Knowing Jude

s Ava Hans

es

ente

, b

ase,

he other side and I sla

fighting the urge to hurl something across the empty space and down the library balcony. Which would have to be

out of the question. Shitty, old

comes from behind me,

air, carrying a backpack, holding its stra

” I accuse, looking

d to meet at 4.

and drops his bag on top o

king a seat directly opposite me. His blue eyes

? Re

eath my breath, collecting my Engli

. “Arya? Angela? It’s go

nd stare at him, speechle

o

, going on to four, and he doesn’t know my name? Yes, we are not

into his mouth. He continues looki

a

, more like slam it, on the table, then follow it up with a

back

ake a schedul

dy from between his lips, lea

gonna tell m

My name, or help

s my workbook. He looks at the cover before returning it. His red lips

ugh so he doesn’t miss the sound. “Congrats on the clos

ns back in his s

it looks as if he is doing the same thing, waiting for

o say anythi

lolly stick between his fingers. “You

of my palm against my foreh

t between his eyes a

u were an annoying as

rows actually coming

surpri

ut ourselves until another person points them out

not,” he

, suddenly tired of thi

make the fúcking s

e cursing type, either,” he says, his

at th

*

sic blond blue-eyed bea

ute boy next door imag

not cute, and

th study session that ended ten minutes ago — after lasting ten minutes half of which we argued and the

hot. N

ndy I name it for what it is. I’ve been around the guy for three ye

er dim

lly loses its appeal after a while, but this one gu

s help with his Math, asking whether I could offer to tutor him. I

ad expected, but Jud

tar Jude Walker, schoo

fice, I did a bit of digging here an

ing why he needed my help when I noticed his Math grades. We were halfway through our last school

t on As. I couldn’t

s, however. Let me confess I was a victim o

oying, maybe I woul

schedule, though I wouldn’

ve th

the

makes the whole thing

has football practice, and

ism, which he thi

us with Tuesd

happening on Fridays,” he says as

t he is making this hard, e

mean, it’s Fri

f reasons, i

ng ourselves to eveni

ly in the morning befo

get up in time fo

two

our to six. W

silence f

ours per wee

, just give me t

ing a job for after school has proved futile for me. I

ld are

y experience wai

t case we can’t ta

t at the very edge of town, not a hostess at a five star

de says as we come to t

le, and start

calls, and I l

d wait for him t

says, serious for once with no

r me,” I answer and turn away. This