The Moments I Recall

CHAPTER ELEVEN

We sit at a long bench filled with people during first break. Maddison shows me a few steps she learnt for cheer.

"I wish you tried out Ly" she complains.

"Actually....I tried out for soccer yesterday." I tell her.

"Really?" She asks surprised. "How'd it go?"

"I don't know, the team list is being put up after second break." I tell her. The bell rings furiously.

"You can tell me all about it in biology." She says pulling me out of the cafeteria.

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All the high tables are almost full when we get to biology. I spot Jessie already sitting down and I guess Maddison does too, because she pulls me down the aisle to the table behind him and the ginger headed girl he sits next to. Two girls are already sitting on the table.

"I think you are sitting in our spot." She tells them. They look up at her annoyed. "Move." She demands with a smile and they pick up their books and move to a table further up. I had forgotten how intimidating Maddison can be. I feel my mouth curl up at the thought, this being the only reason we are friends today.

"How did Hayley get J.P to sit with her?" She whispers to me. I look up at Jessie who sits in front of me, then at Hayley. He seems unamused by whatever she is talking about.

"Alrighty class," Mr Avery announces. "I hope you are all excited about our first class together, as you know I like to teach a little differently, so first I would like to assign you each a partner for the year."

"No way Hayley is going to be his partner all year." Maddison whispers a little too loudly.

"Now I want every second row starting from the start except the back row to face the person who is sitting behind you." Mr Avery says.

I watch as begins Jessie turns to face me. I turn my gaze away and watch other rows turn and face those behind them.

"Become familiar with the face you are looking at right now because they will be your partner, isn't this a wonderful way to mix things up this year" Mr Avery say a little too enthusiastically. Most of the students' groan, followed by the sounds of shifting chairs as they move to their partners. I fix my gaze on my textbook as Maddison and Jessie swap places. I start thinking whether this would be a good time to bring up the other day. What if it happens again? What if it happens at school? Who would we tell?

"MISS REEVES!" Mr Avery calls.

"YES!" I blink. Chuckles rise from those around. Everyone is looking at me.

"For the fifth time now, I asked whether you are already aware of mendelian inheritance or can I continue with the attention of the class as a whole miss Reeves."

"The fundamental principles of inheritance, discovered by Gregor Mendel...."

"That's ok miss....."

"through his work on pea plants proposed that genes come in pairs and are inherited in...."

"Thank you miss Reeves, that will be all." More stifled laughs arise around the room. Mr Avery turns back to the blackboard.

My eyes begin hovering over Jessie who is intrigued by whatever he is scribbling in his book. He has drawings all over his notebook, some are just his initials and some of Different angles of the same tree, but what catches my eye is the large drawing of a room in the bottom left corner. The room is dark, it looks down a main aisle with many rows of bunk beds on either side. It's hard to determine where it is because, he drew it as if a single dim light source is partially filling the space with dull light. His drawings are quite good, almost realistic. It's only when I see Jessie look at me in my peripheral vision, I realise I have been staring for too long. Either way, I keep my gaze on the drawing. I know I have seen this somewhere before.