As the weeks went on, I felt more comfortable with Brendan the more time we spent together at school. He was funny when he wanted to be and knew how to charm the teachers. I gained more looks and whispers in the corridors which were easy to ignore. Nobody dared to say anything to my face, but one Friday afternoon, I overheard Tina Reese, Rosalind Henry and another girl I didn’t recognise gossiping about me and Brendan in the bathroom. They didn’t know I was using one of the cubicles when they came in. When they started chatting, I debated with myself whether to walk out or to wait until they left.

“Apparently they’re matched, but I don’t believe it. I refuse to believe it,” said Rosalind’s voice.

“But the matching ceremony is not till December. How can they be matched when it’s not been announced yet?” said Tina.

“That is exactly my point,” said Rosalind.

“Her parents could have told her. You know they’re lightworkers.” This came from the other girl whose voice I didn’t recognize. She was probably from the other class.

I chuckled to myself in the cubicle at the thought of my parents revealing my match before the matching ceremony. The chances of that happening were so slim as to be laughable.

“That’s not fair. I’ll ask Mummy to find out and if it’s true, I’ll make a complaint. The rest of us have to wait and we can’t even have our own parties this year,” said Tina.

“We can’t have our own parties? What on earth are you talking about?” Rosalind asked.

“Haven’t you seen the announcement? Private parties are banned this year. The school is hosting a big end of year party to celebrate all the matches in summer, before we leave for college,” said Tina.

“Really? Since when? I totally missed that,” Rosalind sounded on the verge of hysterics.

“The announcement came out this morning, I thought you knew,” said Tina.

“Well it’s not an outright ban on parties is it? It's just for private parties to celebrate the matching ceremony. All other parties like birthdays etc can still go ahead,” said the unknown girl.

“It’s still not fair. Why shouldn’t we be allowed to host private parties if we choose? Every other year group was allowed. Even my sister . . .'' Rosalind's voice trailed off, choked with tears.

I felt sorry for her for a few moments before I thought she was overreacting. She was about to have a birthday party on saturday so just how many parties did she want in a year? I remembered that her sister, a pretty girl with a love of bright jewelry, had married one of Will’s brothers a few years ago.

“Is he coming on saturday?” Tina asked.

“You mean Brendan? Yes, I think so but who knows,” said Rosalind.

“I hope he doesn’t turn up with her. I’ll die on the inside if I see them together one more time,” said Tina.

“I doubt he would, I’ve not invited her.” This was followed by gasps of surprise from the others. “What? Don’t look at me like that. Jeremy asked but I said no. It’s bad enough seeing them at school, the last thing I want is for them to turn up together in my house.”

I closed my eyes in the cubicle and dragged deep breaths into my lungs. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I knew the whispers were bad but I didn’t realize people were openly discussing me and Brendan in this way.

“I don’t know why he’s so into her, she’s not even that pretty. I brushed against his shoulder the other day and he didn’t even look at me,” said Rosalind.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she charmed him, poor guy. She’s probably done something to him, you know, with those mystical powers of hers,” said Tina.

I’d heard enough. I felt so angry I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. In the end, I decided to walk out and reveal my presence. The look on Rosalind’s face in particular was priceless. I doubt whether she would talk about anyone in the bathroom ever again. I recognized the face of the third girl, she was one of the few students in the other senior class that I’d never really spoken to before but had always thought was friendly.

“Excuse me ladies.” I walked between them and stood before the mirror to check my hair. I caught Rosalind’s eye in the mirror and she looked down in shame. I held my head high and dried my hands with a paper towel.

“Brendan is so hot isn’t he? Guess what ladies, pretty or not, if I can’t have him then I’ll make sure none of you can have him.”

Tina narrowed her eyes. She opened and closed her mouth several times as if she wanted to say something but thought better of it.

I walked out the bathroom with a smirk. I couldn’t help giggling all the way to my next lesson which was Math with Mr Timson. I decided if people wanted to gossip about me and Brendan then it’s time to truly give them something to talk about. Students were lining up outside Mr Timson’s classroom by the time I got there.

“Rebecka, over here,” Charlotte and Pamela waved from the front of the queue. “Where have you been?”

“You’re both not going to believe what just happened. Has either of you seen Brendan?”

“I’m right here Rebecka.” Brendan stood behind Charlotte as if he appeared by magic. I sucked in a deep breath as I locked eyes with him. Looking into his eyes always gave me the feeling of being sucked into a whirlpool.

“Oh, I didn’t see you there. I wanted to speak to you about something.”

“You’ll have to make it quick, I wouldn't want to be accused of making you late.”

I pulled him a few steps away from the queue and lowered my voice so that on one else could hear. “Can you sit with me?”

“What do you mean?” He pulled his eyebrows together in a deeper frown, creasing the lines on his forehead.

“Can you sit next to me from now on, in every lesson?”

He searched my face, trying to see whether I was being serious.

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“Why? And what about your friends, Charlotte and Pamela?”

“I’ll explain later, I’m sure they’ll understand. You must’ve heard the rumors going around the school saying we’re matched. If people want to gossip about us then I want to give them something to talk about.”

Brendan ran his fingers through his hair before stroking his chin. “Let me get this straight, you want to give people a reason to gossip about us? Why?”

“I don’t have time to explain. Just say yes.”

“Fine. Yes.” Brendan ran his fingers through the curly mess on his head one more time before stuffing them in his pocket.

Suddenly, I noticed Tina and Rosalind walking to the back of the queue from the end of the corridor. Rosaline spotted us first and paused. She whispered something to Tina who nodded in our direction. I linked my arm with Brendan’s hand, ignoring the tiny shot of awareness through my skin, and pulled him gently back into the queue with Charlotte and Pamela.

“What was that about?” Charlotte asked.

Luckily, I didn’t have to respond as Mr Timson chose that moment to open the door.

I followed Brendan to the front of the class to his favorite seat and took the seat next to him. I looked back at Charlotte and Pamela with an apologetic look. The empty gap between them was the seat where I usually sat. It felt strange to sit so close to the board where I couldn't see what was happening behind me.

Mr Timson continued with the topic of geometry, speaking about shapes and their higher meaning, the pentagon, hexagon, octagon, square and triangle . Unlike me, Brendan had no problem concentrating. He made lots of notes, scribbling in neat but tiny handwriting that was difficult to read across the desk. We didn’t speak, although it was a comfortable silence. I missed the little gossip notes which I knew Charlotte and Pamela were passing between them. It wasn’t until during the 15 minutes break that I got the chance to talk to Brendan

“It’s rather stuffy in here, don’t you think?” I asked Brendan who looked up from his notes as if noticing me for the first time.

“Err. . . no not really.”

“Should we go out for a walk?”

Brendan tapped his pen on his chin and frowned.

“It’ll be a quick one, I promise. Just say yes.”

Brendan chuckled, “If you’re going to demand that I say yes to everything then I will say yes.”

I got the impression he found the situation highly amusing and was laughing at my expense but I didn’t care. I shrugged and followed him out to curious looks from the whole class. We walked down the corridors with no specific destination and spotted a few students hanging out or queueing by the water fountains.

“Look, I know all this might seem strange but I was wondering whether you’ve got any plans for Sunday?”

“Err. . . are you asking me out now?” Brendan grabbed my shoulders and turned me around to face him. His touch sent delicious tingles through my body and his eyes sucked me into their depths so that everything around me became a blur. I couldn’t think and it took me a while to remember his question.

“Oh, no it’s just that. . . It’s just . . . my family wants to meet you.” I covered my mouth in mortification and wanted to suck the words back in but it was too late. The frown on his face confirmed that I’d said too much.

“That’s bizarre, why would they want to do that? You’re not even my girlfriend. Yet.”

I giggled to hide my nervousness. “It’s no big deal, just come and hang out with us if you’re free.”

“What have you told them about me?”

“Nothing.” Which was technically true because I hadn’t said anything of importance to them about Brendan.

“Do they make a habit of meeting all your friends?”

“Actually they’ve met all my friends. Everyone loves to hang out at my house. It’ll be fun. Just say yes?”

This time he didn’t seem amused and certainly wasn’t going to say yes. “I can’t, I’m busy.”

“Maybe next week?”

Brendan shook his head and released my shoulders. “I’m mostly busy on Sundays. Perhaps I could do it next Saturday?”

I beamed a big smile at Brendan, “Yes! Thank you…Thank you, I promise you’ll have a great time.”

“I hope so, after you dragged me around the school, just to ask me that. Something’s going on with you and I can’t put my finger on it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

We circled back to the corridor leading to Mr. Timson’s classroom and spotted Rosalind, filling her bottle at the water fountain. I moved closer to Brendan and linked our arms together. Rosalind saw us but she looked down and pretended as if she hadn’t seen us coming.

“What are you doing?” Brendan whispered.

“Nothing, just go with the flow.”

“You’ve hijacked my arm.”

“It’s a lovely arm.”

“You’re a funny girl, Rebecka Frost.”

I laughed and brushed my free hand on his shoulder just as Rosalind looked up. This time, she didn’t look away but stared with an open mouth. It was the exact effect I was looking for and I danced inside with glee. I wanted to stroke the flames of jealousy within her to teach her just how pointless it was.

“Ask Rosalind if we’re invited to her party.” I nudged Brendan.

“We? She already invited me but I don’t know about you.”

“Exactly, you wouldn’t want to attend without me, would you?”

“I don’t know what mischief you’re up to but I’m enjoying this version of you, clingy Rebecka.”

“Come on, just play along. Do it now before she leaves.”

Rosalind had finished filling up her bottle and was retreating her steps as we walked over to the fountain.

“Rosalind.” Brendan called out, bringing her to a stop.

“Hi Brendan. . . and Rebecka.” Rosalind said in a high pitched girly tone that betrayed her nervousness.

“Hey, just wanted to say thanks for inviting me to your party. Hope you don’t mind if I bring Rebecka along.”

Rosalind blinked rapidly. “I. . . I think that. . . that would . . . that would be . . . Ahem” Rosalind cleared her throat and took a sip of her water. Her face was burning and she looked as though she was fighting back tears. “That would be fine.” She plastered a bright smile on her face.

“That’s great, we’re looking forward to it.”

Rosalind nodded and disappeared around the corridor if she was being chased by demons.

“That was perfect.”

“Does this mean I have to take you?”

“Why do you make that sound so bad?”

“Are you kidding, it’s not enough that I can’t get away from you at school, now I have to hang out with you at a party?”

“Hey. . . watch it otherwise —”

“— otherwise you’ll kiss me?”

Like a switch the mood between us sizzled with electricity. He turned and looked into my eyes, making my knees go weak. He grabbed my shoulders to support my weight and leaned down, his nose almost touching my face. I lost all awareness of my surroundings and I thought for a second that he would kiss me for real. I wanted him to do it with every fiber of my being but suddenly he released me and stepped back. I sucked deep breaths into my lungs and prayed no one had seen us.

“That’s not funny. Don’t do that again.”

“Do what? I didn’t do anything.” Brendan clasped his arms behind his back and arched an eyebrow.

We were the last to return from the 15 mins break to Mr Timson’s classroom. The rest of the lesson proceeded smoothly but my concentration was shot and I struggled to focus on what Mr Timson was saying. Following Brendan’s example, I decided to make notes of everything even if it didn’t fully sink in.