The Rows of Red * Jeff Atkins

Chapter 1

"No offense, Clay, but you need to chill." I rolled my eyes and walked down the stairs to avoid my nagging twin brother. "I'm going to be fine."

I soon heard his quick footsteps behind me as he rushed to get in front of me, "Fine?" He rose his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Yes, 'fine'. It's just a project calm down." I shrugged after mimicking his surprised facial expression.

"I get that, Nelly, but it's your partner I'm concerned about." He said for the trillionth time making me groan and look him in the eye, "I'm a big girl, Clay. I can handle Zach Dempsey." I pushed past him and going into the kitchen. My dad greeted me with a smile as my mom continued cooking.

Clay reluctantly followed after me, "Okay but you know how those jocks can be. They only want one thing-"

"Clay! I'm going to be fine." He finally shut his mouth for the first time all morning making me smile in satisfaction and relief.

My mom scurried over and placed breakfast on each of our plates. "I think we should take time as a family to sit down every morning and have a nice breakfast together." She smiled widely, clearly more than anxious to sit down and have a family discussion.

"..I'm not hungry." I mumbled making her frown.

"Yea, me either mom but I'll uh see you guys after school." Clay waved and walked out of the kitchen getting ready to ride his bike off to school as he usually did. I always preferred to walk, however.

"Bye, mom. Love you." I said in a rush before exiting the house.

...

"Zach Dempsey?" Hannah asked with a scoff.

"Zach Dempsey." I confirmed, nodding with a laugh. I watched her as she exchanged her books in her locker before she turned to me.

"I got partnered with Justin Foley." She informed me like it was no big deal. My eyes widened as I almost choked on the apple I quickly took from my house.

"Geez, and I thought I had it bad." I snorted as I bumped her shoulder playfully while we walked down the hall.

She gasped and I giggled because the face she was making was priceless. "Justin Foley is way better than Zach Dempsey!"

"Bullcrap! At least Zach has a heart!" I insulted the jock and we both bursted out into fits of laughter. Hannah nodded while she covered her mouth with her hand, her long brown hair waving as she did so. "You're right, Justin is pretty horrible." She finally admitted.

I looked over at Hannah, not paying attention to where I was headed when suddenly I clashed shoulders with someone making them drop their stuff. "Shit!" The boy cursed.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Here, let me help you." I apologized quickly  before helping him pick up the items I made him drop.

He finally looked at me for the first time. I barely noticed it because I was busy frantically gathering his papers when I finally looked back at him and I gave a shy smile because he just stared at me. I recognized him, never really talked to him though. I just knew he was a senior and that he was friends with Clay.

I stood up again and handed him his papers, "I'm really sorry. Again." I chuckled nervously.

"Don't even worry about it." He smiled, completely ignoring what just happened. "Hey, you're Clay's sister right?"

I nodded with a small laugh, "Yea, that would be me."

He smirked, "I'll see you around."

"Wow, Lo." Hannah spoke with a laugh, snapping me back into reality.

"What?" I questioned, concerned.

"'Oh my gosh I am so sorry!'" She mimicked me in an innocent tone.

"Oh, shut up!" I pushed her arm and we continued to class.

...

"This project is so fucking lame." Zach scoffed and laid back in his chair with his arms crossed.

"Language." I rolled my eyes, "and it's not that bad. If you know what you're doing." I mumbled to myself, keeping focus on the project.

I may as well have been talking to a wall because Zach completely blocked me out like a white noise machine. He crumpled up the nearest paper next to him, which happened to be the one I was writing on, and crumpled it before throwing it at Montgomery across the room.

"What the hell, Zach?" I yelled loud enough for him to hear me but made sure the rest of the class didn't hear.

"Chill out, Jensen, just go get it." He threw his hands up like it was no big deal.

I glared at him but reluctantly stood up and walked across the room to get the crumpled piece of paper off of the floor, near Justin's feet.

I turned around, ready to walk back to my desk before I heard multiple whistles. "Damn, Jensen!"

I took a deep breath with clenched fists and ignored it. Stupid jocks. I sat back down with Zach, "Meet at the library after school, yea? We should really work on this-"

"Yea, Yea whatever you say Jensen."

...

I checked my phone for the hundredth time this afternoon, clearly getting the hint. I sat in the library, alone of course.

I was stupid for thinking I could get someone like Zach to actually show up on time at the library. I sighed and cleaned off the table, ready to pack my stuff when somebody sat down in the seat across from me.

I looked up, meeting the eyes of the same guy I bumped into in the hallway.

"Hey." He greeted politely.

"Uh, hi." I greeted back somewhat shyly. God, I wish I weren't so shy with people sometimes. Nevertheless I continued to pack up my stuff.

"Someone stood you up, I take it?" He asked as he glanced down at my papers.

"Uh, yea something like that." I chuckled while moving my hair out of my face.

"At a library? What a jerk." The boy in front of me joked and I laughed.

"What was I expecting out of Zach Dempsey, am I right?" I tried to make a joke myself which turned out to be pretty lame.

"Dempsey, huh? Is he like your boyfriend or something?" He scratched behind his neck awkwardly.

I shook my head with a giggle and he smiled, almost in relief. "God, no."

He stared at me once again like he did in the hallways before shaking his head with a laugh.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"Nothing." He shrugged but still kept a smile on his face. "I'm Jeff Atkins."

"Penelope."