"oh ok. Reeds over there in the corner." he says and points to a guy in the corner of the class wearing a black top and black ripped jeans. I recognized him from a group of people who smoke near the bus platform at Westfield. no wonder that guy was confused as to why I wanted to talk to him, well here I go. I walk up to Reed and sit next to him and try to introduce myself. "Hi I'm Vanessa and I guess you're Reed." I say and put out my hand for I guess a handshake forgetting we're in 11th grade.
he doesn't do anything and keeps staring at his phone texting someone I guess. I slowly retrieve my hand and put my book on the table. I hear him cough and that's the closest thing to a response I get.
"smokers cough?" I say attempting to make a joke but he doesn't seem the find it very funny.
"I'm sorry, let's just do the assignment. both my parents are native American but my dad has a little bit of Filipino in him." he doesn't respond so I look around the room mindlessly just to avoid the awkwardness.
I end up spotting miss jones reading assignments. I see she's reading mine because of my name on the front page she just flipped over. oh no please don't read it while I'm here. I'm she knows I did it all in the last three days oh god I can't fail please not right when my dads leaving I need him to be proud.
"I'm from England." I hear behind me.
I turn around and look at reed who is finally looking at me as well as responding to me with words as opposed to coughs and blinks.
"well, this assignment should be easy considering native Americans relationship with the British." I say with the least amount of attitude as I can hold back.
"wow sassy." he says laughing. I laugh back because he could tell that I was holding back the extra attitude. I try to get the conversation back on track as much as I am loving the amount of sarcasm in this conversation.
"so next lesson I'll have a draft for the first paragraph or maybe even two but if you want I can maybe write down some notes on the British side of the assignment." I say then get cut off right before I suggest a meetup.
I start packing while talking but when I finish packing up my bag again I notice that he's already on the other side of the class about to exit. I leave the class and try to find him in the sea of people. I see his fuckboy hair and all black easily and try to run up to him. by the time I finally catch up to him he's already with his group that I'm kind of scared of honestly.
Either way, I walk up to them. "Reed" I shout his name and they all stop laughing and look down at me. I get scared but a cough and carry one and just look at him. "so I was thinking if you're not busy we can hang out after school today at my house so that we can work on the assignment or even tomorrow morning but I have netball practice today from 5 to 7 so maybe just right after such-"
"wait wait stop." Reed cuts me off and I stop.
"you think I would hang out with you ever?" he asks smiling.
"well um yeah just for the assignment." I say quietly and severely embarrassed.
"no, just because you haven't been rejected in your life and your group's lives revolve around school and sport doesn't mean mine does."
"i-I'm sorry." I say quietly almost whispering.
"don't waste my time, I don't play no fucking games." he says and I don't have anything to say.
not that can speak. I'm too embarrassed to look around at everyone else faces but I can hear little giggles from the group while still looking him in the eye fighting back tears. I look away then quickly walk away around the corner and start crying then bump into Rachel.
"woah-woah what's wrong?" she says and holds my shoulders.
I start crying into her hug. I tell her everything and we walk to the group so that they can hear too. by the end of the day, I feel better after all my classes distracting me.
