The Love Project [on Hold]

Chapter four: What If I Don't Want To?

Chapter four: What if I don't want to?

Alexis' p.o.v

/ / / / /

''Hello, my dear friends!'' Our Headmaster boomed. A wide smile lay plastered on his face as his eyes roamed the packed classroom. Yet, everyone had their attention focused on the two wooden bars on either one of his side's.

''Friend my arse,'' a voice a row behind me muttered grumpily. The people who had heard the spoken words sniggered.

''The first day of the Love Project begins,'' he beamed down at all of us. ''Who else is as ecstatic about it as me?'' His dancing bug-eyes scanned the room of scowling High school seniors and his smile seemed to brighten. He chuckled. ''Why so gloomy?'' He joked. Needless to say that no one laughed.

''Gosh,'' Ava huffed next to me, ''how is that man so happy?'' She illuminated her phone. ''It's only 8:10 in the morning!''

''I've always asked myself that and have never come up with a valid answer,'' Noah answered.

I nodded my head. ''I guess that'll always remain a secret.''

''I presume you have all successfully gone through your questions yesterday,'' Mr. Mackentosh stated. Readjusting his glasses.

My eyes immediately snapped to a guy sitting at the back of the room. His hands rested in his usual black hoodie, the front strands of his golden-brown hair peeked out of the hood that covered the rest of his honey colored hair. The white wire from his earplugs could slightly be seen. He lazily sat on his chair, his leg bobbing up and down to the rhythm of the music only he could hear.

Just as I glimpsed at him, his navy blue eyes diverted to me. We held eye contact for a mere second. His gaze too penetrating, so I turned back around and looked at the headmaster.

''Today is just going to be an exercise for the upcoming months,'' he spoke clearly, ''a preparation.''

Everyone looked slightly more curious, yet they tried to conceal their interest.

''As you may have noticed, there are two wooden bars sticking out of the floor,'' he addressed everyone's earlier curiosity. '''What are they for?' You may have been asking yourself. Well,'' he clapped his hands together causing a resounding echo to bounce off the classroom. ''It is for me to demonstrate the exercise.''

A slackline was bow-taut between the two wooden bars. ''You'll have to balance over this,'' Mr. Mackentosh started off, ''well you know what? On second thought you just have to get over without touching the ground. See it as the floor is lava and you don't want to burn yourself.''

He paused a moment as he pondered on what he had just said.

He continued, ''It is impossible for someone to get over this without some help. Your partner is going to help you successfully master getting over the slackline. How? Well, that is quite simple. There will be a rope on the other side of the tree. In order of it being taut, your partner will have to grip it tightly and you should get over easily.''

His friendly eyes strayed over our faces. ''Any questions?''

Everyone stayed silent. That is until the hand of a guy shot aloft. ''What is if we don't want to do it?'' He asked.

Ava's head turned to look at Noah and I. Her eyebrow was raised. ''I must admit Nathan's questions are smart.''

Noah snorted and looked at her unbelievingly. ''Nathan's questions are annoying.''

Ava's eyes blazed. ''At least he's brave enough to ask what everyone is thinking,'' she shot back.

I rolled my eyes at their childish argument. ''God, guys!'' I exclaimed, ''It doesn't matter. Either way, it doesn't change the fact that he's going to keep asking.''