Girl Plus Boy

Chapter 7 I "Smartasses are being thrown in the lake, you know."

Lucy, whatever you do, don't pee your fucking pants. Well, I was actually wearing a skirt, but that's beside the point. My legs were shaking, making it hard for me to walk down the hall to the class, where my worst nightmare was waiting for me. Monday morning, that day of my math presentation. I have dreaded this day for the past two weeks now and couldn't explain how fucking scared I was in this very moment. I was already late, knowing I will probably be the last person to enter the room, but I didn't care. Postponing the moment, I had to have this stupid presentation was everything to me. During the weekend, all I did was try to imprint the words from my notes into my head, so I won't fuck up and begin stuttering. Thankfully it was a little distraction from letting thoughts of Chace cloud my head.

Then, the moment arrived when I saw the door I had to walk through and have my presentation. Only a few people were still roaming the halls, rushing to their morning classes, but I was walking ever so slowly. But sadly it didn't stop me from actually arriving at the door without the apocalypse that I wished for to happen. I couldn't be a coward right now, so I took one last breath and entered the room. "Ms. Collins, there you are. We were already waiting for you. You're the first to go." My professor announces when she spots me by the door. Great. Now I also have to be the first one to go. "Everything alright, Ms. Collins?" She then asks me, concern in her eyes. I force a smile to my lips and nod. "perfect, the go ahead and please join your partner at the front." She tells me and that's when I look over to the desk she is usually sitting at. Chace already stood there, making me confused. I thought he will just stay in his seat while I do the presentation. Maybe our professor forced him, who knows. "Just start when you're ready." She tells us before she settles in the back of the room and leaves me standing there with sweaty hands in front of everyone. Most of my friends were in this class and this didn't make the situation any better. Since this was my first presentation in college, I was extra nervous, not knowing if the effort I put into y work was enough. I slowly take out my notes from my backpack and look down to them, ready to just say the text I rehearsed many times over the weekend. Deep breaths, Lucy! Remember what your brothers always told you what to do before a big presentation. I took a few more deep breaths until I thought I was ready to go, so I open my mouth to start, but weirdly it didn't sound like myself.

Of course, I didn't because it wasn't me who talked. It was Chace.

Not knowing what was happening, I look over to him, seeing him actually moving his lips while he talked. He talked! Shit, what was happening. My brain wasn't working like it usually does, so here I was sat, watching Chace move those perfect lips of his until I actually started listening. He was saying the words to the presentation I prepared. He was actually doing it. His words didn't perfectly match the ones I would have said, because they were even better. He casually talked, saying exactly the things that had to be mentioned for each of my files of the presentation. Like a gawking girl, I stood there watching him like a freak. He was actually having the presentation I prepared. I couldn't believe it. I have been worried about this for weeks now and here I was with Chace in front of the whole class, seeing him slay our presentation. I had no idea this would happen. I was always thinking it will be me who will have to do everything, but no. Chace was actually taking part in this.

Then I realized something. He looked extremely relaxed. He talked, not saying one wrong word when he stood there so carefree. He had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans and talked. The thing that showed me was the fact that he didn't have any notes. He didn't even have to glace at notes to have this presentation, talking like he has never done anything else than having math presentations. I was simply mesmerized by his talent. Minutes went by when he simply went through the different files, explaining all the details I would have done too, just worse and I couldn't one advert my eyes from him. His were fixed on the people in front of us, occasionally looking down to go to the next file. Altogether he was doing perfect.