know.
    He goes into the office and checks his mail, and I head to my locker, which is right down the hall. He then meets me there, and we walk together to his classroom.
    Sadly, for me at least, everything has been completely innocent and friendly. We mostly talk about what I’m currently reading, and he tells me about the races he runs in his spare time. When he asks if I ever run, I laugh and confide just how uncoordinated I really am. We joke about it, and I all but explode as I teasingly form a non-existent muscle, and he actually feels it before quickly pulling away.
    He always stops when there’s even a hint of flirting going too far, and I can always tell when it’s on the horizon, because he regards me with such scrutiny. It’s annoying though, because whenever I think he may actually like me , all I’m proven is wrong. It’s never awkward, and we always immediately return to being normal, but shit, do I want it!
    Just like a few months ago at the fire drill, we get into discussing our best-loved movies, debating what’s good and what’s not. We recite lines from our favorite TV shows, and argue over the correct words, since he always swears it’s one thing and I say another.
    I call him a geek when I catch him with a science trade magazine, and he counters when he finds the honors English syllabus I’m secretly following, teasing me that he’s going to tell his sister.
    We bicker because he’s a Met’s fan and I’m into the Yankees. He asks about my family, and I finally learn about his (he has his parents and just the one sister, no other siblings). While he obviously loves them, it sounds like they don’t get along very well. He eventually discloses his dislike for them; apparently, his parents are pretty wealthy, and because of this, they’ve tried to control his choices in the past. The thing is, he wants to make a name for himself on his own, doing what he loves. The same goes for his sister too. I’ve never admired him more - the way he talks and considers everything, it’s unbelievably commendable.
    He swears me to secrecy as he reveals information about this robot he’s building for some science competition next year, and I nod like I know what he’s talking about until we laugh.
    It seems no matter what, we always go back to books, because we both happen to share a love for reading, especially when it comes to Tolkien.
    But despite all this, Mr. Harrington still remains a big mystery, and there never seems to be enough time to get it all in. To discover and digest all that is him .
    He continues to call me trouble every now and again, and that’s exactly what I’m starting to believe I’m in, because my harmful crush has officially turned into a full-blown like.
     
     
     
    I dread all weekends, but this weekend, the foreboding is stronger than usual. I already cancelled once after I invited Nick to the movies with Hannah and I, and as Friday comes to a close, I fear I just have to get it over with.
    Welcome to my Saturday.
    I’m zipping up my hoodie when Gracie pokes her head into my room.
    “What?” I snap. We haven’t said two words to each other since our fight at school a few weeks ago.
    “Can you pick up Catie and drop us off at the mall?”
    I give her a look. The first time in weeks she actually talks to me, and it’s only because she wants