Story Ideas

The Seatmate

My dad patted my head before driving off. I gripped the straps of my backpack tightly and faced the school entrance. Another year, another new school. My dad was a businessman who worked for his best friend's huge trading corporation. He would often be sent to visit newly established branches of the trading corporation as the acting CEO until the company branch was stable enough to manage on its own. This resulted in my family having to move homes often and me changing schools like they were clothes. This also meant that my education was constantly being disrupted and right now, I am going to be transferring as a third year high school student in the middle of the semester.

Not exactly the best type of life to have since I can't form proper relationships with the people around me, but it will do.

It was not hard to find the school office since there was literally a giant bronze plaque with the words 'General Office' engraved on it in silver. I pushed the glass door open, the sound of bells tinkling as I entered. A cranky-looking, elderly lady with sun-kissed wrinkly skin and bright red lips looked up. She scowled at the sight of me. Her red lips pursed in annoyance, making the large brown glasses carefully perched on her nose appear even bigger as a stray, curly wisp of white hair escaped from her tight grey hair bun. As I neared her counter, she barked out, "Your purpose for coming here?"

I answered, "I'm a new student. I'm here to collect my things."

She sighed in annoyance, her fingers skillfully skimming through her pile of paperwork before pulling out a stapled stack of papers. She handed the papers to me and I hurriedly filled it up. I was more than happy to leave the office after getting my schedule, locker number and seat number. The lady, whom identified herself as Mrs Crows, eyed me so strongly the entire time that I could feel her eyeballs burning holes on my shirt. I was walking down the hallway to find my locker, trying but failing to read the directions printed on the welcome packet. Luckily, the locker area was not far off from the classroom blocks so it was not that difficult to find.

Finding my seat was harder.

In my new school, the system was different from the norm. Instead of the typical high school, my new school was an academy which meant that it had its own middle and high school together in the same school compound. Instead of moving classrooms for different lessons, students were grouped into classes with fixed schedules. Each class had a different fixed schedule set and the teachers would the ones moving around. This also meant that every student was given a fixed seat to use for the rest of the school year. Every student was also given a seatmate to make projects easier to do.

I groaned in frustration as I got myself lost in the winding classroom blocks for the third time, arriving at the same blue classroom door labelled as Class 1-1. The classroom for the middle school level: Year 1, Class 1.

I held out the slip of paper in front of me. Black door. Class 3-1, seat 17. A hand suddenly tapped my shoulder and I jumped in fright, nearly knocking the poor girl behind me who was trying not to laugh. She coughed slightly and smiled at me, "You look lost. Want me to help you?"

Now, I was not the type to ask for help from people I do not know but considering that I had managed to arrive at the same place three times, I figured out that I might as well get help. I nodded at her and she took the slip of paper. After reading it, her face brightened up and she spoke, "Well what do you know, we're actually classmates! I'm Leigh (A/N: pronounced as lee), short for Ashleigh. You must be the new girl Mrs Song, she's the head teacher for our clss, was talking about yesterday."

She gestured towards me to follow her. After walking past numerous doors, we finally arrived in front of a large, black double-doors. Ashleigh knocked on the doors before opening it to reveal a petite woman holding the attendance book. The woman beamed at the sight of Ashleigh and spoke, her voice cheery and welcoming, "I see you found the new girl! Excellent. You can go to your seat Leigh."

Ashleigh smiled at me before returning to her seat. The teacher turned her attention towards me and for such a petite woman, her body language screamed respect but her face show kindness. She grinned at me and spoke, "I'm Mrs Song Hui Xin but just call me Mrs Song. New girl, I believe your name is Faelinn? (A/N: pronounced as feh-lynn) In this class, everyone has a nickname and their real name is only used when asking a question. How about we call you Lynn, yeah? Welcome to Class 3-1 dearie. Go and find your seat!"

I could not help but grin back at her for Mrs Song's voice was so bright and cheery that I could feel my mood becoming better. I greeted her and quickly embarked to find my seat, ignoring the curious stares of my classmates. Seat 17. I chanted in my head as I looked at the metal numbers pasted at the edge of each long table carefully. Spotting the number 17, I hurriedly shuffled towards it only to see a guy on the seat next to it. Seat 18.

My seatmate.

He looked up at me as I neared our table and I felt my breath catch in my throat. He was handsome. He was dashing, attractive, hot, eye-catching, breath-taking, whatever you call it. His looks were one that would definitely turn heads and his eyes. Oh his eyes. They were so entrancing that I was sucked into its deep pools. So deep was I enchanted that I did not even notice that I was dangerously near the edge of our table. I doubled over when my side collided harshly with the edge of the table, a groan of pain escaping me.

A chair screeched as it was dragged backwards and I winced at the ear-piercing sound. I nearly face-planted onto the wooden table but a pair of huge, warm hand held my waist gently, preventing me from doing so. I froze and slowly looked up only to be met with a pair of mesmerising black eyes.

His eyes.

He was standing up as well, his hands on my waist holding me up and our foreheads touching. He smirked at me and spoke, his voice deep, "Nicely done babe."