Forget Me Not [Original]

Chapter 18- French Revolution

The fireflies still danced around me, creating a vortex of serenity. I wasn't here. I was still there. I was still encompassed in their soft green and yellow glow. I was somehow still in between reality and our world, incapable of every returning to how things used to be. I would still be there if it weren't for school.

"For the next activity you'll need a partner." Mr.Arredondo spoke, interrupting my thoughts.

I sigh, rubbing my temples slowly. I watch as the slide show continues, the projector flashing an image of the people that my class will be assigned to work with.

I automatically search for my name, groaning in defeat when I see that I am partnered with Chris. It's not necessarily that he's a bad guy I'm just not entirely certain he is a good guy. My nerves are constantly on the edge when he is near.

"What contacts are you sporting today?" I ask, watching him saunter in my direction. His mouth plays a crooked smile, his attire made of a gray jumper and black jeans. I try to keep my voice level, not wanting to let him know how much his presence affects me.

"Gray," he says. I watch as he shifts the desk beside me, moving it closer. He peers into my eyes, they are indeed a light gray. They look pretty, sparkling of mischief and reflecting the ceiling lights back at me.

I stare at his dog tag as he sits down in the desk, it's swinging and there seems to be an imprint in the metal but it's too small to make out.

I glance back into his eyes before taking out a pencil from my back pack. "They're very pretty." I hear myself say. My cheeks heat involuntarily, flipping to a blank page in my notebook.

"Thank you," he replies. He leans back in the desk, stretching his arms before lazily throwing one on the back of my seat. Again with this possessive gesture. Instead of meeting him with any resistance, I let it slide. Soon enough he ought to get the message.

"Did you take notes during the video?" I ask. The assignment was to compare notes on the video, writing down everything that we had in common and make a cause and effect diagram based on the French Revolution.

"Oh, I've already finished the diagram." He says, closing his eyes. His long lashes rest on his cheeks and I fight the urge to touch them.

"Wh-What do you mean?" I ask, we didn't know the assignment til now. It's impossible how he had it done. And it was partner work, he can't just complete it by himself.

He opens one of his eyes to glance at me, assessing my features and my posture. I can't help but shiver at his heated gaze, he doesn't care to hide the condescending look in his eyes, his lips pulling into a smug grin.

"I mean exactly what I said." He says. He moves to retrieve a paper from his back pack before slapping it on the table. The page is filled with his legible, neat handwriting. I rake my eyes over it, scanning the facts. They all seem to be correct. But how?

"A friend filled me in on what we would be doing today in class. She had this class yesterday so I figured why not do it early?" He elaborates on the how, answering my question that I hadn't even asked yet.

"But that means that I wouldn't have done anything." I run my hands through my hair. I'm not sure why this bothers me so much, but it does. I would be taking credit for something I didn't do.

"So? I'll just put your name on the paper, Jen, it's not that big of a deal." He says nonchalantly. He shifts to scribble something at the top of the page. "See? There, all done."

He holds up the page for me to see, but I avert my eyes quickly, a sinking feeling moving into my gut.

"It's kinda cute how modest you are," he says. I catch a glimpse of him staring at me, an amused look on his face. It surprises me when he gently tugs my chin to face him.

I'm forced to meet his eyes, before I press my lips together in a firm line and pull away. That was too intimate for my liking. He should know that if he claims that I am modest.

"Sorry," he mutters under his breath.

Out of the corner of my eye I see him look away in regret, almost as if he is embarrassed. I immediately feel bad.

"Um. It's okay, I guess." I say, trying to lighten the mood. Awkward silence settles between us until we are forced to turn in our work and go back to our original seats.

The rest of class goes by fairly quickly and before I can head to my next class, Chris catches my wrist.

"Is there any chance you might want to catch a movie tomorrow?" He asks, awkwardly shuffling his feet. This is a Chris I've never seen, an awkward and nervous Chris. This Chris is kind of cute, not brooding of confidence like I've always seen him to be doing. I'm not saying that confidence is bad, only that there's a fine line that differentiates being confident and being cocky.

Although this Chris is kind of more appealing, I am still not entirely comfortable with him.

"I don't think I can." I say, tempted to bolt to my next class. I don't like confrontations and Chris being the bold person he is, caught me off guard with his proposition.

"Why not?" He asks, curious to my whereabouts.

I don't actually think I have anything to do tomorrow, but I'd like to think that Shawn will be part of my evening after school.

"I think I'm hanging out with a friend tomorrow," I answer, not lying but also not telling the truth.

"Would this be the friend that picked you up yesterday?" He asks. His voice went from uncertain to impassive. And the way he said friend made it seem like he put quotations around the word, but the truth is I don't know where Shawn and I stood. So instead of telling him yes, I told him the truth.

"I don't think that concerns you." I then proceed to walk away, softly apologizing for the declination of his offer.

I hope he understands.

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(A/N): yes, it's been a couple of days but I needed a break. I had updated like 5 times in short succession. BUT! here is the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy it and thank you for the reads! We hit 1K!!! Another chapter with Chris, and I like him as a character. He is very..... Intoxicating, I mean Jen just doesn't know what to do about him. Anyway, thank you (again!)! I'll try to update again soon. Til next time. xx.