Paper Birds

Chapter 12

Jeremy P.O.V 

In that very next morning I decided to show up early to school for once. 

I waited patiently beside Melody's locker, couldn't help but pray that she would decide to be my partner. 

I also decided to dress better too. Through the giant amount of clothes piled everywhere on the floor, I managed to find something to wear. 

A nice, clean white T-shirt with a pair of loose fitted jean's. Not my very go-to punk look, but very casual, So it was good enough. I didn't wear my old sneakers either, Instead I wore my white pumas that my step mom bought me for Christmas. I never wore them of course, but they still looked relatively new. 

I even cut my hair to ear length, which was something my Dad wanted ever since I allowed it to grow out. I looked as if I was going to ask this girl out to a date rather then a art project. 

 I knew the way I usually dress bothered Melody, so I didn't want that to influence her choice. 

As I continue to wait at her locker, I felt a hand smacking right into the back of my head. 

Infuriated, I turned around getting ready to give this asshole something he asked for before I saw who it was. 

A thin girl, who is much more taller then I am (which by the way, I'm 5'11) with an awkward length dress, and short blonde hair. 

"Oh... Hi Sam." 

She grinned, placing her hands right at her narrow hips. "Hiya Jeremy, you don't have to pretend that you don't miss me." Her grin widens, showing a bit of her crooked teeth. 

God, will this girl ever consider braces? 

"No I don't, and honestly never will." She laughs-or at least I think she is, shaking her head slowly. "I love it when you play hard to get." She says as she moves closer to me "So I herd your looking for an art friend. Where can I sign up?" 

Fear struck me, as I looked straight at her smiling face "How did you know I was?" 

She shrugged, dropping her hands from her hips. "Delilah told me." 

I feel betrayed by Delilah as much as I appreciate her. She must've think that I wouldn't get a shot with Melody, or chicken out. 

Gee, thanks Del for having so much faith in me. 

But I couldn't blame her. So I quickly retaliated, because there's no way in hell I'm going to be her partner. I'm desperate but not that desperate. 

"I already have a partner." 

Her grin, quickly turn to a frightening frown. "Oh do you?" 

"Yes ma'am. I'm working with Melody on this one. Maybe next time?" 

She punched me in my arm, which hurts more then I anticipated it to be, and walked away hearing the words "Jerk" slip from her mouth. 

The beast was gone, and I felt relieved at that. 

So I was back to waiting, rubbing the spot on my arm where Sam punched me.  I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Not nervous because of Melody, nervous because Sam is pissed. So doing all of this better be fucking worth it because I just put my life in jeopardy . 

I stood beside her locker for a good thirty minutes, and its two minutes before the late bell. 

Where the hell is she? 

Right when I was going to give up, I see a small silhouette rushing down the hallway. 

As the figure got closer, I was able to recognize who it was. 

God dammit about fucking time. 

Melody quickly gets to her locker, opening it in a few quick turns. Her locker pops open like magic, as she begins to stuff her belongings inside, including her freshly-yet destroyed bouquet of roses. 

She doesn't even acknowledge I'm there until she closes her locker. When she finally noticed me, She gasp dropping her Geometry book.

"Holy hell you scared the fuck out of me." She huffs quietly, placing a hand on top of her chest.

"Gee, I was starting to think I turned invisible with you just walking past me like that." I sighed, folding my arms. 

Her eye's squint at me, tilting her head slowly. "Jeremy...? Jeremy is that you?" 

I was a bit surprised when she asked me. 

She didn't recognize me? 

"Nope,  I'm Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya De La Rosa Rami-" 

"Yep that's you." 

I chuckled quietly, holding a good smile to her. "Of course, who did you thought I was?"

She shrugs, picking up her Geometry book from the floor. "No one really, you just look different." She stood back up, smiling back at me. "Not bad Jeremy, you cleaned up nicely." 

"So... does that mean we are partners now?" 

Her smile slowly faded, raising her eyebrow slowly. "Um... well I'm still thinking about it." 

"Your shitting me right?" I took her free hand, and held it right in front of my face. "Look, Melody I'm sorry about the hallway thing, and I'm sorry for being an asshole before then. I'll make it up to you later but right now.. " I squeezed her hand, not too tightly but firm. "I really need a partner for this project." 

I could see the discomfort in her eyes. It must've made her feel really weird that I'm holding her hand like this, but I don't care. I'm trying be as sincere as much as I can. 

She stood there awkwardly for a few moment's before I could hear a small chuckle. Then that chuckle erupts into a loud laughter. 

"Jeremy you fucking weirdo!" she hunched over, pulling her hand slowly away from mines. "That's all I ever wanted to hear from you. Of course I'll be your partner." 

After hearing those words, I couldn't even think. I quickly lunged forwards and picked her up from around her waist, twirling her around in my arms. "Thank you Melody!" I shout in utter glee. 

"Yeah, yeah your welcome.. Now put me down!"