IMPORTANT

As promised, the first chapter of No Sparks Required!

Updates for this story should be once every week (two weeks at the most), and I'll try to be prompt about it! Also a gentle reminder that I wrote this thirteen years ago—no, seriously. This was 2010!Noelle, three years prior to Cherry Knots etc. How time flies, huh?

I really hope you enjoy it!

x Noelle

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O N E

c a t a l y s t

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.

"GUESS WHAT?" MY friend, Danielle Patterson, shrieks the minute she sees me. She's standing right in front of my locker, and her excitement shines clearly on her radiant face.

I wince – my ear nearly deafened – and calmly push her aside so that I can get to my books. "What?" I ask absentmindedly. Sticking my head into the locker, I peer at the timetable pasted inside. Hmmm...After lunch, there's Literature, and Chemistry. Thank God I'll be done for the day in two hours' time.

"He finally talked to me!" Dani continues to gush loudly. "Talked to me!"

I take my head out of the locker, and stare at her, pretending to be surprised and amazed. "No! Really?" I coo, even though I haven't the slightest idea who she's talking about. Who's 'he'? Really, in Dani's world, that could mean practically anybody – from the pizza delivery guy to whatever the hottest celebrity currently is.

Of course, the likelihood that a celebrity would actually know of her existence, let alone talk to her, is almost a null, so I'm more inclined to believe that 'he' is somebody from our school. Maybe it's that quarterback Jordan Carter, whom Dani's been crushing on for the past month.

"Yes, really!" Dani squeals, and clasps her hands happily. "I accidentally bumped into him on my way to gym this morning. He dropped his books, and I helped pick them up. And he looked into my eyes – right into my eyes – and said 'thanks'!"

"Just that?" I remark dryly. "No way, I thought it'd be something juicier, like 'Hi'."

"Not funny, Beverly."

"Fine." I take my books out of the locker, and close it, before slipping an arm through Dani's. "I'm happy for you," I tell her gently, knowing that it's probably what she wants to hear anyway. "You must've waited a long time for this day to come."

"I did." Dani breathes, her pale blue eyes widening dramatically. "I've been waiting forever for Shane to say something to me."

"Wait." I drop my arm from hers suddenly. "Did you say Shane? As in Shane Corelli?"

"You know any other Shane?"

Damn it. I should've guessed.

I mean, Shane Corelli? According to head-cheerleader Delilah Reynolds, Shane Corelli is basically the epitome of a wet dream. He's the most popular guy here. Way, way popular. But, oddly enough, he isn't your normal meathead who's mad about football and dating the prettiest girl in school. Shane Corelli actually takes most of the advance classes. Which makes the entire student body adore him all the more.

Think about it – who doesn't love a smart, gorgeous guy, with a killer smile and witty remarks? You can't have parties or school meetings without Shane. If he hated you, then the rest of the school would too. If Shane thought something was stupid, then everyone thought the same.

"Beverly?" Dani waves her hand in front of my face. "Are you upset? I knew it! I knew you would be."

I stare at her as if she's a three-eyed alien. "Why the hell would I be upset?"

Dani smacks her forehead and shakes her head pityingly at me. "I'm awfully sorry. I knew you were in love with Shane all this time. And just hearing me get a shot with Shane makes you all upset, doesn't it? I should've been more subtle about this. I didn't actually think you'd get..."

Is she high? What the hell is she talking about? "Get?" I egg her on.

"Well," She shrugs, "Get jealous, of course."

It takes me a second to figure out what's going through that idiotic blond head of hers, but when I do, I realise she's so terribly, ridiculously wrong.

Firstly, I'm absolutely not in love with Shane Corelli. Why would I be, anyway? That guy has an ego twice the size of his head. Secondly, I'm not upset. I have no reason to be. Like I said, I'm not in love with Shane. Thirdly, screaming at the top of her voice that Shane Corelli talked to her is not in the slightest bit subtle. And last but not least, I'd rather lick the inside of a bus than feel jealous about Dani and Shane.

Of course, I don't tell her any of these things. Because if I do, Dani will think I'm in denial. So, I do what I do best: I humour her.

"Um, I guess I'm a bit jealous," I begin, as convincingly as I can, and Dani starts to nod like she's listening to a pastor's homily or something. "After all, I've been lusting after Shane Corelli since forever, and I've been dying to see that one word of 'thanks' being uttered from his wonderful, kissable lips... And if he would only look my way for one glorious moment, I'm certain that I shall spontaneously combust into an orgasm, too powerful and – "

"If I'd known you'd had such thoughts about me, I would've looked at you sooner," says a familiar voice in my ear, effectively cutting off my monologue with a single sentence.

I whirl around, only to find the boy who's hell bent on ruining my life standing right behind me. His eyes gleam as he studies me, a pleased, almost triumphant grin plastered on his stupid face. I throw a telepathic plea of help to Dani, but she's rendered speechless by the appearance of Shane-Thou-Greatest, and her mouth's in the shape of a perfect little 'o'. Shane's friends are also listening in with the greatest interest.

I don't have such thoughts about you," I snap back with as much dignity as I can muster.

"Mm, really? Then what was that I heard about having an orgasm?"

"Some other guy," I toss back flippantly, taking a step back and sneaking out a hand to grasp Dani by the arm. There's a gap between two of Shane's friends, and I'm already marking out a flight plan in my head.

"Yeah?" Shane raises a challenging eyebrow. "What's his name?"

"First name 'none', last name 'of your damn business'," I return evenly, side-stepping him and pulling Dani after me. "Always a nightmare talking to you, Corelli."

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After I get through an hour of Literature, I head to the laboratory for my Chemistry lesson, and enter five minutes before the bell rings, just for good measure. Teachers like kids who come in early. And being early definitely works in my favour, because chemistry has always been my worst subject. All that crap about qualitative analysis, oxidation states and organic compounds give me migraines.

So far, I've always managed to scrape through with a C – something that my teacher hasn't always been particularly happy about. And that's why I've always tried not to aggravate him by arriving to class early.

More students start to file in and after awhile, my lab partner, Tamara Brown, slips in beside me on the bench. Tamara's my other best friend besides Dani. And unlike Dani, Tamara's got a good head on her shoulders, and her head isn't above the clouds like Dani's always is.

"Hey," She greets, running her fingers through her wild curls in an attempt to tame them. "I heard about your little lovers' spat with Shane."

It's been only an hour, and the little argument has already circulated the school. Who knows what rumours have been spreading? Then again, Tamara is pretty popular, as well as the vice-captain of the cheerleading team, so I'm not surprise that the gossip has already made its way to her.

"It's not a lovers' spat," I bristle indignantly. "He was being an annoying idiot."

"You know what they say," Tamara grins cheekily. "Quarrels are actually gestures of affection. And the way you and Shane bicker is just so, well, it just screams mutual sexual desire..." She catches my glint and hastily corrects herself. "...mutual tension, which brings excitement to my ordinary, mundane life."

Before I can reply, Mr Richards enters. He's always five minutes late, but that's because he believes that that extra five minutes will give some leeway to the late students. But there will always be some students who take advantage of that fact. Some of them even come in ten minutes late these days.

The lesson proceeds smoothly, albeit very dully, for the first half an hour...until Mr Richards stops mid-sentence, and the iciness in his voice makes us all look up.

"Excuse me," He says acidly. "But is there some problem, Miss Fisher?"

We all turn to the back. It's a well-known fact that Shane and his friends usually hog the seats at the back, with the rest of us in the middle or up in front. Heather Fisher is his partner for t class, but to say that she's sitting beside him would be a huge understatement. She's practically draped all over him, both arms slung around his neck and gazing up at him adoringly, no doubt hearing distant wedding bells in her head. Even though I can't see it from my position, I'm almost certain that she's on Shane's lap.

"Of course there is," Tamara whispers to me as inconspicuously as possible. Mr Richards' eye is as sharp as an eagle's, and Tamara would never want detention. "She can't wait to get into his pants."

I can't help but grin at that. Based on what Tamara knows from the gossip mill, Shane is still very much single, but he's basically flirtable material, far too nice to tell anyone to leave him alone. Which doesn't exactly deter some people from throwing themselves at him, Heather being one of them. For as long as I can remember, she's always been flirting with him in chemistry class and whispering sweet-nothings in his ear.

I glance back towards Heather, whose face is now as red as a beetroot. "Uhm...no, Mr Richards..."

"Then are you not capable of keeping your hands to yourself?"

Heather hastily removes her hands from Shane.

"Good," Mr Richards returns evenly. "Now, I'd be happy if you can give me your fullest attention for the rest of the lesson."

As Mr Richards turns back to the whiteboard, the other students start snickering.

After staring at Heather's flushed face, Tamara winks at me and says maliciously, "Hands-on attention."

It's a ridiculous remark, but all those around us who can hear her start giggling again. I catch Shane's eye on me, and quickly look away, the smile fading from my face.

"Alright, that's enough noise." Mr Richards turns around to face the class again. "Now, I don't usually interfere with your seating arrangements, but it's high time I did. Miss Fisher, you've been very inattentive in class lately, and I think it's time for a change of partner."

"Whoever sits with her next had better watch out." Tamara remarks softly. "Heather isn't too bright, and her partner will probably have to do all the work instead..."

"Miss Brown!" Mr Richards booms. "You'll be Miss Fisher's new partner. Miss Fisher, move your things over to Miss Brown's table."

I break out in stifled giggles. Tamara's previous remark came out so ironic that I can't help myself. Tamara scowls at me and I laugh even harder...until I realise who my new partner is going to be.

Shit.

"Miss Stanton?" Mr Richard bellows again. "Move!"

Frowning glumly, I grab my Chemistry textbook off the table and my tote bag from my chair. I head to the back of the class and settle on Heather's previous seat, on the same bench as Shane Corelli.

"Hey, partner," Shane leans across the bench to whisper to me. His voice is almost inaudible, but I can hear the amusement in his voice. "Seems like you've got your wish. I've got my ion you now."

I bury my face in my hands when he begins to chuckle at his own stupid pun.

This is going to be one long lesson.