Falling in Hate with You

FIHWY - 15

Falling in Hate With You

Chapter Fifteen

I think that of all the days of the week, I hated Wednesdays the most, and by the time it rolled around I had reverted back to my hateful mindset. The world once again looked bleak, the small splash of color it had found and provided for me was fading and with it, my positivity – which wasn't all that much to start with.

Yesterday had been good – great, even – but I chalked that up to the lasting high I had from the competition. Today though, sucked. Jacky was irritable which meant that something had probably happened with his mom, or sister, or father, or whatever demons he has to battle every day. Nikki had been extra tantrum-y this morning and Jared didn't seem too far away from a tantrum of his own. I was absolutely no help to anyone, as I was feeling particularly homicidal myself.

I knew why Jared was acting this way because it was the same reason I was so off; my birthday was coming up, and we loathed my birthday. Jared didn't mean to, he always tried his best to make it less sucky than the previous year, but it was usually to no avail.

So it's safe to say that as I was currently sitting in Jared's class of grade twelve academic art students on my free, I was like a ticking time bomb and everyone knew it. Today was the day when we were going to find out the partners for that stupid project Jared's forcing me to join in on. And judging by the sneaky side glances and awkwardly fidgeting bodies, I wasn't the only one a tad anxious about my partnering. I wasn't anxious just over this project, because two classes earlier, Jared sprung yet another lovely surprise on me in my advanced art class – a second partner project. It must have been my lucky day because who else was I partnered with but Ethan? The Heavens are just showering me with gifts today.

"Right on guys, so here is le list of partners," Jared grinned dork-ily, giving the paper in his hand a little shake, "So when I call your names, just pop a squat by the other, comprende?"

He was met with bated breaths and a loaded silence.

"Alrighty then," he teetered his head in a sassy motion and began reading out names.

When he was probably halfway down the list, I heard mine. The remaining un-partnered students fell quiet, as though they were awaiting a prison sentence. In their minds though, I suppose it was the same thing.

"Tasha Taylor and Oliver King," Jared sent me an almost imperceptible smirk as I immediately began internally seething; Oliver King was exactly what he thought his last name implied.

The silence was brutally tense for a moment, and then it deflated like a balloon as everyone breathed in relief. Not only did they not have to be paired with me, but now Oliver was out of the way, too. It was a win-win situation for them.

I slouched in my seat, promptly deciding that I was not going to be the partner that moved. Seeing Oliver do the same, I grimaced. This was going to buckets and buckets of sunshine and smiles.

Jared finished off the list and surveyed his handy work. I could just tell from the way his eyes squinted a little that he probably thought it was a job well done, until they landed on me. And then Oliver. Separately.

"Maybe you didn't hear, but y'all are partners."

I glared and Oliver snorted.

Jared sighed, "By literal definition, partner means a person who takes part in an undertaking with another or others, especially in a business or company with shared risks and profits. So, if you guys want the credit for this project, one of you is going to give liftoff to your angst riddled derriere from your seat, and set it down quite gently and kindly in the one next to your partner. Gotta risk it to get the biscuit and all that jazz."