The Literary Misadventures of Juniper Rosewood

2- Broken into Bits

"What sort of name is Juniper Rosewood? You sound like a cartoon fairy," Dalton said peevishly. He was evidently annoyed at being separated from his friends, as was I. After the pairs had been called, Mrs Harris rearranged the class so that we were all sat with our partners. I was now on the complete opposite side of the classroom to Rashid and Emma, who seemed to be having a grand old time as I sat next to Dalton and was insulted, repeatedly.

"You kind of look like a fairy, actually. You're very small. I reckon I could snap you in half if I tried hard enough," He continued.

"Well don't bother trying," I replied sulkily, "I don't fancy being broken into bits, thank you very much."

Dalton didn't bother to reply. Instead, he turned around to address his friend, who was sitting directly behind us with his own partner, who looked positively overcome with starstruck wonder as Dalton looked briefly in her direction. I wondered vaguely if she was actually as shallow as she seemed at first glance. I hastened myself to believe that she probably did have some sort of personality drifting deep down inside her corporeal form, she just hadn't found it yet. I almost felt sorry for her, but then I realised I should be feeling sorry for myself instead.

I actually wanted to do well. English was in fact, my favourite subject, despite the current grudge I was harbouring for Mrs Harris after having paired me with such a disinterested half-wit. Dalton, evidently, did not care so much about academic achievement, since his current task was supposed to be trying to get to know me. What he was actually doing though, was talking to his friend, who's name I had learned was Abraham. I sighed rather loudly, catching Dalton's attention.

"What's your problem?" He asked, but it didn't seem as though he actually cared.

"I would like to get on with the task at hand, if that isn't too much to ask of you. You see, the faster I can pretend to know you, the faster we can get this over with," I said. He cast me a puzzled glance, and then shrugged at Abraham, turning back around to face me.

"I suppose you have a point," He admitted. That surprised me. I didn't expect him to agree with me. Abraham suppressed an obvious laugh within the confines of a rather large cough. I rolled my eyes in such a way that I knew Circe would have been very proud of me, had she seen.

Dalton regarded me quizzically. I pretended not to notice. It comforted me that I would only have to tolerate him for another week or two. After that, he could go right on back to pretending I didn't exist.

"What's your favourite book?" He asked me suddenly. I didn't expect him to, and the question caught me off guard.

"I like a lot of books. I'll need more than a few seconds to pick a favourite," I said with an uncertain grin. To my surprise, he laughed.

"Yeah, you seem like the type," He said, but he didn't say anything further.

"What about you?" I asked suddenly. It was clear that he hadn't expected me to say anything else, and he was just as caught off guard as I had been when he had posed me the same question.

"The Subtle Knife, by Phillip Pullman," he answered after thoughtful consideration. I gawped at him a little before I regained control over my face. I hadn't expected him to have an answer, much less that answer being a book that I actually knew. "I won't make you read it though," He said, catching hold of my expression, "It's too much work."

"No... no, it's fine, I've read it," I said.

"Of course you have," He said, smiling.

"I can hardly think of what that says about your character though," I admitted.

"Well, you've got a week to find out, Rosewood," He said.

This was why I didn't want to get to know him. I knew once I had talked to him, I would have to regard him as a human being, as a three dimensional, multifaceted entity who had thoughts and feelings and stories to tell. I didn't want to have to do that, I wanted him to remain a symbol of everything I regarded with disdainful contempt so that I could continue to hate him for no reason and not feel guilty about it. But now that we had even had one pitiful conversation, I had to admit to myself that he was actually a person, and not some evil jock god hell-bent on the destruction of all loser kind. He even actually seemed nice. That may have been the thing that repulsed me the most.

I returned from my thoughts to reality to find Dalton staring at me. I scowled at him, and he turned away.

"Still no thoughts on what your favourite book might be?" He asked. I shook my head.

"I'll mull it over," I promised. He smiled at me and then turned around to talk to Abraham again. I wondered what book I would give Dalton to read. I didn't seem to have any idea.

Sighing in defeat, I pulled the book I was currently reading out of my bag, but I got distracted when a small chime sounded from my pocket, alerting me to a text message from Circe. She wanted to meet up after school to catch a movie. I agreed, and put my phone back in my pocket. Dalton looked at my phone, and then me.

"Was that your boyfriend?" He asked. It didn't look as if he was joking, and so I laughed incredulously at him. Boyfriend was barely a word in my vocabulary.

"It was my friend Circe," I said.

"Give me your phone," He said. I looked at him quizzically, "So that I can put my number in. For the project. We'll probably need more than class time to get to know each other," He explained.

"I didn't think you were that invested," I said, allowing him to put his number into my phone. He regarded me haughtily, as if I hadn't been listening to anything he had been saying at all.

"Then you really need to get to know me better, Rosewood. How about tonight?"

"Tonight what?"

"I can come over to yours and we can talk about books and stuff. Tonight is like, the only day I don't have anything going on, so," He said. Despite his innocent tone, his eyes were dancing with mischief and I instantly recoiled.

"I'm not going to be another one of your conquests, James," I huffed. He laughed then, as though I was stupid for even considering the possibility.

"I'm not a Norman, I don't conquest. Besides, you're not my type, Rosewood, don't worry. Just work. Who knows, maybe you'll make a new friend."

"I have plenty of friends. Friends that I have plans with tonight, actually."

"So after, then. Text me your address. I'll be there at seven."

"I said I have plans."

"You're only going to see a movie," He said.

"You read my texts?" I asked. He obviously caught the hurt expression on my face, because he did at least look a little guilty. I looked longingly over to where Emma and Rashid were laughing about something on his phone.

"I didn't mean to. It was still up on your screen," He said.

"Fine." I huffed, "I'll text you my address. Bring your book. I'll pick something out for you and you can take it home with you."

"Sounds like a plan," He flashed a stellar white grin at me, but I just crossed my arms across my chest and glared at him.

"No funny business, James," I warned severely.

"On my life," He touched his chest with mocking sincerity. I rolled my eyes.

"Fine."

"I shall see you later, milady," He said as he swept away with the bell, Abraham following closely behind him. I hadn't even noticed that his bag was already packed.

I met with Circe outside the building five minutes later. She looked positively bedraggled, and there was soot on her nose. Her wild red hair stuck up in several contrasting directions.

"You had Chemistry, didn't you?" I asked, but it wasn't really a question.

"I don't know why they trust me to not blow everything up."

"Well, they won't now," I said, sweeping some soot off her shoulder. She smiled meekly as we crossed the car park and went into town. She explained to me in great detail how she had managed to accidentally blow up her partner's pencil case, after which she had been promptly sent to the headmaster's office and made to pay for a new one.

"What about you," she said, "How was English?"

"Oh gosh, just wait until I tell you," I laughed incredulously, launching into the whole story.