Firefly Jungle

Chapter Five

   "Just please try to limit your number of tardies, Jennifer." Mr. Payne requests, in a sweet voice. I nod sweetly,and he thanks me. He tells me to sit anywhere I would like, but the only problem with that is I don't know any of the Sophomores, or Freshman in this class. I search the small room, looking only for an empty table, but the closest thing I find is a table with one person seated at it. With one Harry seated at it, I should say. Would that be weird to sit by him? I only met him today. We did walk to class, but I don't want him to think I'm creepy. Wait. Why did I care what he thought of me? I wasn't here to make friends with idiotic bad boys. Especially not jerks like that one. I had never been very good at making friends, anyways. I built up a wall around myself, as I slunk through the ear splittingly loud classroom to the seat diagonal from Harry's. He was hunched over a piece of paper, and his hand moved over it very quickly. He couldn't be doing homework already, could he? I wondered, as I took my seat. Mr. Payne was busy calling out attendance, as I scanned Harry's paper. He was drawing something, but just what it was I couldn't tell. Judging by the two faded lines that lay on the paper, I figured he hadn't been at it for long. My name came up relatively quickly, and Harry's towards the end. I noted that his last name was "Styles". What a funny last name. Payne isn't much better though. I mentally talked to myself. Mr. Payne's voice broke through the loud voices of all the impatient teenagers when he spoke. He didn't shout, but he wasn't quiet either.

   "Hello, class!" His voice sounded cheery, almost excited. I could tell I would enjoy this class. "My name" He paused to point at the board with his large hands. "Is Liam Payne, but you all, as my students, may call me Mr. Payne." He smiled, before continuing. "You won't be assigned much individual work, but I will assign you all one essay that will become a test grade, and you and your partner, whom ever that may turn out to be, will be graded as a group on all parts. Meaning you will both receive the same grade." I took a moment to write this information on my hand, while he continued. "Now then, your job today will be to fill out this introduction paper. It will require you to socialize with other human beings, and if you finish it before time's up you'll get your first extra credit."

   He began his journey around the room, handing each student a paper as he passed them. When I was given my paper, I read over the instructions quickly. I was going to get that extra credit no matter what. The paper read "Get To Know Your Classmates: Find classmates who match the following statements, and ask them to sign their name." A list of things such as "Went on vacation this summer" and "Went fishing" followed in small boxes. I hated these types of things. Nobody ever learned any real information about people, and never gained friends from it either, only awkward acquaintances if you were lucky.

   I had managed to get most of the boxes signed in almost no time at all, and I'd actually managed to meet a few decent people, one of which I had exchanged numbers with. She was a thinker girl, with strawberry blonde hair, and bright hazel eyes. I had thought she was very pretty. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned to see a tall boy with shoulder length black hair, holding his paper in my face.

   "Sign it?" He more of demands than asks. He practically tosses his pen at me, and I search the paper for a box that fits me. I can't seem to find one, and so I look up to see he's already found a box on mine, and is tapping on it impatiently. "Just pick one, already!" He nags. "Here." He says, a little calmer, pointing to the box labeled "Has an older brother". I suppose that one applies to me, but I have a good reason for not wanting to acknowledge my older sibling... "Well?!" He continues. "Fuck it." He exclaims, and snatches the paper from my hand. He drops my paper to the floor beside me, and arrogantly walks off. I pick my paper up, and examine it. I only have one box left. It reads "A boy with curly brown hair". No wonder Harry had a crowd around him. I make my way back to our table, and soon recall that he had signed nobodies paper this whole class period. Suddenly it didn't matter to me, I was getting that extra credit whether he liked it or not, and the fact that I now knew nobody else would be getting it, had me all that much more determined for his signature to be on the paper that dangled in my hand. I had had a serious competitive side to me ever since I could remember, though it was mainly with academics, I had always been one for a good game of soccer. Especially when I won. My eyes found the boy still sitting, hunched over a piece of paper. His pencil glided over the paper flawlessly, in short movements. The drawing had come a long way since I last saw it, at the beginning of class. It now resembled a female's body, with long curly hair flowing behind her. It was beautiful, really.

   "What are you staring at?" His hand's movements stopped, and he glanced at me, a scowl set deeply on his face. But his eyes were still that same beautiful shade of green, only they were now slightly clouded in irritation.

   "I... Sorry. Can you sign this?" I pointed at the box on my paper.

   "No." He responded, coldly. He glanced back down to his paper, before covering it, and shoving it into the new black binder that lay on the desk in front of him.

   "Pleeeaaase, Harry?" I begged. What was I doing? I don't know him. Do I really need this extra credit that bad? Yes. Yes, I do. And I'm going to get it. My inner thoughts pushed me, egging me on.

   "Did you not hear me? I said no. Now just sit down and shut up, would ya, Friz? You're starting to annoy me." He snapped, his gaze keeping me locked in place.

   "Nope, not until you sign this." I say, as I slap the paper against his face. His eyes go wide, in surprise, and so do mine.

   "Did you just-" I cut him off before he's able to finish his sentence.

   "Yes. I did. Now sign it!" I demand.

   "Well, someone's a bit feisty." He literally growls at me. My cheeks flush, but he complies, and takes the paper from me. He signs it, and I take my seat across from his. We sit in silence, as the rest of the class shuffles around, trying desperately to find people to help them finish their assignment on time.

   "So what were you drawing?" My curiosity speaks.

   "None of your damn business, Friz." He spits. God, is he bipolar or something? My mind asked from within my head.

   "I was just asking a question!" I defend. He crosses his arms over his chest.

   "And I gave you an answer." He responds with a playful grin.

   "Not a very good one." I mutter under my breath. He chuckles, and brushes a stray curl from my face. "What are you doing?" I question, feeling confused about his action.

   "Why do you cover your face?" He asks, ignoring my question. I feel my face begin to flush. I examine his face, searching for any type of emotion, but his features have turned soft, no evidence of his previous scowl. My expression must give away my confusion because he turns to face the direction of the wall behind him, taking his binder with. He removes his paper, and continues working on it. That was weird.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A/N: Again, thanks for the reads, I hope I can get a few more, but I'm happy with what I can get. Anyways, sorry if the book moves kinda slow (and yes I know it's only the beginning), but I feel like I maybe drag the parts out a bit. > . <  But yeah, hope you guys enjoy it so far. I'll update ASAP!!