Fall ❥ George Shelley |Discontinued|

3

CHAPTER THREE

I walk onto the campus expecting it to be another normal day of school. It started off the same way and it still is. Then, why do I feel like something's going to happen that isn't particularly normal, something terrible; maybe? I just can't seem to place why I have this strange suspicion.

I walk toward my course class. I see the normal power couple snogging away at the scene. The door to my class opens revealing the professor. This makes Randy and Becca pull apart with a stream of saliva trailing between them. Normal, no matter how weird it sounds. Becca rushes into the room and Randy flees towards a different direction, toward his own class.

When I walk into the room, the professor, Mrs. Rogers, closes the door roughly. She goes to the front of the class as I go to my standard seat, disregarding the throng of people chatting amongst themselves. Usually there are cliques of people gathered together in different areas of the classroom, but today it just seems like one massive sea, once again, one that I am not a part of. I don't really want to pay it much attention, since I don't belong to any of these cliques, but I'm fascinated with how there is so much attention in this one little area. It's... weird. It's... different.

Mrs. Rogers shouts to get everyone's attention back to how the class should be run. She is successful, somehow, and everyone goes to their seat. She suddenly is surprised and I understand what gathered the horde of people in the first place: a new kid.

"Oh," Mrs. Rogers says in what sounds surprised. I roll my eyes because, to me, it sounds faux, especially when she puts in the straightening of her shirt along with it. I never really liked her and I bet she doesn't like me either. "It looks like we have a new student," she states the obvious in her high and squeaky voice.

Everyone look in the direction of the new guy as he timidly waves. He, I guess, is slightly cute? Maybe that is why he gathered a crowd that size. As I think this, I can't help but think about Ryan. How he is the worse boyfriend that could ever exist. How I would just love to get him out of my life for as long as I shall live. How I could be a lot different, maybe happy for example, when it comes to my life if I'd never met him; if Alice didn't set us up. How I could've been happier being single for my entire existence instead. Of course, I don't blame Alice for any of this. How could she know what he's like, especially with alcohol in his tall, big, built structure, when she hardly got to see him and get to know his personality during their childhood? If anything, I blame myself for all of this just agreeing to it.

Being lost in my own thoughts, I don't pay too much attention to what Mrs. Rogers is talking about. I hardly do, not wanting to be in Geology. She know this, basically leading to hating me more than she already does. I realise she has called my name in the middle of her rant to the new student, getting half of my attention, which is actually more than usual.

"I bet Ms. Carter wouldn't mind, would she?" she asks. Having no idea what she is talking about but I agree. I don't feel like it would be best getting on her bad side, at least not today in the presence of a new addition to the class.

"Of course not," I speak softly. I know this isn't much help because of the mass of this classroom.

Mrs. Rogers look toward the new guy, "Josh, you may take a seat next to Scarlett." Then I see her whisper something in his ear before he is able to mount the steps to take his seat. I can't hear a word she says to him but he smiles.

I can barely hear him say in response, "It's no problem," before he looks towards me, still smiling.

I can feel heat travelling towards my cheek, tinting them a faded red colour. I automatically put my face down, not wanting anyone to see me blush. Instead I take out my notebook for the class as Josh takes a seat beside me. There is no other empty chair in this full not understandably mandatory class so I understand why Mrs. Rogers would put him right next to me. I think that she was avoiding putting anyone next to me as there has been dozens of other new additions to this class compared to the original set.

I can't help but feel eyes burning into the back of my neck. The sensation is incredibly uncomfortable. I restrain myself from looking back, even if it might take their eyes off me. I can tell that they are most likely looking at Josh rather than me anyways.

As Mrs. Rogers starts lecturing us about the "wonderful" subject of Geology. I start taking notes. Just because I don't like this subject nor the professor teaching it, doesn't mean I shouldn't at least try to exceed. I still need to pass the course. I tend to do what is told, not wanting trouble. Maybe that's why I'm still with Ryan. If I wasn't like this all the time, I would've ditched his abusive ass a long ago once the torture started.

I try to push the thought away, not wanting to think about him as I continue to write down the notes. I continue until I feel a nudge on my elbow, making me turn. I don't know if the feeling I had on my elbow was just a trick of the mind, imaginary, as the direction it came from was Josh. He doesn't even react as if anything happened so I continue doing my work, trying to be without distraction.

Then I feel another nudge against my elbow. I try to ignore it but I feel it constantly. I hear him make a sound, resembling a broken pipe, making me snap. "What?" I ask through gritted teeth, trying hard not to be heard by anyone else in classroom. Way to make a first impression.

"Can you help me?" he asks.

"With what?"

"What am I supposed to do?  She hasn't explained anything and I see everyone writing!"

"Yeah, she does that. Just take notes on whatever she says. With the notes, you can study and ace in the test she always gives us every Friday," I offer.

"But today's Thursday," he says. I take time to think. I'm not always aware of the day as they pass, especially during a week consisting Ryan. I contrast what has happened in this neck and realise it is indeed Thursday.

"Well, you're new. She might not give you the test considering the amount of time you've been in her class," I say, trying frantically to jot down the last few things Mrs. Rogers says. When I look up her eyes are on me. I conclude she must've noticed my moving lips as I speak softly to Josh.

"Does she normally give new students test?" he continues.

I groan inside my head, not wanting to continue our conversation. This class is frustrating enough without distraction. I think about the answer for a second. I try to recall the other times we had new students, if they indeed have to participate in the test, disregarding the amount of time they have been in the class. "Yes."

"Wait... what?! She give test to new students?" he asks.

"Yes. But don't worry. If you'd like, you can use my notes to study tonight." After I say this, it seems to finally make him stop talking. It relaxes me slightly.

As I jot down a period on my last sentence Mrs. Rogers is in the middle of a verdict, speaking one hundred words a minute again. The only thing that makes me happy during this class is hearing the bell ring dismissing us towards our next course or, for some very lucky people, home. She is always in the middle of one of her sentence when it goes off, which is sometimes comical, especially is she gets aggravated about it afterwards.

I take all my belongings into one hand, all the things that don't fit into my bag in my frantic rush fashion at least, and speed off towards my next class that I happen to like. I try my best to ignore my name being called out about the mad mob of people rushing toward their next class. I believe Josh is the one calling my name. I will have to deal with him a little later as I just can't wait for my next class: Music.