Through His Eyes

Through His Eyes [5]

{{Dedicated to @melodymaniac because her comment on the last chapter made me squeal in delight}}

                        

CHAPTER FIVE

           

"Rhea Myers and Caleb Archer."

Oh no, Rhea thought.  No, clearly she had misheard.  There was no way she was paired with the asshole who had ruined her book and found it amusing.  And for an entire term, too.  She peered at Caleb, who was wearing an impassive expression, grasping the strap of his backpack that was casually slung over his shoulder.  He didn't seem to have any objection to the arrangement; well, she had enough for the both of them.

"Mr. Martin," she charged for the teacher who was now done with reading the list, "Is there any way I can change my lab partner?"

Mr. Martin had the audacity to roll his eyes at the question.  He'd always had an attitude, but this time, Rhea wouldn't have it.

"Can't I swap with someone, or something?" she tried once more.

"No, Ms. Myers," he said with an air of finality, "The pairings are final.  I believe you two will make quite the team, too."

"How would you know that?" Rhea blurted out, growing impatient.  "He and I have never even interacted.  And he sleeps in classes, like, all the time."

She hadn't realized Caleb had come to stand beside her so she was startled when he spoke up.

"Been paying attention, have you?" he drawled.

"You wish," she bit out.  She couldn't believe how this guy was behaving as if everything was a joke to him.

"Like I said, Ms. Myers, the pairings are final.  You're going to have to deal with it."

Rhea groaned at the teacher's words.  She wasn't normally one to disrespect the teachers, but Mr. Martin was being really trying at the moment and she hoped her behavior would be excused.  Either way, though, she needed to let the frustration out.

Seeing her protests were to no avail, she finally gave up and turned around to see that every work surface but one was occupied by other students.  So she made her way to the only empty one, which was the second by the window.  She'd wanted to get the window seat, but Caleb beat her to it.  Deciding to pick her battles wisely, she let it go, settling on the seat next to him instead.

By the time she placed her backpack down next to her seat and looked up, Caleb was, much to her shock, already getting his notebook out of his backpack.  Mr. Martin was doing the introductory bit to the lesson, so she decided now was the best time to give Caleb a piece of her mind.

"Listen to me very closely," she hissed quietly, leaning towards Caleb, "I am going to ace this class, and if you were thinking of slacking it, you better change your fricking mind right this instant, because I am not going to let you ruin this for me." 

Caleb continued to stare ahead to where Mr. Martin was drawling on and on about the importance of Chemistry, as if he hadn't heard Rhea at all.

"I know you heard me," Rhea hissed once more.

"Do you mind?" Caleb turned towards her sharply, "I am actually trying to pay attention and you buzzing in my ear isn't making it any easier for me."

Rhea felt all words leave her as she stared at the boy next to her with a taken aback expression on her face.  He pursed his lips slightly to prevent a smug smile from finding his way to them and turned his attention back to the teacher after saying, "That's more like it."