When Life Happens

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

*Beth's POV*

Walking into classrooms unnoticed is kinda my thing. Up until the past week I've been a fly on the wall but since the announcement, a couple of Samantha's friends among other girls, who I'm guessing never even bothered to learn my name, have found time in their very busy schedules consisting of manicures and giggle-filled rides to Starbucks to come up and ask me if I had any "like details or whatever, and stuff" regarding the boys' whereabouts for this upcoming Thursday. 

Naturally, I said no. That brief rise in social interactions lasted approximately two days, before people started to figure out that I knew nothing about One Direction's upcoming stop in our neat little city. That was a lie though, but I wasn't telling them that.

I find my seat, my desk obscured in different shades of blue ink. Drawn on the surface are stories that I can't really explain. Our desks, as instructioned at the beginning of the semester, were supposed to serve as an open surface. We kinda had to leave our hearts open for the rest of the students to see. Mine was completely covered, no brown "wood" showing through. 

My seat is about ten feet away from James. Our desks couldn't be more different. While mine is set on a UK flag background, his has the infamous panda from the Enjoi logo. And while mine has the faces of the five guys I love the most, his is slathered with taped-on images of nearly naked girls from the local Tilly's ads, most likely salvaged from the summer. But there is one thing we do have in common, and that's the small red ink doodle of the cover of Grouplove's most recent album. I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't stayed behind after class to study his desk one day, but, being me, I did.

After I noticed it, I actually went out of my way to wear my Grouplove t-shirt a bit more. The things girls do for boys.

Mr. Booney walks in, briefcase and coffee in hand. The mug he's using is appropriately labeled with "The past, present and future walk into a bar... It was Tense." 

I smile to myself and pull out my journal. 

"Y'all know the drill. Today's topic... drumroll please" he waits as the more rowdy boys begin to pound on their desks in a sort of rhythmic beating, "ARTISTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON OUR DAILY LIVES!" 

He glances at me as he announces this and I'm sure my huge smile is an indicator as to what ideas are bubbling up inside my brain.

Time ticks on and my pen glides across my paper, not ceasing until the ten-minute timer goes off. Two and a half pages dedicated to the impact One Direction has made on my life. I am definitely not volunteering my freewrite today. 

I scribble my name on the top left corner (bc why not be different?) and I see James' hand go up to share. 

"Go on, Mr. Mathews. Everyone listen with respect."

James starts to talk, and I wonder how someone so perfect can sound so unsure of himself. I wonder how many times Harry has felt unsure of himself. I love Harry.

Ok focus Beth. Real life right now.

James is talking about the Neighbourhood and yada yada yada but I really can't seem to focus on anything other than Thursday. Maybe Hannah was right about James. He's not once ever attempted to talk to me other than the times we were assigned partners in our classes. 

And then there's Harry. And Louis, and Niall, and Liam, and Zayn. They don't even know me and yet they profess their love for me. And if my late night planning sessions and daydreams prove useful this upcoming Thursday, I might actually have a chance at being noticed. 

Just two more days. I've mentally shouted that several times this period. I'll probably be saying it all day, as I said 'three more' yesterday and 'four more' the day before that. I already have my outfit layed out, from the beanie to bra to anklet and bracelets. 

Claps from my peers snap me out of my line of thought, and I join in on the clapping. There's some people laughing too but I didn't catch the joke. 

The period goes by quickly and so does my second, and I rush to meet Hannah under the library sign.

"Yo nig."

"Hey Cheeky Hannah, how was your morning?"

"To be quite honest, it was terrible. I kept thinking about Thursday and I actually started crying in class. It was extremely embarrassing, nobody knew what the problem was. It was in the middle of some dude's presentation too so it probably seemed like his PowerPoint drew me to tears." She winces at the memory of it.

"What was the PowerPoint on?"

"The origins of coffee."

"Sweet."

We walk and talk about the most random subjects before we have to part again. In a big school, it's hard to get into classes with your best friend. But we make the separation work. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder. 

**Sorry if the story line is dragging on, I just want you guys to get a feel for the kind of girl Beth is. Things should pick up a ton around Chapter 5 so bear with me. xx