Tales from the Darkside (Currently Being Rewritten)

3

"Where are we going?" I ask timidly afraid that I'd say something and set him off.
"Out." Liam replies, still dragging me towards the carpark.
"W-what about the project?" I asked as Liam stops, turning to look at me.
"What project?" He demands.
"T-the one Mr Andrews told us about on Thursday" I explain nervously "I-it's worth 30% of our grade. We're supposed to choose our partners next lesson"
He stood there staring at me, his eyebrows raised in a silent question. Why should he care? "Mr Andrews also said that he'd choose the pairs himself if students didn't show up." I added meekly as I watched my words sink in. If Mr Andrews chose our partners, he wouldn't be with me and that was the last thing he wanted.
"Come on." Liam said as he grabbed my hand and dragged me back towards the school building. I couldn't help but smile as I was dragged into Classroom 105 and led towards the back of the room where, unsurprisingly Sam, Ben, Jake and Abby were sitting.
To say they looked shock would be an understatement. They looked as if they'd just found out that they're pet dog Fluffy had died. "We thought you'd left" Ben exclaimed as Liam sat down, pulling me on to his lap.
"I was about to" Liam grumbled "Until I heard about this stupid project"

Mr Andrews almost dropped his coffee as he stared at the class.... specifically the back where I was sitting on Liam's lap. "Can someone please come and check my pulse, I think I've died" Mr Andrews exclaimed "I don't think I've seen you in any of my classes since the first week, Liam"

Now I was shocked. I knew Mr Andrews was chilled but why wasn't he telling me off for being on Liam's lap?
"So I hope you've all chosen your partners...." Mr Andrews began "because I'd hate to crush any dreams of teenage romance by having to pull names out of a hat "
"Cora, who's your partner?" He asked me making me jump slightly.
"Uh....Liam" I reply timidly and I swear I can feel him smirking behind me.
I sat quietly as the rest of the class announced their partners; Ben and Sam would be working together which wasn't a surprise since they did everything together and Abby and Jake had also paired up which also wasn't surprising since most people thought Abby was a Cheryl Blossom doppleganger with her ginger-red hair, amber eyes and bitchy personality. Jake was the only one who would work with her when there was a group project.

"Now, that you've chosen your partners." Mr Andrews' voice dragged my attention back to the front of the classroom, "It's time to pick your topics and yes, I have decided to use the hat method." Several groans sounded through the classroom, coming from various tables. "Can one member of each pair please come up and pull a piece of paper from the hat?"
I looked at Liam who was staring at me with a strange expression on his face, "Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked timidly.
"No reason." He shrugged, eyes snapping back towards the students gathering at the front of the class, they narrowed. "Be quick, please?" He was eyeing the back of people's heads like he was marking targets.

"Hey, Cora. I thought you left?" Paige turned around from where she was in front of me. I shook my head, well aware of Ben standing behind me, glaring at her. The line was moving slowly, each student taking their sweet ass time to pick a simple piece of paper out of a hat. "Quiet again, huh?"
"Get a move on would you?" Ben snapped as my head whirled around to him with wide eyes.

I stood in front of Liam who pulled me back down onto his lap. "Leonardo Da Vinci." Sam's voice exclaimed, reading what was written on the piece of paper Ben had pulled out. "Didn't he do that painting of the woman with the smile?"
"You mean the Mona Lisa?" Jake replied, rolling his eyes at both Ben and Sam's confused expressions. "It's one of the most famous paintings in the world, you idiot."
"Who did you guys get then?"
"Catherine the Great" Abby didn't look up from her phone as she responded. "Empress of Russia."
They looked at Liam who was brushing my hair with his fingers, ignoring them.
"The Six Wives of Henry VIII" Their eyes snapped to mine, widened in surprise.