I Don't Like Badboys...Seriously | ✓

Chapter Eight Part One - A Series of Surprises

Chapter Eight Part One - A Series of Suprises

All of a sudden, after the past month or so, chemistry had become the most memorable class of the day. My classes were never memorable; chemistry was never memorable. The class was buzzing with excitement after Mrs Smith announced our next assignment. 

"This will be your one, and only, group assignment. I don't particularly like this, but the faculty dean has insisted this assignment be a 'fun' easy one," she had said earlier.

After this announcement, while everyone leaped for a joy and grabbed a friend to form pairs, I wept bitterly, sulking internally at my desk. "Have you all formed pairs?" she asked.

Majority of the class said 'yes' in unison while our front bench sat there awkwardly. "The numbers are odd," Hunter said, stating the obvious.
"You may go in threes. Actually, I'll sort you five out."

"Hunter, Dylan, Dean, you'll be in one [x]group, Ace and Cathy, you're the last pair," Mrs Smith announced after long thought. "Make sure you pull your weight and split the work evenly." I had a hunch that the 'make sure you pull your weight' was directed at Ace.

Now that I thought about it, he'd failed just about every test while the others had passed. It struck me as rather strange because he did the homework, and from what I had seen, he knew how to do it.

"Okay, so how are we going to divide the work?" I asked.
"I don't care, up to you," Ace replied, resting his elbows on the desk with his head on his hands. Well, this was going to be an absolute ball.

We were going to meet up at his house on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after school. I figured my mum wouldn't be keen on having guests over anyway. "Do I just wait after school at the gate and then we walk to your house?" I asked on the way out of class.
"Yeah, whatever," he replied before heading in the opposite direction.

I was early for physics as usual because it was in the same wing of the school. I leaned against the lockers while waiting for the teacher to arrive. "Hey there!" came the exclamation. I spun to find Jenny, the new girl walking towards me.
"Hey," I replied awkwardly, never really being the social butterfly.
"Mr Martin is the physics teacher's name, right?"
"Yup."
She chuckled nervously, twirling the end of her hair with her finger.

"Um, would it be okay if I hung out with you at break times? I'm not really doing well making friends and stuff," she asked nervously.
"Please make your way into the class quietly," Mr Martin said, unlocking and opening the classroom door. Everyone rushed in to get seats. For some reason, everyone was always very keen. Meanwhile, I'd lost Jenny in the wave of people.

I sat down as usual, and somehow, Jenny had found her way to me. "Hi," I said awkwardly as she out her books down,
"So, is it okay?" She asked, regarding the previous matter.
"Oh sure, after this is break, so, where is your locker?"
"Science wing, just down there."
"That's where mine is as well, just put your books away and I'll wait in the science wing, just meet me there." She nodded and we began copying the notes off the board.

We were having a physics test in a week. Oh joy.

After putting my books back into my locker and grabbing my food, I waited by the lockers with Ella as I had promised earlier. "She's new?" Ella continued interrogating.
"Yeah, she just arrived a few days ago," I replied, looking down the hallway.
"Is she pretty?"
"Yeah, she's okay."
"Is she skinny?"
"Uh, yes. From these questions, I assume you feel she's a threat to your current position as most absolutely gorgeous girl in the year?" I laughed. She pouted and crossed her arms.
"Is she just taking her time?"
"I'm sorry I took so long," Jenny said slowly. Ella stopped talking and we both turned to see her walking towards us. "I stopped by the canteen because I left my food at home."

I could see the look of disapproval in Ella's eyes at Jenny's choice of food - a large serve of deep fried chicken nuggets. I too understood the health implications of this, but then again, it was up to people to decide what they wanted to eat.

I glanced from the chicken nuggets to my container of freshly cut cucumbers and carrots. Eating healthy wasn't fun, but it was good for my health, and hopefully would then help my studies. It wouldn't hurt to lose some weight and become fitter either.

"Okay, we should head out and find a spot to sit down and eat," I suggested, leading the way. We decided to sit in the shade on the grass near the drink fountains.

It was strangely silent as we ate our food, and well, I was never exactly good at this whole 'making friends' gig.