No Regrets

Chapter Seven - Group Project Can Kiss My A-

*** QUICK AUTHOR'S NOTE*** I want to dedicate this chapter to everyone who's been here since the beginning. Can't believe how far this story has come and I'm so thankful to EVERYONE who reads it. :)

KATIE'S POV

"For your first-semester project, all of you will write a script for a potential play or short film." Ms. Connie, the Theater Arts teacher, says after collecting all the pop quizzes. She begins hands everyone a piece of pink paper with the requirements for the assignment.

  The rules are pretty simple, nothing that's inappropriate. This means no foul language, no innuendoes, no major violence, nothing that wouldn't be allowed in school.

"I expect this to be some of your best work. Being that you will have a whole semester to complete the assignment. So no, last minute work." Ms. Connie says.

  I can probably come up with something. I think to myself as I read over the paper. The play or short film should be over five minutes long. I'm about to put the paper in my backpack when something catchs me eyes.

  I raise my hand. Ms. Connie points to me, which is her way of giving me permission to speak. "The paper says something about project partners."

  Ms. Connie snaps her fingers together. She thanks me for reminding her. Yeah, thanks Katie. I say to myself bitterly. I'm not a fan of out-of-class partner work. There's always problems with having to do a out-of-class project with a partner. Schedules don't agree with each other, transportation problems, and other issues arise.

  I consider asking Ms. Connie if I could do the work solo; but she's already talking about how everyone must be part of a group. Due to there being an odd number of students in this class, there will be one group of three. The others will be groups of two.

"I'll give you two minutes to partner up with someone. If you don't then I'll chose for you." Ms. Connie says to the class. She picks up the timer on her desk and sets it to two minutes.

  In a blink of an eye, everyone is up from their chairs and walking around. A lot of the people in this class have more than one friend among the class. However, I do not. Being as noticeable as the wall paper makes it hard to meet or make friends.

  I walk around the room and look for someone to partner up with. Unfortunately, I'm left standing with no partner after the two minutes are up. Ms. Connie notices and looks around the room. For a moment, she seems worried. The group of three has already been made.

Maybe I will be able to work solo. I feel my hopes rising, but fate doesn't hesitate to smack them down.

"Oh, Mr. Gribes! You can partner up with..." She looks at me and gestures for me to give my name.

"Katie." I say looking at her.

   Ms. Connie gestures for me to give my last name as well. I see everyone looking at me. They're all probably wondering where I came from.

"Benji." I say. I do my best to keep my face from turning completely red. My last name is a little embarrassing. Dominick legally shares my last name, but his friends know him by the last name given to him by his biological father, Aplin.

  I see my project partner do a little laugh when he hears my last name. I glare at him. He catches the glare and tries to play it off as a bit of a cough.

  Ms. Connie doesn't notice and smiles. "You all can have the rest of the class period to talk to your project partners." Ms. Connie says to the class.

  I sit back in my seat, which is six seats away from my project partner. He raises his eyebrow at me. I lip the words, "You can walk over here". The side of his mouth turns up as he picks up his backpack. He takes the empty seat next to me.