Faking Love

Chapter 1

The silver clock on the wall seems like it is moving in slow motion just to bug me. "Hurry up..." I whisper. My English teacher, Ms. Parr, drones on about the conjugation of irregular verbs. I'm watching her nose. Every time she talks, her nose twitches. Up, down, up, down. Repetitively. Still more interesting than her lecture, though. She is writing something on the white board at the front of the room, but I'm too bored to actually read it. My head hits the desk and I groan softly. Malaya, who sits in the desk behind me, slips me a tiny piece of paper. Yes, I know that notes seem old fashioned, but our teacher is super strict about talking. Also, she is really good at catching even the sneakiest texters in the class, so neither Malaya or I want to take that chance. Somehow, she never catches us when we pass notes.  

-Halley, did we have math homework?- I read to myself from the note that Malaya just passed me. I roll my eyes. As great of a friend as she is, Malaya ALWAYS forgets homework. 

-Yeah...page 314 in the textbook.- I hurriedly scribble on the tiny slip of paper and toss it behind me.   I notice Brett who sits a few seats in front of me, lazily twirling his pencil around his fingers.

It was only a few seconds before I felt a light tap on my shoulder and the note flies back onto my desk. -Ughhhh I totally forgot to do it- Of course she did. -Can I copy yours?-  

I fold the scrap of paper and drop it into my backpack. I grab my blue math notebook and hand it to Malaya. "Thanks," she whispers softly. 

"No problem," I respond. Ms. Parr...whose nose is continuously twitching...is still talking about irregular verbs...how much is there to talk about? They are verbs and they are IR REGULAR. Verbs that do not conjugate normally. Ta dah...not much more to know. 

From across the room, Justin, my best friend, rolls his eyes at me, pointing to the girl next to him.  She is staring at him, obviously daydreaming about him.  That's pretty common, though.  There are quite a few girls in love with him. I laugh silently and look down at my blank sheet of paper. Behind me, I hear Malaya furiously scribbling. Why can't that girl ever remember what the homework is?  My head hits my desk and I feel myself drifting off to sleep.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I wake up to the loud sound of the school bell ringing. BRINGGGGG! I jump up and grab my backpack. Malaya tosses me my notebook and I sprint out the door. Justin is waiting outside. We begin walking to the middle of the school.  

"Ughhhh that class! Can't stand it!" I almost yell in frustration. 

"Gosh! Calm down!" Justin laughs. 

"I was so bored I fell asleep...I really hope no one noticed." 

Justin glances at me with a confused look. "You REALLY think no one noticed." He laughs again. 

"Wait, WHAT?!?!?" This time I yell in surprise and almost walk into a tree. 

"Yeah," says Justin. "The ENTIRE class saw you. Ms. Parr came and stood over your desk for a while...you were out. Everyone was laughing really hard." 

"Were you?" 

"I can't say that I wasn't..." 

I groan. "Justin!!" 

"I'm sorry!" 

I sit down on the bench next to me and put my head in my hands. "My life is over...I have never been so embarrassed." 

"Hold on." Justin puts his arm around me. "Yes you have. Remember that time when Avalon-" 

"Haha ok, that's enough. I get it," I finally smile.