His eyes are trained on me. I can feel them. His gaze is drilling holes into the back of my neck. I run my trembling fingers through my hair. I hope it’s not messy. My legs are as wobbly and weak as a newborn calf’s. Why do I have to get this way around him?
My eyelids droop as I hear his deep, husky voice in my mind. I imagine him tapping on my window at night, me opening it and smiling down at him.
“Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou, Romeo?” I would call into the night.
He would give me one of those awkward grins of his, knowing about my love of Shakespeare. He’d flip that sandy hair—long and unruly—out of his eyes the way he’d know I adored, and he’d say, in that deep, husky voice, that I was—
There’s a tap on my shoulder, suddenly jolting me out of my daydream. It’s him. My Romeo is here! Excitement pounds impatiently on the inside of my chest.
I fight it down and turn. He asks a question about the math problem. All I can see, though, are those flawless, smoky blue eyes. Like tiny pools of crystal clear water. I can hear myself replying breathlessly as if from far away. He smiles that beautiful smile and thanks me and my heart melts, steaming and bubbling like butter in a hot frying pan.
I realize I’m answering. “Yeah, no problem.”
A colorful explosion of ecstasy goes off in my head. I’m numb with joy. I was so calm and collected, wasn’t I? Cool as a cucumber. I hope. I was, wasn’t I?
Cold beads of sweat slide down my back and I feel my eyes widen with worry. My hands start to shake like leaves in a windstorm. Do I look okay? Is there anything in my teeth? I pick anxiously at them with a fingernail. I hadn’t sounded too... eager, had I? Oh, no. Oh, no.
He’s probably laughing at me right now. He probably thinks I’m pathetic. I bury my face in my hands. My throat is tight and dry with shame. He’ll never ask for help with his math again! My eyes burn. A pearly tear drips onto the desk. I’m ruined.
Something moves by my foot. I quickly straighten up and glance down. It’s his foot. He’s stretched it out so it’s right by mine! A shiver goes up my leg and a tangled flurry of emotions tumbles violently around in the pit of my stomach. Did he do it by accident? My foot is stiff. I carefully avoid looking down at it. The wonderful warmth of his shoe next to mine is still there. Did he...mean to do it?
He nudges at my foot. My heart leaps. I press gently back. It feels amazing. I think I might faint. I think I’ve died and woken up in heaven. All of a sudden, everything is sharp and real and perfect. He is my Romeo!
I’m dizzy and my head feels light. I think I’m floating clear out of my chair. He touched me! On purpose! I almost scream.

Love. It does things to you.