Playing With Fire - COMPLETED

C3 - we were the perfect match, maybe that's why we burnt out

'But the memories are still in my mind,
burning like smoke and fire' - Sabrina Carpenter

it was almost the end of the day. just another hour until I could get out of the classroom and away from him. thankfully he wasn't in my class after lunch and I had hoped he wasn't in my last class of the day. luck was unsurprisingly not on my side as I stepped into the classroom to see him sitting in the second row next to a new friend I presumed. I took a deep breath as I usually did when I got anxious. This was English class and surprising even with my new reputation as Ari Cooper I had zero friends in my English class and just because he was in this class and me sitting front row as per usual would make my presence to him crystal clear, I was had no desire to move myself out of the place in the room where I focused the best. I sat quietly as Mr Kentworth walked in apologetically for being late. "Ugh!" my head fell onto my desk.

"Yes, a double English session can be torture. one at the beginning of the day and the other at the end. a drag for us all but I would rather you keep your opinions to yourself Ari." a couple of snickers could be heard from different areas but one laugh in particular that I could recognise anywhere. caught me off guard. I fought the urge to turn around to make sure it was him and succeeded. I kept my back turned away from him and gripped my pen to keep my focus on my work.

my interruption earlier was long forgotten when Mr Kentworth began to inform us of our next assignment but midway through his sentence, I heard a clatter from behind me. I turned around and so did basically the entire class to investigate where the loud sound was coming from. Coincidentally when I turned around to my right I made eye contact with a certain pair of piercing oceanic blue eyes. a smile emerged on his face. I tried to fight it but a small smile started to form on mine.

"Noah. Something you want to say?" I jumped a little at Mr Kentworth's voice and I turned around as he continued. "Anyway if Noah is finished playing 'Bob the Builder' i would like to continue talking about what you will analyse for your essay. Most of you did your oral's on the perception of women in the 1960s and how it has changed throughout the years, that was a beginning of the basis of your assessment. You will be looking at the ads on tv in the 1960s to now and comparing them. Now, this session you'll be doing research so feel free with listening to music but if I can hear it no more headphones. now get to it."

the best thing by far in my English class was that he let us listen to music so I took no time to pull my earphones out of my pocket and pressed play on my Spotify then cracked up the volume to drown out the rowdy group of slackers in the back row. Midway through a video advertising Folgers Coffee, someone nudged my shoulder. Pulling out my earplugs and turning to my right where I was nudged. Cole, the guy who sat next to me who pointed to Mr Kentworth.

"Yes?" He gave me a sympathetic look, both of them did.

"Ari, can you hear that?" I heard the kind of subtle sound of blackbear coming from my earphones. I turned to Mr Kentworth and replied sheepishly.

"Sort of." I awkwardly laughed.

"I'm sorry but you know the rules." he held his hand out to take them from me. I gave them to him then glanced at the time. thirty-five minutes left and with no earplugs, I knew that time would drag on forever.

"Uh Mr Kentworth, maybe it was loud because she wanted to block out everything else out, I mean it is pretty loud." That voice. of course, he would intervene. he was a people pleaser, hated people hating him.

"yes it is loud Noah but the volume of the music adds to everyone else's sound doesn't it Ari." I nodded in reply. "now Noah back to work, this is not your issue, unless you too would like to have your headphone privileges revoked too." god he had just made everything worse. sure that the fact that I couldn't listen to music had pissed me off but id rather just get on with my work then go. after what felt like an eternity I couldn't handle it anymore. I got myself excused to go the bathroom and I rushed out of their like my butt was on fire. I heard my name being called from behind me. my earphones were still in place to it gave me an excuse to pretend to not hear him call for me. I was in the corridor when I felt myself being pushed and my earplugs being ripped out of my ears. my books were dropped and my eyes followed them to the ground. school hallways were the worsed I knew this already, but there was no way I put up with pushy people.

"Hey!" I raised my head so my eyes met with the person who pushed me. blue eyes. of course, it was Noah. my blood began to boil I was sick of him in my life. "Get. off. me." I gritted my teeth. it turned away from him. 

"No!" he gripped my shoulders and pulled me around to face him again. "I want to know why you won't talk to me," he yelled, fuming with anger.  I remembered when he was sweet and caring but this wasn't the same boy. when I saw that dangerous look in his eyes it was clear he had changed. we were never the ones to argue. but things got heated and he went across the line. the last thing I remember is lying on the ground in pain. his once oceanic eyes turned icy cold. he was fuming with anger. he pushed me. I feel straight to the ground. my skirt moved up my legs. his eyes shot straight to my thighs, he gasped.