Breathing Water

CHAPTER 29

As I enter the room I realize Mason is still my table partner for the next hour. My smile from my morning with Glimmer fades into a frown. After agreeing to be Shelly's girlfriend I forgot all about him and his attack. I walk over to Mr. Ruble's desk and ask, "Mr. Ruble, may I have a new seat?"
"Before I can make a decision like that I need good reason to approve the change. What is wrong with your current seat?" He doesn't even look up from the papers he is sorting.
"Um, my table partner makes me feel uncomfortable?"
"How so?"
"I would prefer not to talk about it now?"
"If Mr. Fauns is a recently made ex-boyfriend, Miss Estuary, that is a personal matter, which does not persuade the seating arrangement."
"No its not that it is just something that I am not comfortable explaining in front of the whole class." I make the statement quickly hoping that he will accept my request.
"Well, Miss Estuary," he says as he finally looks up from his papers, "seeing as you have not provided me with enough reason to make the decision immediately and the bell rang almost a minute ago, I must ask you to return to the seat I have placed you in and allow me to teach the class. However, if you would like to see me on your own outside of class anytime, I might reconsider." He raises his eyebrows at me as if he asked me a question and then nods his head slightly as if he understands my position.
"Okay, I'm sorry I interrupted class time." I turn and walk to my seat next to Mason slowly. Mason furrows his eyebrows and crosses his arms as I slide into my chair.
As Mr. Ruble begins his lecture I swear I hear a growl come from Mason's mouth. I think Mr. Ruble hears it too because he shakes his head and looks at Mason and I table. The head shake was barely noticeable, but I think Mason sees it because he uncrosses his arms and relaxes his eyebrows. The anger even seems to disappear from Mason's eyes. A few minutes of note taking pass and Mason whispers "I'm sorry. I should not have called you a witch yesterday. And I should not have forced you into kissing me without getting to know each other."
"Really, that's not necessary." I whispers back as quickly as possible to hopefully shut him down and still be able to catch all the notes.
"Sure it is. How about this? Lets go out on a date tonight."
"No thanks. I've got plans."
"What about tomorrow night?"
"Not interested."
"Oh come on. Don't be like that baby." He starts petting my hair again.
"Don't call me baby, and don't touch me."
"Fine, I'll call you sugar." He puts his other hand on my leg and keeps the first in my hair.
"There is no need to call me anything other than my name. And please stop touching me."
"But I want to give you a nickname." He starts to move his hand up my leg.
I've had enough so I stand and yell "Mason, you are a disgusting creep! Keep your hands off of me! And don't ever talk to me again!" I turn and storm out of the classroom.