Retrograde ➼ cth [au]

tres

a/n GUYS THIS IS MY CURRENT DESKTOP BACKGROUND I AM LITERALLY DYING LIKE WHO THE HELL IS ASHTON IRWIN I AM SWITCHING LANES

CALUM BABY the arm veins n muscles tho kmn

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The next day at school I sprinted down the school hallway as the final bell rang. I was never late to school, but my sister insisted on rehearsing her stupid essay out loud for not apparent reason, and so we drove to school late. I arrived outside the English classroom, which I'd just seen the last student scurry into, and flung the door open before composing myself and edging my way in.

I crept over to my seat as the teacher was sitting at his desk, looking at something on his computer. I sunk into my seat, attempting to catch my breath, and removed my supplies from my backpack.

"Hood, you're late." The teacher stated, eyeing me over his glasses.

"Sorry, sir," I breathed out. "Traffic."

"Well, leave earlier then. Stay behind after the lesson."

I huffed and rolled my eyes - second day into the semester and I was already having a teacher hold me behind after school. Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Don't worry," Katrina whispered as she leant forward. "I've gotta stay behind as well."

I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled to myself - maybe staying behind wouldn't be so bad after all. I turned back to face the front of the class as the lesson commenced.

"Right," the teacher began about fifteen minutes before the end of the lesson. "You will all be assigned a project on the novel Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood. It is your job to come up with a research question in which you will analyse evidence for one or more themes, and the project must consist of characters that link with your chosen theme and key scenes throughout the novel that can be well analysed and linked back to your question. Oh, and," he continued. "You will be partnered with another student."

Chatter began between the students in the classroom and I sunk down in my seat slightly, fearing who I'd be paired with - I didn't know anyone in this class, so I prepared for the worst. The teacher began calling names out and handpicking someone to partner with them.

"Okay, so, Justin," his eyes scanned the room in search of Justin's partner. "You will pair with...Amelia."

"Oh, but, sir!" Justin protested. "I so think I should be paired with Kat!" He sent her a wink and I felt bad for Amelia, who was now sinking down in her chair and avoiding eye contact with anyone. Behind me I heard Katrina scoff, and I turned my head to the side slightly, catching her in my peripheral vision. She looked borderline disgusted and was shaking her head. I smiled on the inside, feeling pleased with the fact that she was rejecting these desperate teenage boys.

"No, I've assigned your partner, be quiet." The teacher turned back to the list in his hand, running his finger down the list of our names in search of the next person without a partner.