Because of the fire.

chapter two

The words kept ringing in my mind. Kyle wouldn't just know me... I'd be working with him on a project that was likely to last a week or more. I couldn't look up from my desk.
" so for the rest of the period, you may go talk to your project partners, " Mrs Hopkins said before going back to her table.
I looked up as people started moving. It seems like Mrs Hopkins hadn't just paired us.. Most of the combinations were jock and dork, cheerleader and nerd, geek and star....going on.
Classic Hopkins.
I stayed glued in my chair not knowing what to do. I didn't know how to approach Kyle. Given that we'd learned together for many years he knew me.. I hoped he did but I didn't remember ever interacting with him so I wondered if he was looking for me. I would have to be brave and go to him. Suddenly a voice brought me out of my thoughts.
"Tracy?"
I looked up to see Kyle looking down at me. He held his classic in one hand. I didn't miss Gretchen's malicious stare..
That's  1-0.
I remembered that Kyle was still standing before me and I hadn't said anything. All the words seemed to leave me suddenly and I was starting to seem like an idiot.
Come on Tracy.. Say something.
" Kyle..hey. You know me? " the words came out before I could stop them.
My cheeks burned and I immediately looked down. I'd messed it up, now he'd just go to Mrs Hopkins and request for a partner swap maybe Mya would be very happy to do the swap. I kept my head down knowing that I wouldn't bear the pain of seeing  him walk away. Instead he just laughed.
"of course I know you Tracy, " he said giving me that smile that always seemed to melt my heart.
Melt was an understatement beacuse that's what I did when I saw him smiling from afar. Now he was smiling at me. My mind did a quick rewind.
Those words.. He's said them before.. Right! The dream..earlier today. Dreams do come true..!!
Call me mad but I felt like squealing.
"So.., " he said sitting on my desk such that he was looking down at me. He was soo close.
This guy will be the end of me..
" we're partners, " I blurted out.
It took every ounce of energy to stop my hand from hitting my forehead.
You idiot can you try being more subtle about it..
If he was annoyed, he didn't show it. Instead he flipped the pages of his classic.
" Northanger Abbey... Seems quite long. Have you ever read it? "
I flipped through my memory. I had read a lot of classics since I liked reading.
"I think so.. Not all of it but I remember that Catherine was like the main character, " I said calmly this time.
Just then the bell rang.
Stupid bell.
" okay then. So we better exchange contacts so that we'll work something out, " he said taking out his phone.
I smiled as he scanned my QR code then waited for me to do the same. After we were done he stood up and walked out of the classroom. I remained sitted for a bit before standing up and leaving the classroom. Walking to calculus class I couldn't believe what had just happened.. I had been paired with Kyle and I  had his contact. It was absolutely the best day I'd ever had ever since Becky left. I remembered how much I'd cried when she told me she was moving, she had assured me that it was going to be okay but nothing had ever been okay. We talked over the phone every minute that I was free but a few months later we'd lost contact and my world had come crashing down. I had never been able to make any friends after that. My attention was brought back to the present when Mr Gonzalez, the calculus teacher came in. He gave each of us work sheets, solved a few problems on the board and told us to do the rest of the work with the help of the person sitting beside each of us.  I looked at the rest of the problems..not very hard but for the sake of being quick, I decided that I might work with the person sitting beside me. I turned with a notepad and pencil in my hand. That's when I realized that I was sitting next to Trevor. There was something about him being Kyle's friend that made me a little jittery. I wasn't supposed to act like a fool because it'd definitely matter what he thought of me if there was a chance that I'd be hanging out with Kyle.
" you understand these right, " I said.
Way to go. Now it seems like you're saying that he's dumb.
" I don't mean to imply that you're dumb or anything.. I was just saying in a way that we'll be done quickly.. " I added after he just stared at me.
He laughed, "yeah yeah, sure. "
We took turns solving the problems which wasn't so hard considering that Trevor was smart. Halfway through a problem, I felt that Trevor's gaze had shifted from the paper to me. I looked up and I was right..he was staring at me, not just staring but with a funny look on his face.
"what? " I asked.
He didn't seem the least ashamed at being caught staring.
"nothing, " he smiled.
"oh-, " I turned my focus back to the problem.
I survived through the rest of the day. I kept thinking about the fact that I now had Kyle's contact. Of course I wasn't expecting things to take a ninety degree turn but I hoped that the project would bring us closer.
Mom texted that she was already in the parking lot. I hurried to my locker to take my bag and the books I'd need for homework. My mood dropped when I saw Gretchen. I'd been avoiding her between my classes but I knew her look.
Go on  Tracy. She can't bother you.. Just ignore her.
I approached my locker, opened it took everything I needed, closed the door to see her perfect face. She had one of her fake smiles plastered on.
"what Gretchen? " I said flatly.

"oh you know what's up Tracy.. Fate seems to have worked in your favor..or did you stay up all night chanting some spells," she said.

I couldn't believe her, "that's so blow Gretchen.. You should know better."

"oh.. Enjoy that victory while it lasts. Because Kyle will dump you for another partner sooner.. Well if you do make it through the project, it'll be over, he'll never talk to you again. He just wants good grades so don't read anything into it. Adios!" she said and immediately walked away.

I thought about what she said. Maybe Kyle and I wouldn't be friends or anything but I was still content with the arrangement. I wasn't going to let Gretchen ruin it for me. Kyle was going to find out that I was a great person, we'd become friends.