CONTRADICTED STARS || L. PARTRIDGE [1 | EDITING]

O2. Turkey Emergency

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I THOUGHT faking a friendship with Louis was easy. That it was just one little nail I have to hit with a hammer, but then again, I was proven wrong. It was my palm that needed to do all the work.

Over the past few weeks of trying to get to know each other, the only information I know of him are things like he has two sisters, he's seventeen and he resides in London.

I'm at school today, and after all this time, I'm still not used to people staring at me wherever I go and coming up to me every minute of every day. Some girls would constantly ask me how Louis Partridge was doing and what his favourite food was.

Like I even knew a thing.

Here's the problem. Louis was very open whenever we talked, which was two times a week and I just stared at his messages, telling myself to remember a certain detail about him for a stronger bond, but after 24 hours, I forget.

It was strange. For all I know when he described himself to me, he said he was a mystery. But I think he was more of an open book. If there was a case to be solved in this 'friendship', it's me. I rarely talked to him about myself. I still had my wall up and I couldn't be bothered to hold them down.

Maths is the last subject before dismissal. That means, I have to wait a crucial hour before getting back home. In the Philippines, we have to attend classes from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We have recess at 10:45 to 11:00 AM and lunch from 12:00 to 1:00 PM.

"To find the hypotenuse using the pythagorean theorem, we have to simply take the square root of both sides of the equation a² + b² = c² and solve for c. Now, if we write that down, we get c = √ ( a² + b² ). Can you follow?"

I nodded and continued to prop my chin in my hand, tapping my pen to the wooden desk.

Maths can be fun when I know how to solve something, but I'm very sure that it could be the one to kill me before I even get to get a glimpse of my future. Well, I guess I just have to bear with it. I have to get the best grades by the end of the quarter to be able to get the scholarship offered by a company in London sponsoring a newly established university in Lambeth, UK.

They're taking five. They're really showing off their wealth, but it doesn't matter. I need to focus on this damn les-

My phone vibrated in the pocket of my skirt.

'Oh, no.'

The more I panicked, the more I could feel the urgency of the phone. Shoving my hand in my pocket, I quickly took it and hid the contraption under my desk.

'Punyeta.'

I rolled my eyes and face-palmed. I forgot to get off Instagram and now, Louis is ringing my bell.

'Mind you, he's trying to video call!'

"Miss Cabrera?" I heard.

'Now, everything's going to shit.'

"Yeah?" I said and looked up, putting the phone on my seat, still not answering the call.

I thought I was in trouble, but I was just being called to recite.

"What will be our label for the hypotenuse if we have the legs as a and b?"

I mentally sighed in relief. Good thing it wasn't a difficult question.

"C."

"Good. Sit down. Now everyone, I want your desks clean, and all bags below the board. Your exams will start shortly after one more review. Those who will dare disobey the rules of honesty or so much as stick their phones or any gadget at all in my line of sight, your exam results will be divided into two therefore, there will be a slim chance for students to pass this exam. Do you understand?"

I did as I was told and immediately grabbed my phone from my seat. I was about to decline when Louis' bamboozled face came popping on my screen. I must've accidentally clicked 'accept'. He was talking, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I put the volume to 0 before going to class and I'm very grateful for that.

"I'm in class, Louis!" I whisper-yelled. The room was filled with moderate chatters, so I guess I won't be heard. He frowned and laughed.

'What's so funny?' I thought.

He started pointing to his chin and that's when I picked up on what he was saying.

"We all have double chins. Shut up!" I exclaimed.

"Miss Cabrera!"

I looked up to Mrs. Cruz.

"Yes, Ma'am?" I asked. I felt like I was shrinking in my seat. Her stare made me feel like I'm being split in half. I don't know if she has lasers in her eyes, but she was straight up intimidating. Her eyebags could never compare to mine and I feel bad for that, but now is not the time.

"The phone."

"What phone? Where?" I wanted to play it off, but it was already so obvious that I was using my phone. Fuck, this was the exams. I'm definitely going to fail! Mrs. Cruz only responded with a more . . . upset demeanour.

After that stern order, I quickly gave her what she asked for. Gulping, I shifted in my seat and watched as she held it tightly, squeezing the volume up. I didn't understand why I can hear someone laughing, but no one in the room was. My eyes widened.

'Louis.'

I planted my palm on my forehead, not regretting the fact that it made a loud slapping noise. The embarrassment I'm going through right now is something that the bank will forever engrave.

'Why is he not ending the call?!'

"Who is this?" Mrs. Cruz inquired.

"Oh, I'm Louis Partridge. It's nice to meet you, Ma'am!" I heard Louis chirp as if he's not just talking to my teacher on the phone in front of the entire class.

Everyone, most especially the girls, gasped and looked at me as my head slowly made its way on my desk. I don't have the face left to present to anyone.

"And, you called during my class, why? What do you need from Miss Cabrera?"

"Er- well, I kind of- want to know how to cook a large rooster because everyone in the house left yesterday to help my sister with her photoshoot and mum told me to watch this big chicken in our oven. I'm scared I might burn my kitchen again, or worse, my whole house. I don't want it to explode everywhere!"

After he said that, the atmosphere turned into an unbearable space of awkwardness.

I looked up.

My teacher slowly turned to me, her eyes twitching, mouth hanging open. She scoffed in pure disbelief.

"Hi," I said out of the blue.

I was smiling, but I was dying inside. What have you done, Partridge?

"Er, Ma'am?" Louis called.

'Shut up, Louis.' I thought as if he's going to hear it.

Mrs. Cruz placed the phone somewhere the British boy can see that it's not only me and her in the room.

"Oh." We heard him say.

Then the next thing we know, he muttered a silent 'bloody hell' under his breath and ended the call.

"This boy called you for a turkey?" the teacher asked.

All I can ever answer is an awkward chuckle. Let's face it. Louis Partridge is a terrible company and that's another reason why I dislike him strongly.