Crushing on the Wrong Joshua by Sarah Adams Read Free Book Online

head, “The guy from the caf. You know, the one in my math class?”
    “Oh, him. What? Does he normally ride the bus? Did you talk to him?” Tamara asked, “What did you talk about? Did he ask you to the dance?”
    “Slow down!” Amber laughed, “No, this is the first time I've ever seen him ride the bus. Yes, we talked, but not really. It was just 'Hi, let's be happy it's Friday!” stuff.
    “That's it?” Tamara asked.
    “Yeah,” Amber frowned.
    “Well, it's a start,” Tamara nodded.
    The bell rang and Amber scrambled towards her first period history class. She slid into her desk smoothly and realized that she was feeling a little better. Sure, she still desperately wanted and needed the spell to work, but some of the heaviness that had plagued her for days had disappeared.
    Amber was running late to math, because she stopped at the vending machine to buy a flavored water. She slid into her desk just as the bell rang. The guy from the bus waved from across the room and Amber smiled at him despite the butterflies that were swarming in her stomach.
    “Why does he do this to me?” Amber asked herself.
    “What a warm welcome you offered Amber, Mr. Kirk,” Mr. O'Bannon said, leaning against his desk holding a stack of papers, “I can only hope today's pop quiz will receive the same warm welcome.”
    The class groaned in unison and cleared their desks, keeping only their pencils. Mr. O'Bannon was strict about quiz and exam etiquette. He was cynical and distrusting of his students and was always trying to figure out new ways to stay one step ahead of them.
    “Take one and pass them back,” Mr. O'Bannon said handing the front of each row a stack of quizzes, “Keep them face down and no peeking!”
    There was a ruffle of noises as the quizzes were passed back.
    “Does everyone have a quiz?” Mr. O'Bannon asked.
    “Yes,” the class answered in unison.
    “Were there any extras?” he asked.
    “No,” the people in the back answered.
    “Good,” Mr. O'Bannon said, wearing a smug smile, congratulating himself on his always perfect counting, “You will have exactly eighteen minutes to finish. If you finish early, turn your quiz face down and stare at the chalk board. Do not allow your eyes to wander. When the timer sounds, put your pencils down and pass your quizzes up. You may now begin.”
    Amber turned her quiz over and let out a sigh of relief. The questions were similar to the ones she spent the weekend working. She was happy that the material was still so fresh in her brain. She had a better chance of acing it that way.
    Amber was one of the first to finish the quiz. She turned the paper face down and looked up, chancing a look at Mr. Kirk, as the teacher had called him. Kirk was an interesting last name. She had never heard it before. Mr. Kirk was still hard at work on his quiz, his brow burrowed in concentration. What was so special about him that he would keep drawing her attention? Why did he make her feel nervous? What was it about him?
    “Eyes on the blackboard,” Mr. O'Bannon mouthed at her.
    Amber rolled her eyes as she turned her attention to the chalkboard. She glanced at him again, after checking to ensure that their teacher had returned his attention to the papers he was grading. Most likely pop quizzes from his first class.
    He had put his pencil down and was staring at the blackboard. Amber looked away before he could notice her watching him. She had never sneaked peeks at anyone who wasn't Joshua Nelson before. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him smile. Amber briefly met his glance and smiled. Something strange was happening between them. Did he know about the spell? Was he some sort of witch or warlock or whatever you would call a male witch? Impossible!
    “Stop being paranoid!” Amber scolded herself.
    “Miss Atkins and Mr. Kirk, if you could please wait until after class to pursue your romantic interests it would be most appreciated,” Mr. O'Bannon said, startling them, as