Waking Up

What Book Should We Do?

For the next couple days everything was fine. Alaska went to school, came home, did homework, and dodged the gang as much as she could. Sam texted her more then what was necessary. Only once did he ask if she was okay. Nydia and Alaska spoke quite a bit during class when they had some free time. But mostly Nydia just hit on her. So Alaska moved back to the front.
"Today you are going to love me," beamed Mrs. Elisabeth. "Today I will put you into groups of three to start working on analyzing a book of your choice that is on the list that Alaska will kindly pass out for me." She handed Alaska the papers. "The directions are on the back. And you will have minimal time to work on this in class so get your partners number and work things out." She glances around the room. "Oh and did I forget to mention that I will be picking your groups of 2," half the class slumped back into their chairs, no longer excited. Every girl waited in anticipation hoping they got out into a group with Morpheus. Mrs. Elisabeth call out the pairs that were to be working together and none had been paired with Morpheus or Alaska.
"Alaska, you and Morpheus are paired together. " she said "These projects are due in 3 weeks and you will have a test on what you read at the end." She rang out louder.
Alaska shifted her binder so she was facing Morpheus. He was slumped back into his chair, obviously not caring anymore. "So what book do you think we should do?" She mumbles.
He grins. "Looking for Alaska."
Alaska scrambled and looked at the paper with the list of books on it. Sure enough there it was Looking for Alaska by John Green.
"Um okay" she says.
They spend the rest of the class period going to the library and reading the first couple chapters.
The bell rings and Alaska's gets up to leave when a hand slam a down on hers. That hand has a perfect manicure with flowers on it. "Don't you dare ever corrupt him you druggy," the snob snapped, her name was Madison but snob suited her much better.
Alaska laughed a bit. "Okay Madison whatever you say." She said and gathering her things and walking away.
~~~
6:30 pm and Alaska and her aunt are eating Panda Express on their living room floor watching The Goonies. "Aunty I'll be right back." Whispers Alaska over the television.
"Do you want me to pause it hon?"
"No it won't take long." Alaska gets up and smiles at her aunt.
In her room Alaska pulls out Coach Willis's car and dials his cell number. Five rings, six rings, Alaska was getting nervous. Then he picks up.
"Hello" his voice sound way different over the phone.
"Hello coach Willis, this is Alaska Winters"
"Ahhh Miss Winters I was wondering if I'd hear from you. Have you made your decision?"
"Yes sir, I want to play soccer is you'll have me."
His voice perks up. "Welcome to the team Miss Winters. I must go now you caught me in the middle of dinner."
"Sorry sir, goodbye"
She was about to hang up when coach Willis speaks again. "Come to practice after school Monday and ill find a place to put you."
Then the phone clicks and the line is dead.
She did it. She didn't think she would, Alaska stood there in shock or a moment. But soon got pulled out by the ding of the door bell ringing.
"I GOT IT!" Yells her aunt.
It's quite for a moment. Then her aunt yells again. "AL COME DOWN YOU'VE GOT COMPANY!"
Alaska basically jumped the stairs in order to see who it was as soon as she could. She got to the door and her aunt was speaking with a hot Morpheus. He was in a Panic! At The Disco muscle tee and had on black jeans pants with black vans. She wasn't the only one who wore nothing but black. Alaska chuckled go herself. "I came to work on the project," he began. "Sorry if it is a bad time."
"No it's okay I was eating dinner but I can eat up in my room for the project."
She moved sideways so he'd be able to get through the door before she shut it. "Aunty I'm going to work on a project with Morpheus in my room! That cool?" She yelled into the house.
"Sure thang hon."
Alaska rolled her eyes.
She left the door open to her room. Morpheus entered first. His eyes darted around, taking in everything. The walls filled with bookshelves, posters and pictures. He walked over to the bookshelves. Touching every book he read lightly as if it were to break under the slightest of pressure. Next he took in the massive Twenty One Piløts poster on the wall over her bed. "I like that band." He stated, more to just throw it out there and not really to inform her on anything. Then he saw the pictures of Sam, Nydia, Meg, Darwin, and her all around their bikes with her parents car in the background. "That's an awesome car!" He commented with enthusiasm.
"It was my parents car."
Then he got to the picture of Sam and Alaska kissing and he looked away.
"So Alaska, Looking for Alaska what do we think?"
"I think that my life as not started until I have read a book with my name in it." She laughs.
They work on their analysis for a while. But about every five minutes Alaska's phone would go off. All texts from the gang wanting her to get out and chill with them. Alaska got so annoyed she turned off her phone.
"Your boyfriend?" Morpheus asks.
"Kinda,"
"Answer it,"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't feel like listening to someone tell me I'm not good enough because I'm not sinking to their level," she blurted out.
"Wanna talk about it?"
She chewed this over. She didn't really want to but she felt that she could trust Morpheus.
"It's just that I was sent to rehab because of him and my so called friends, only one of them is my true friend and she hits on me constantly, but anyways then I get out and not even two days later I'm already getting shot at by another gang." She slammed the book shut.
"I get it. Granted I didn't go to rehab for it but I get it."
"How could you? You were probably Mr. Perfect."
He laughs really hard at this.
"You really don't know me. The reason we moved here is because I was in a gang too, and I made a lot of dumb bad decisions that landed me in jail and almost in prison, luckily my parents are lawyers and got me off with a lot of comunity service."
Alaska stops and looks at Morpheus. They both don't say anything for a while.
"At least you got to move. I'm stuck, here and in the gang." She says feeling defeated.
It got quiet again. Then Morpheus jumps when he hears a tap at the window. It's Sam.
Alaska goes to the windows and opens it for him. But she stands there and doesn't let him in. "Move babe it's starting to get cold out here."
"I'm kind of working right now Sam," says annoyed.
Sam then makes eye contact with Morpheus. "Whatcha working on?"
"A book report."
Sam walks over to Morpheus, "I don't think we've met, I'm Samuel Jackson." He stretches out his hand. Morpheus takes it. Alaska didn't see this but Sam was digging his fingernails into Morpheus's hand. "I'm Morpheus, I just moved here I live next door."
Sam backs away from Morpheus never breaking eye contact.
"Well Al I'll let you get back to work, but you're coming with us tonight, you know your friends?" He turns back to Alaska now. "Have you forgotten about us."
"Ive been busy."
"You're always busy."
"You got to go."
"Have a nice day Morpheus."
Sam climbs out the window and down the tree before Alaska falls onto her bed. Morpheus sits next to her. "Your boyfriend is a douche."
"You can say that again." She whispers.
~~~
Morpheus leaves soon after telling her to be patient. To go tonight but not to let him bully her too much. "I will help with what I can."
Falling asleep Alaska had a nightmare of being beaten my Sam and Meg when she tells them she wants to quit the gang to go to collage. Alaska wakes with a start.