Au Revoir

1

I stared at the clock. Just one more minute until seventh hour is over. I probably looked a little strange, counting down the seconds, totally tuning out the boring lecture on different governments around the world. That didn't seem to bother me right now though. I couldn't wait for French class.

30 seconds.

I loved French in general ever since eighth grade, but I felt like this year was going to be different.

15 seconds.

Good or bad, I'm not sure. I just have a gut feeling.

Ring.

Everyone simultaneously stood up grabbing there stuff. I saw my friend Maddie walk over to me.

"Well that was the most boring thing I've had to listen to. You ready to get eighth hour over with?" She said with one of her signature smiles.

"Duh. Let's go!" I state raising my lips into a fake smile that everyone loves so much.

As we walk down the hallways people said hi and waved to us like usual. I gave the biggest smile I could find and waved back, so I didn't seem rude while Maddie was acting like she was on the red carpet. Maddie and I are considered to be popular I guess, and have been since Sophomore year. The only reason we are friends is because she likes the manufactured me, and I'm too forceless to tell her to go away. It's not all bad though. She has someone to rant to 24/7, and I can feel like I have a real friend.

Soon we part ways since she has English class next. When I reach the French room I walk in to see pieces of paper with names on them at each spot. I start searching for my name when I spot a kid in the back corner.

He had bright red hair (obviously dyed) with red glasses, and his face held a concentrated expression while reading a thick book. I got lost in his appearance for a good half a minute before snapping out of it and finding my seat. I sat two desks ahead of him in the same row.

After a few minutes the bell rang for class to start and a woman in her late twenties walked in setting her stuff on the teachers desk. She walked to the front of the full class with a cheerful demeanor.

"Bonjour! My name is Mme. Swanson and I'll be your French teacher this year."

That was all I remember her saying since I got lost in my daydreams. That guy just seemed so... different. Different in a good way. I wanted to get to know him, but how will I break the ice? Maybe make it look like an accident? Probably.

Thoughts like this took over my head the whole hour. The bell finally rang and I put my awkward plan into action. I shoot up from my desk, grab my stuff, and keep my head low.

Just as I expected I rammed into someone making the person drop all their stuff.

"Oh my god I am so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going." I say pretending to be shocked.

While squatting down to help him pick up his things I hear him sigh and mumble something along the lines of "It's fine". After we finished we both stand up with our things.

"My name is Jessie. Are you new here?" I say quickly to start a conversation.

"Um yeah. I-I'm Alexander." His head was tilted down, and he seemed really tense.

"Well it is nice to meet you Alexander." He glanced up at me for a second to see if I was looking at him.

"Okay, you too." I watched him rush off, leaving my the only student left in the room.

That night I laid in my bed thinking about my encounter with Alex. Why did he seem so scared? Why was I drawn to him? Why did he remind me of myself?