Free Talent Storm by Brian Terenna

Standing rock still, Sven stuck out his chest, inches from Ben. When Ben refused to back down, Sven lifted his burly arm, making a fist. Still, Ben didn’t move.
    Just then, a slim, blond girl in a tank top, walked up next to Ben. “Leave them alone Sven.”
    Who was she, and why was she sticking up for me?
    Sven glanced from Ben’s eyes to the girl’s and then back. Amazingly, after a few heart beats, Sven glanced away and stepped backward. “Take it easy. I was just playing around.” He turned, shoulders drooped, then plodded away.
    When the girl turned around, our eyes met. Her big dark eyes were a cool breeze on a summer day, her lips sweet caramel that begged a taste. Her heart shaped face was framed with dirty blond hair and decorated with a single small braid. My stomach fluttered at her beauty. I loved girls that stuck up for me, but I loved them even more when they were beautiful too. Ben winked and smiled at me before walking away.
    “Hey, are you all right?” the girl asked.
    Now I was. Nothing else mattered. Kneeling down next to me, she placed her hand on my shoulder. I was thrilled by the contact.
    “I’m sorry for what he did... Sven’s a real jerk!”
    “Uhh.” I moaned, struggling to lift myself to my feet but collapsed back down on my backside.
    Embarrassed by my weakness, I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. I hated when he did that. Why did he always have to pick on me? He made me feel so powerless, like a child defying a hurricane.
    “Hey, it's okay,” she said, sitting down.
    I stiffened at her closeness, but at the same time, I was elated. When I met her eyes, she smiled, bringing light to my dark day. If this was the result, maybe I should get bullied more often. I drank her beauty in as she faced me. My heart began to pound, driven by nerves and excitement. Attractive women always intimidated me.
    “So tell me. What do you do for fun?” she asked.
    Calming my nerves with a deep breath, I gazed into her midnight eyes. “Ben and I hang out a lot.” I pointed to where he stood, chatting with the group of girls. “I also love hiking and the outdoors. I always feel better outside.”
    She held my gaze, smiling. “Yeah, I love the outdoors.”
    “I like hanging out at the river mostly.”
    “I’ve been there a few times. It’s really nice. Maybe we should go some time.”
    At the suggestion, my body tingled in anticipation. Was she into me? “I’d love to.”
    She smiled sweetly, her cheeks dimpling.
    “How come I’ve never seen you before?” I asked.
    She shrugged her smooth, exposed shoulders. “What grade are you?”
    “I’ll be in ninth grade.”
    “Oh... I’ll be in eighth.”
    “Ahh. Thanks for sticking up for me, by the way. You’re quite intimidating.”
    “Are you scared?”
    “Terrified.”
    She laughed. “I just hate it when people bully. It’s not right.”
    Wow, she was great. “I agree, especially since I’m the brunt of it. As you can see, I’m not huge.”
    “Cute though.” I smiled, looking down. “For a scrawny boy,” she said poking me in the ribs.
    “Hey, I’ve got some muscle.” I pulled up the front of my shirt, revealing my six-pack abs.
    She ran a single finger down my stomach and my skin tingled. “Ooo, you do.”
    I couldn’t believe she was touching me. It was suddenly the best day of my life. I met her eyes, feeling bold. “You know, you’re real pretty.”
    She raised her shoulders while batting her long eyelashes. “Aww, thanks.”
    We locked eyes and held the contact for a minute, smiling dumbly at each other. Finally, I glanced away, unable to maintain the contact. “So how did you do on your exams?”
    “I aced them all.”
    The corners of my mouth drooped as I nodded. “Impressive.”
    “I studied but didn’t think they were very hard anyway.”
    I probably shouldn’t tell her that I got a D on one of mine. Her studiousness was an admirable trait, just one that I couldn’t find the time for. “I aced them