CONTAGIOUS SMILE

"Are you really alright?" Sophie asked me for the fifth time today.

"You really are a nag, Soph. I told you I'm alright", I lied. I still couldn't forget about what happened yesterday.

"Why did you tell us about jumping from the sixth floor yesterday?" asked Emma.

"I was just pulling your legs. Gosh, you guys leave me alone for sometime", I said and walked away.

"Hey, hey what about the record?"

"Will show you later."

I wasn't concerned about the record at all. Yesterday's incident was still crystal clear in my mind. As I was thinking about that, I suddenly bumped into someone.

"Ouch, it's you again", said a guy and smiled. It was Liam.

I didn't know how to react after thinking about yesterday's incident so I decided to avoid him.

"Hey, you ignoring me?" he asked sulking.

I walked away. He jumped from that height too, but neither of us were injured. In fact, we didn't even get a single scratch. I wanted to receive an explanation for that. Though I am uneasy about the whole thing, Liam seems to be cheerful, as if nothing had happened. He must definitely know something. I decided to ask him.

"What? You can't resist talking to me?" he flirted again as I went towards him.

"Cut the crap, Liam. Come to the roof with me", I said. I was annoyed by the fact that he didn't seem bothered about it.

He followed me to the roof. When we reached, I abruptly asked him, "How are we alive after that jump?"

"Why are you asking me? You jumped too, right?" he said casually.

"Yet you don't seem to be bothered about it at all. It is really..." I said and paused.

He stepped closer and asked, "Really what?"

"Inhuman."

He smiled at that. "Will you believe me if I say you that we aren't humans?", he said, grinning again.

"Are you gonna say that we got bitten by radioactive spiders and shit?" , I said curtly. His behaviour was starting to annoy me.

He smirked. I felt tempted to kick him. "Don't think too much about it. I'm used to jumping from heights. As for you, you are quite a ninja, aren't you? I saw your fighting skills in the restroom that day. It must be a latent ability."

His words seemed to make some sense."But how can anyone survive after jumping from the sixth floor?"

"Luck, maybe", he replied. "We are gonna be late to the class. Let's go", he said and left.

I entered the class. I decided not to overthink. I saw Sophie and Emma waiting for me.

"Where were you?", they asked.

"Had some stuff to do. Let's see that guy's record after the class ends", I whispered to them.

The class ended. We had no other class at noon. Sophie and Emma rushed to my place, their eyes beaming.

"Alright, alright. I'm gonna show you. You don't have to show that puppy expression", I teased.

I took out my cell phone and started reading Liam's record with them. To our surprise, the record was normal. His father works in the income tax department and his mother is a professor. We looked at each other.

"Our assumptions suck", said Emma.

"Hey, come on. Do you think that his parents will mention their actual occupation to the school? Why don't we steal Derek's record?", said Sophie.

"NO!", I and Emma yelled in unison.

We decided to drop the matter. Our efforts were all useless. But what was Liam doing that night? Why was he in the office too?

It was time for P.E class. Our coach was on leave so we decided not to practise today and see the cheerleading practice."

Carol was there too. She was the head cheerleader of her team. Carol always tried to get Liam's attention in school. She had once asked him to tutor her, but he had refused straight out. She had also sat with him in the canteen, but he paid no heed to her. She was embittered because of the constant rejections.

She noticed me watching their practice and went on casting indignant glances.

"When will she ever give up?", Emma sighed.

Carol started becoming lively and graceful all of a sudden. I wondered what the reason was.

"Are you gonna do cheerleading too?" I heard someone speaking close to my ear and turned. It was Liam.

"You startled me", I said annoyed. I wonder whether irritating me has become his hobby.

"Why are you here?", I asked him.

"Because I saw you here", he said, without hesitating.

I repressed a smile. Emma and Sophie were gazing at us with curiosity.

We looked at the cheer leading practice. Carol looked like she was on cloud nine. Did she think that Liam was here to watch her practise?

After their practice, Carol approached towards us. "Hey, Liam. How was our practice?" she asked flirtatiously.

"Err... It was quite good", he managed to say.

"What do you think about my form",she asked again, this time looking sideways at me, giving that bitchy expression she was well-known for.

"I err.. sorry I didn't observe your practice", he said, looking sorry.

Emma and Sophie burst into laughter. I tried hard to suppress my laugh. She looked offended and dashed off hastily. Liam looked confused.

"Why was she mad?", he asked me, puzzled.

"No idea. Let's go to the canteen", I replied.

The four of us went to the canteen and saw Carol again there. She was embarassed to see us and bolted for the exit.

"What's with her?", Liam asked me, looking confused again.

Sophie and Emma laughed again. This time I joined too. When I looked at Liam, I was surprised to see him smiling gently at me.

"What?", I asked.

He leaned in closer, and wiped off the mayonnaise that had smeared on my upper lip. I felt my heart flutter. What is this that I'm feeling? Why am I so nervous?

Emma and Sophie were gaping at us, their jaws dropping. I was speechless at his act. The guy, who was so cold towards me on the first day of school, is acting warmly towards me now.

Liam noticed Emma and Sophie gaping at us and smiled radiantly. That smile was the prettiest thing I have seen in a while. It seemed so genuinely sweet and pure that I could feel warmth rushing through me.

"Why are you smiling?", Sophie asked me with a raised eyebrow.

All faces were turned towards me. I could feel blood rushing to my cheeks. I didn't realize that I smiled. Perhaps his smile was contagious.

"No reason", I replied and returned to the class.