Tick list

Part 1

"Out of the way!" On that note a tsunami of guys came crashing into me, knocking my school books out of my arms and letting them crash onto the floor.

"C'mon" I whispered under my breath. It was too early to be stressing about this now.
There was a strange feeling about the school this morning. Like everyone was expecting something big and as usual, i had no clue what was going on.

"That was him i'm telling you!" A couple of thin blondes came strutting past me as they nattered to each other
"The one that actually knocked that girls books over. Didn't you see?"
Christ, I've been in this school for 5 years now and they still don't know my name?

"It's Ivanna" i whispered under my breath, but they clearly heard me as they looked me up and down and after a few seconds of staring, they deemed me unworthy of any sort of verbal acknowledgement, so they continued their chatter as they walked off to class. Class. Oh shit class! It starts in like 3 minutes! I ran down the hallway and slowed down right outside the class before walking in gracefully, only to be met by an empty classroom. What? But psychology should've started by now.
I looked up at the classroom clock to see that i still had a couple minutes left, my watch must've broken again. And knowing my class they'd turn up a couple minutes late.
I don't know why i try.

As i made my way to my seat i began to wonder what those girls were talking about a moment ago. Who was it? Which asshole knocked me over? I've never had much luck with guys, I've only ever had 2 boyfriends. The first one lasted 7 months and i really liked him, but finding out that your boyfriend has been cheating on you sucks. So i ended it. the last guy i dated was great..i  liked him and he liked me, it was about 4 months ago we broke up because he was moving school. I miss him, but i'm starting to get used to life without him.
I'm somewhat of a loner, but unlike other people, i hate being alone. It's okay sometimes but i can get to a place where i need to be with somebody or i'll go stir crazy. Not in a physical way, just company...someone to talk to.  So at night i'm often left awake at 4 a.m watching friends or some other type of tv show.

My thoughts were interrupted by a blast of loud teenagers coming in, and again the chatter about the mysterious guy were shared between a group of 4 girls in the cheerleading squad.

"It was him! matthew's back, i even asked his old friends and they said he moved back here a couple days ago"

Oh god no. That Matthew guy. He was in this school about a year ago but he took off. School says it was family business bit ever since he went, rumours have gone crazy. Some even suggest he was an international spy and he had to be put into witness protection for safety. Yanno, because terrorism...and the government...and stuff....honestly, high-school.

I got bored of eavesdropping so i diverted my concentration to my phone and as i did, a wave of silence fell over the class. You could've heard a pin drop. I looked up, and it was true.
There stood the long lost spy of St.Lewis High School, Matthew Galloway.
His dark brown hair looked as though it hadn't been dealt with for weeks, yet it was still annoyingly perfect. He wore black jeans with one rip in the left leg at knee hight, they were tight..but not too tight. His grey hoodie was scruffy and the left strand of string that hung from the collar looked as though it had been chewed to oblivion. His black and white vans were tattered, but they still looked good on him. He looked even more tired then myself, yet he was stupidly flawless. He literally 'woke up like dis' and was frustratingly hot.

He was such a fine piece of work, shame he's a bag if human shit. Maybe i'm being harsh, but from what i remember he was an asshole to me and anybody who wasn't a close friend of his or wasn't a slut. I was neither of those things which made me a target 30% of the time or just pure invisible 70% of the time, it varied between those two things really. And even though he sometimes picked on me, i'm pretty sure he's still clueless about my first name. Springs this springs that, go fuck yourself Galloway.

A group of three guys had seemed to already be re-acquainted with Matthew as they called him over to the right side of the classroom. He sluggishly walked over to that side whilst extending his left arm to the side whilst opening his hand before colliding with each guy in a sort of hug/hand shake. Where did guys learn to do this? Seriously, is there a manual given out to them at the start of school life? A step by step tutorial on how to master the hug/hand shake. I wish i knew.

I fell into a trance. I couldn't stop looking at him, not that i wanted to, it's just his behaviour fascinated me, and the face plus the attached physique made it all the more harder to stop looking.

"You want me to take a picture springs? It'll last longer" i looked at him for a second. What do you say to that?

"No thank you" damn it that was way too quiet. Why do i suck at everything.
I'll admit i was literally staring but that didn't give him the right to be so damn cocky about it. Take a picture my ass, go fuck yourself Galloway
Fuck sakes i should have said that.

A little after the class fell back into conversation Mrs. Gates came twirling into the room with her glasses almost just staying on her nose.

"Good morning, good morning! Sorry i'm late again i forgot- oh, Mr. Galloway, what a surprise" She looked at him long enough to make it awkward. Even the damn teachers fell in a trance, at least i knew that I wasn't the only one.

"I imagine you've all welcomed Mr.Galloway back so i'll get right to it" he was treated like a king, even by the teachers.

"As you all know, usually your grades rely on your final exam and an essay, well the phycology board are doing a test run on a new grading scheme this year, so you'll have a home assignment to do as well as the exam and essay"

There was a chorus of moans and groans floating among the class. Each teenager began throwing their heads back in protest and some "kill me" requests hovered in the air. I on the other hand wasn't too annoyed, all this meant was less stress needed in the exam and essay, which worked out pretty good..although some..most would disagree.
The class began to shush up when Mrs.Gates cleared her throat.

"The assignment can be whatever you want. As long as both partners are clearly showing the psychology board what exactly you're trying to explain. You'll be presenting it in front of the class and myself who will be grading in 4 weeks..and of course it has to be about something we have previously done work on in class"

What. I'll have a partner? Coming in and out of my house? Oh lord no.
I saw the teacher put up a piece of paper on the wall and i could faintly make out the word "Partners" in bold letters. Myself along with other members of the class made our way to the front to look at out future besties.
Amber - Joe
Sophia - Laura
Lucy - Charlie
Celina - Luke
Ah here it is,
Ivanna - James.
Fair enough, not too bad. He's nice.
I looked around the room for James but as i turned my head i was faced with Mrs. Gates glasses beaming into my eyes.

"Ivanna, a word?" I followed her to her desk as the sleepy teenagers continued to find their partners on the paper

"Listen, i know you were paired up with James but i'm going to need you to partner up with someone else, just because you're a good listener in class and he's only just come back, so he might struggle with the work. Plus he's not exactly the most well behaved pupil ever"

She wasn't suggesting that i...no...seriously what?

"Who?" I replied

"Matthew Galloway"

You've got to be shitting me.