Flawless (Camren)

Chapter 1

The first Homeroom at the beginning the school year had never been something I looked forward to. I would prefer to sit in math class and do formulas and trigonometric shapes instead of hearing Mr. Dawson ramble aimlessly. He gave us his usual speech and lectured us about the importance of teamwork and standing together as one classroom and one entity. It wasn't the first time that I had him in Homeroom and the last time he held the exact same speech.

I had never understood why it was so important for him that everyone got along considering that Homeroom was the only time we all sat together. We all would go our own ways after the bell rang, or at least most of us. Everyone will forget the speech Mr. Dawson held as if he never said anything. I knew that I would forget his speech, like everyone else, so I stopped listening after the first two minutes.

It was my last year and I had not planned on making new friends. Where was the point in it? Just like after Homeroom, in life we all would go separate ways after the end of this year, with the difference that I won't see anyone in this room again, so why should I make things complicated?

I was usually one of those people who actually paid attention in class, but right now playing with the pen in my hand while staring out the window seemed so much more interesting. I observed some birds flying in groups, rising up in the air and swirling around, and it seemed to work because the next thing I knew, I was hearing the high pitched noise from the bell. I almost didn't notice what was going on and most students already got up when Mr. Dawson's voice spoke again.

"Hey, not so fast" He held us back. "Please sit down again and listen to what I have to say'', everyone did what he said and went back to their seats with a few protests and annoyed groans. Since I never had the chance to stand up, I could just stay where I was and I leaned back letting out a relaxed sigh, while I kept listening. "Good, now I want that you turn to the person next to you" I followed Mr. Dawson's instruction and gave the person next to me a shy smile, which she didn't return.

I was actually not a shy person, but it was as if I had no other choice with her. She always had this effect on me. I didn't know where this came from because we neither had a conflict, nor did we have anything else to do with each other. I couldn't even remember her voice to be honest.

It wasn't that she didn't talk. She did. However, she would rarely talk and only then when a teacher asked her to.  Not more than a few teachers did that, though. And no one ever did it when I was around, at least not that I remember.

Even after a few seconds passing, she still didn't smile back. Her gaze was cold and emotionless, it was so intense that I got goosebumps over my whole skin. I couldn't even tell whether she looked at me, or just past me but in both cases, her attention wasn't on me.

Once everyone followed Mr. Dawson's instruction he continued speaking. "Five questions'' He said and I turned back to him. ''Everyone has to come up with five questions. After that, you have to meet up with your partner and ask them your five questions. When you're done with that you're going to write me an essay about it. This essay will contain what question you asked, why you asked these questions, what your partner's answers were and what you think about the answer. You have one week, everything clear?"

Everyone nodded and gave a halfhearted 'yes'.

When Mr. Dawson officially ended the lesson I started packing my things together, so that I could turn back to my partner. But when I turned back to her, she was already gone. I looked around and saw that she was just leaving the classroom.

I jumped out of my seat and ran after her. ''Hey, wait!" I tried to get her attention, but it seemed like she couldn't hear me. Before she could disappear in the crowd of students I gripped her wrist.