How The Sun Rises

6: Partners in Crime

It might have sounded strange, but I was honestly surprised when Ms. Marx called Jackson and I to see her when the bell rang. Considering we interrupted her class twice, it was only logical to expect we get a warning. But that wasn't what we got when we stood before her as other kids rushed off to lunch.

"Since the two of you were too busy talking, I'm sure you didn't hear who your assigned partners are."

We both kept silent because it was true, or at least in my case it was.

"Well-" she sighed, "-and be aware I know I am seriously regretting this decision - you will be working on this project with each other."

I looked up at Jackson only to see he appeared completely disinterested. Then I turned back to Ms. Marx and found she was filling out two identical yellow sheets of paper. She handed them to both to us and before I could even register the bold letters at the top of the page, Jackson grunted.

"Consider yourselves partners in crime," she smiled. "Because you both have detention."

My jaw dropped, and as much as I appreciated the pun, I was horrified at the expense of it.

"D-detention?" I squeaked.

Nodding, she waved the papers around, "I do not tolerate students interrupting my class. Even straight-A students like yourself, Bunny."

I shut my mouth and forced myself to smile, despite how much I wanted to cry. "I'm sorry, Ms. Marx, it won't happen again," I said as I took the paper with my name printed on it.

She nodded and looked at Jackson, "And you, sir?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, "I won't make promises I can't keep."

With a laugh and a wave of her hand, Ms. Marx dismissed us. Before Jackson could get too far, I grabbed onto his arm. I jumped at the expression on his face when he stopped and turned around. He didn't look upset but it was obvious he wasn't happy – although it was hard to really decipher when almost all of his expressions mostly looked the same. Immediately my hand released his arm. When he made no move to leave, we simply stood there in silence while passing students turned to gawk at us. Finally, he sighed and turned back around, leaving without a word.

I didn't make a move to go after him because, to tell the truth, I didn't know why I stopped him him in the first place.

Maybe it was to talk to him about how we were going to be partners for the next few months. I would never really know though, because the moment his blank stare turned on me all words seemed to have evaporated from my mind. I suppose I shouldn't have been so surprised by his lack of an easily identifiable expression. That was how he always was.

Perhaps I stopped him because I thought our moment - or whatever it was - earlier had meant something more than it had.

Taking a shaky breath, I tried to tell myself that it didn't matter. At least I was making progress. You're one step closer to becoming his friend, I thought cheerfully. A tiny voice, the pessimistic one which always attempted to put a damper on my mood, spoke up once again. It insisted repeatedly that I had no right to become his friend, but I tried to brush those thoughts to the back of my mind.

Looking down at the paper in my hand, I groaned aloud at the contents. There was no way I could let my mother find out about it. If anything, for the fear of her sending me off to some remote island. I would be better off going sky-diving without a parachute than try to tell her I got into trouble. The former would certainly involve a lot less danger.

A pair of hands pinched at my sides and the paper fell to the ground. I jumped at the contact and let out a loud yelp. Laughter followed, and Kyle emerged from behind me to snatch up the fallen detention slip.