Famous And Undercover

5. It's pronounced Catlin

Okay so being 10 minutes late on the first day probably wasn't the best first impression to make after not being in school for a year, but you know I was fashionably late- well, in this outfit, I was just late...still.  I rushed into school, which one was home room again? I wandered own the corridor looking. I got out my phone.

Erin, what room are you in? I'm in the corridor and have no idea where I'm going :/

Seconds later...
The door down the corridor opened and Erin came running towards me. She screamed and hugged me.  I laughed and hugged her back.
"What the hell?! When did you get here?!"
"A couple of days ago."
"And you didn't want to tell your best friend?"
" I forgot, I've been at home cleaning the whole time- don't ask"
"Eeek, I'm so happy, how long you staying?"
"All year or longer- I'm on a break. I've missed you so much." I hugged her again.
"Come on before Ms Cooke murders us both." I laughed as we walked back down the corridor.
Just then a group came out of the stair well and even though it had been a year, I recognised them instantly, before us stood.
Julian, Alexis, Ashley, and of course, Ryder James.
Okay, so I had a crush on Ryder. 'Had' as in past tense. Not anymore. I used to have a teeny, tiny thing for him but definitely not anymore.
But damn, I hadn't seen him in a year, and he'd always been hot. But now he was hottttt. His dark hair was slightly dishevelled, his forest green eyes sparkled and that jaw line-
"Nerd when your done staring at my boyfriend-" alexis said placing a hand on his chest. I blinked back from my thoughts and found everyone staring at me. Ryder looked down at the hand alexis placed on him. "I thought we had scared you away forever. Decided to finally crawl out of your sewer."
" decided to finally crawl out of another random guys bed?" I snapped back before I remembered who I was supposed to be. They all looked at me again, shocked. Julian and Ryder smiled.
Alexis stepped forward. "What the fuck did you just say to me, you freak?"
Before I could reply Erin elbowed me in the ribs- right I was the quiet nerd who didn't stand up to alexis and tried to blend in.
"Nothing" I mumbled looking down.
"That's right. You're nothing compared to me and you never will be"  as if to prove her point she grabbed Ryder by the shirt and kissed him, as in she really kissed him- her tongue was practically half way to China.

"keep digging, you might find some self-respect at the bottom of his throat" I murmured before i could stop myself. Erin shot me a wide-eyed glare. 

Julian choked. alexis shot pulled back and shot him a pointed look. But that only made him cut of into a forced cough. I felt Ryder's eyes on me as i held alexis' stare.

"Oh is the little nerd jealous?" She said, in an annoyingly high pitched innocent voice. 

"Jealous of what? Your inability to keep your legs closed long enough to finish a conversation?" Shit! Why couldn't I shut up? This time Julian did laugh. She shot him a lethal glare but that only made him laugh harder. Ryder was looking at me, thoughtfully- he probably thought I liked him like every other girl in school- which I didn't.  The bell rang and people started coming out of the classrooms.
Alexis stepped towards me again, but Ryder stopped her, his hand on her arm, "leave it Alexis" he said, he pulled away and walked to a still giggling Julian, he slapped him upside the back of the head and they both walked away, talking.
"You'll regret that you skank" she said instead, she turned and strutted away, Tamsin following her down the corridor.
"Annnnd, exit alexis Baxter, still the reigning queen of high school bitchery, i see" I said, linking arms with Erin
Erin laughed, "you really pissed her off -your tactics for blending in have gotten much worse-I must say" we walked away.
-------

The rest of the morning was uneventful. I met up with Erin at lunch and we caught up. Talking to Erin felt so normal, she was practically my sister.
Ashley laughed loudly across the room, cutting my attention to that table, where all the populars sat.
-------
"Alrighty, everyone, settle down- that includes you Mr James." I sat down with Erin." Now, for this term, I'm giving you all an assignment-it's non optional, Mr Peterson" she added as Julian raised his hand. He lowered it again and Ryder laughed at him, punching his arm playfully, Julian punched him back," since it's you last year of school, I'm giving you a gift." The class cheered" which is the gift of getting to know your classmates a little better." The cheers died all at once. " I want you to work with someone you've never worked with before- if you don't follow the rules I'll assign the pairs myself" everyone stared moving.
I looked at Erin, maybe she wouldn't notice if we stayed together- or maybe she wouldn't care- me and Erin were quiet students after all-
"I'll work with you Ryder" Alexis said leaning forward on his desk, revealing a little too much of herself.
"Okay, I need someone to work with Samuel- ah, Alexis." Alexis had made the mistake of being the only one still standing up- and she stuck out like a sore thumb- well a slutty sore thumb that was trying to lean seductively over Ryder.
Samuel was always stoned. And didn't care enough about school to contribute in any project- at least this meant Alexis wouldn't get away with making someone else do all the work.
"But-"
"Alexis, don't be selfish- this whole project is about talking to someone new- now come on" alexis walked over to Samuel and sat down.
I thanked every god I knew the name of that for once something had gone right and I'd actually be able to do this project with Erin and not someone-
"Gentlemen, what are you doing?"
"I specifically asked you to pair up with someone you didn't know very well"
"We don't know each other Ms Cooke- I've never see this guy before in my life-"
"Nice try Mr James- but if you can't do this properly, I'm just going to have to reassign the whole class"
Alexis eyed Ryder looking very pleased.
"No" I groaned. Mrs cooks gaze shot to me. she looked between me and Erin, eyed narrowed.
" it appears, you two aren't the only ones incapable of following a simple instruction. Ladies, you clearly already know each other! I don't set instructions for me, I set them for you all," she said, looking around the class " it's supposed to be a learning opportunity. Now, since you four cannot be trusted to do this by yourselves, Ms Johnson- you'll be doing the project with Mr Peterson and Ms Jones - you'll be with Mr James" I felt myself internally combust at the words. I looked over to Ryder and he smirked at me. Oh god what has she done?
" the project is for you to get to know each other- i expect a creative peice to be presented at the end of the project as well"

"What the hell does that mean?" Julian said a little too loudly to Ryder.

"It means, Mr Peterson, write a report or a poem or a passage. maybe draw a piece of art or create something meaningful. Write something, preform something, read something, talk about something. just create something, anything- I don't mind- just find their passion and explore it with yours. be ready to present your piece at the end of the year. You have the rest of the lesson to start planning-good luck, everyone"
The room erupted into chatter.
I looked at Erin. "I don't know you needs more luck, you or me"
I gave her a look that said 'are you trying to hide your real identity too?' And she smiled, "yeah your right- it's definitely you." I groaned.
Someone coughed behind us and i turned to see Ryder leaning against the back wall, his arms crossed. "Hello partner" he said, his voice smooth as silk as he smirked down at me. I stared up at him, my slight smile fading.
"Right, well I should go" Erin stated, standing up, my attention flashed back to her and their was something in her eyes as she said to me, laughing slightly " I think you'll be fine" she crossed the room to Julian.
He sat down next to me.
"So nerd, any ideas?" Irritation flared within me. 
"I have an idea," I said turning to him "since we're stuck with each other, how about, you try and use my real name?"
Surprise flashed across his face, which was soon replaced by amusement. I looked away. Damn not again, I needed to sound more like the shy pushover I was supposed to be.
When he didn't say anything for a while, I looked back at him, he was staring at me.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing. You just, you remind me of someone"
Oh shit. "who?" I asked, trying to sound indifferent.
He shook his head " someone I- just someone I used to know"
"Well, we don't really talk, so." I said,  trying to lead him away from his thoughts. I had known Ryder when I was younger- apart from having a crush on him- our parents were friends and when we were young, he used to play with me and my brother all the time. They were my god parents in fact- but I hadn't seen them since my parents died. My brother got custody over me since he was 18 at the time and I was almost 16, plus I was away a lot so at there really was no point. but Ryder and i...we used to be  friends. not anymore.

"well lets change that, nerd"

I scowled and he chuckled.
"If you don't want me to call you nerd then, what's your name again?"
"You know me" I said turning towards him. i was going to add-'since you were a baby' but stopped myself I'm time. He raised an eyebrow. " catlin. I've gone to this school for three years"
" ah, technically it's two years- since you didn't bother to turn up last year" he said leaning back in his chair, so he did know who I was- well who I was pretending to be.
The bell rung. " See ya later, nerd" he said. i slung my bag over my shoulder and stopped in front of him, so he couldn't leave.
"It's pronounced catlin- sorry if that's too much for your little brain to wrap itself around" I corrected before I walked away.
God he was infuriating.