Worlds Apart

-5-

The morning light filtered through the curtains in Gigi's room, casting a soft glow over the neatly organized desk where she sat, staring blankly at her reflection in the vanity mirror. Usually, mornings were a routine she loved, meticulous, perfect, always ready to take on the day with the confidence that came with knowing exactly where she belonged. But today was different. Today, she was dreading the day.

They were presenting the project in English, and though the project was good, really good, actually, she knew that her friends and the entire class were going to have something to say about her partnership with Crystal. Part of her wished she could just snap her fingers and make the project appear, with no questions or sideways glances. But more unsettling was the way she felt guilty, a gnawing sense of unease.

Because, if she was being honest, she had fun working with Crystal. And she didn't want anyone to know.

Across town, Crystal was standing in front of his mirror too, though his mind was racing for entirely different reasons. His usual "I don't care" shield felt shakier than usual, and the prospect of standing next to Gigi in front of the class left him oddly unsettled. She wasn't what he'd expected. Not as shallow, or stuck-up, or fake as he'd always thought.

But today was going to be a scene, he knew it. Being seen with Gigi in a normal setting was one thing, but presenting with her? He already expected snickers, taunts, the usual crap people threw at him. The only difference was that Daya wouldn't even be there to make it feel a little less brutal. But, somehow, the part that unsettled him the most was that he'd have to pretend, completely and utterly, that working with her hadn't been...kind of great.

When they arrived at school, neither Crystal nor Gigi was prepared for the attention. Gigi walked in with Jaida and Nicky, their voices loud as they prattled on about an upcoming party, but her mind was elsewhere, wrapped around the unease and the nerves she couldn't shake. She felt Jaida nudge her, pulling her back to reality.

"Earth to Gigi!" Jaida laughed, eyeing her with playful suspicion. "You seem totally out of it today. What's up? Still dreading this presentation?"

Gigi forced a laugh. "Yeah, kinda. I just don't want this to be, like, a big deal. You know?"

Jaida waved a hand. "It'll be fine. Crystal will probably just mumble through his part, and everyone will forget about it by lunch."

But Gigi knew better. This was high school; no one would let them off that easily. As they made their way to class, her stomach twisted. She kept telling herself it was because of her friends, her reputation, the pressure to always keep things perfectly together. But part of her was also worried about Crystal, about what he'd have to go through, too.

In the back of the classroom, Crystal was already at his desk, slouched low with his arms crossed and his usual indifferent expression in place. But when Gigi walked in, he straightened slightly, their eyes meeting for a fraction of a second. He could tell she was feeling the same stress he was, even though she tried to mask it.

As Mrs. Kelley started calling for presentations, Gigi and Crystal exchanged a tense, silent look before standing up and moving to the front of the room together. He felt the weight of every eye on them, a combination of shock, curiosity, and poorly-hidden amusement. A few of the jocks at the back whispered something to each other, and someone let out a low laugh, which made Gigi's cheeks flush.

"Alright, class." Mrs. Kelley said, gesturing for silence. "Crystal and Gigi, the floor is yours."

Crystal opened the presentation with a quiet but firm introduction, surprised at how much easier it felt than he'd expected. As they took turns explaining their analysis of The Catcher in the Rye, something shifted. They didn't even need to look at each other to pick up on the rhythm, bouncing ideas back and forth, effortlessly transitioning from one speaker to the other. Gigi explained Holden Caulfield's loneliness and frustrations with a passion that seemed to surprise even her, while Crystal added his insights with a quiet intensity that seemed to catch everyone off guard.