A Righteous Love

Chapter Twenty-Six - You Guys Look Nice Together

Chapter Twenty-Six - "You Guys Look Nice Together"

☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼

"So guys, grab a partner and start working. We only have about... fifteen minutes left in class, so whatever you don't finish will be homework," Mr. Filomina shouted from the front of the classroom.

I watched as Todd turned to me with a smirk. I looked at him with an eyebrow raised and a semi-disgusted look on my face.

As we'd gone through half the year being partners for nearly everything, and given the fact that he sat next to me, I'd learned to somehow tolerate him. He was still a dick and annoying as ever, but he was trying to get me to see the good in him.

I wasn't even sure if there was any good left, but he seemed to be trying really hard. Didn't mean he wasn't still annoying.

"I guess that means you want to be my partner?" I pursed my lips.

"You know me so well," he smirked again, scooting his chair closer to me. All I could do was subtly roll my eyes before we started working on the assigned problems together.

It was the first day back at school after winter break and no one was in the mood for any work. Having Statistics at the end of the day was a really bad idea – I don't know who in their right mind would think it was okay to put math last after my brain was already fried from everything else. Either way, it seemed extra worse considering break was over.

"So did you have a good break?" Todd asked me out of the blue.

"Mhm, you?" I nodded, trying to talk and concentrate on my work at the same time.

"It was good," he shrugged. A heavy sigh left his lips, momentarily distracting me. "You doing alright?"

I pulled my eyebrows together in confusion, stopping to look up at him. His dark blue eyes connected with mine almost instantly, making me gulp.

"Um, yeah, why?" I answered hesitantly.

"No reason," he muttered, shrugging his shoulders again as his gaze fell.

"O... kay," I shook my head and turned back to my calculator sitting on the table.

"I just like to ask. I know I'm a dick most of the time, but I still like to know how you're doing 'cause you know... after everything you went through and-"

"Yeah, I get it," I cut him off before he could elaborate anymore. His voice was too loud and this classroom was too quiet for my liking.

He sighed again, running his fingers through his always perfectly-tousled hair. He seemed perplexed about something, but I really didn't care enough to ask. "I like to be the nice guy sometimes, as shocking as that may seem," he chuckled lowly, even though both of us didn't believe that.

"Well, I'm alright. Thanks," I nodded slowly with the intention to put an end to this awkward conversation.

Todd was probably one of the most confusing boys I'd ever know.

We worked on about three more problems without having another question about me until he opened his mouth again.

"So who's that guy you've been hanging around with? That blonde kid? I see you with him, but he doesn't look like he's from here," he asked subtly.

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair and keeping my eyes on my worksheet. "Dylan Lockwood. He goes to Judith Moore," I said.

"Oh, I've heard of him," he said in a voice like he suddenly realized something.