The Switch (GirlxGirl)

Chapter 10: Clever or Insane

Song: City Club - The Growlers

Elizabeth turns to me in class during a lecture and smiles. Gesticulating and looking over the class, she continues her lecture.

"See electron configuration is like speed dating." She opens while gesturing to an electron configuration she's drawn on the board. Everyone stares at her dumbfounded but I only stare at her with a grin. "Everyone finds a partner..." she looks around confidently and her eyes finally land on me. She winks before looking around at everyone. "And in most cases it's a down spin and up spin in each box." She continues to put so much energy into her lecture. It's admirable how interesting she makes everything.

I look around at everyone. They're all either completely engaged or talking with their friends, no in between. I smile at someone who makes eye contact with me. Avalon looks behind herself and grins at me with bright eyes. I give her a small wave and she glances at the person I made eye contact with. She raises her eyebrows as if questioning me about them. I only roll my eyes in response. She needs to stop jumping to conclusions.

"Alright everyone partner up." Elizabeth's clap pulls my attention away from Avalon. Immediately I look back at Avalon who is staring at me hopefully. We grin and I begin to walk towards her desk, a few seats in front of my own. Before I can reach her, one of her well known crushes walks towards her and grabs her attention. I laugh softly to myself, seeing her practically drooling over him. He sits down next to her and I know my chances of being her partner has gone down to zero.

I hear a familiar voice quietly say "shit" before raising their voice louder.

"Hey guys there's an odd amount of you today. Who doesn't have a partner." I watch Elizabeth's eyes scan the room. I look around as well and realise that no one else is coming forward. I sigh and raise my hand.

Elizabeth makes eye contact with me and her eyebrows raise in disbelief. She glances over at Avalon and nods in understanding. I shrug at her and she looks around. Someone is raising their hand. Claire, I think.

"Ms Clarke? Xena can be in our group." Claire says expectantly while gesturing to her friend and herself. Elizabeth chuckles softly to herself in response but I heard her. My smile is inevitable after hearing her amusement so I cover my face, pretending to yawn.

"Actually I don't think that's a good idea." Elizabeth begins and I stare at her, confused.

"Why?" Claire and her friend say in unison, failing at hiding their disappointment. I look back at Elizabeth and when I expect her eyes to be on Claire, she's watching me.

"Because Xena is smart, everyone in this class knows that." I blush at her words and look down at the ground but then back up at her. She's smiling but obviously trying not to look at me. "If I let her be in your group, she'll end up doing all the work herself." That's true, no one in this class would work if they didn't have to. "She'll work with me." Her words make me stop in my tracks.

"What? But you're the teacher. You don't even need to work on this." Claire laughs at the prospect. I look at Elizabeth, just as confused. What does she mean?

"I do actually. I need to make the answer key. Xena will help me with that." She smiles at me which I return with my own. She then looks at Claire who is staring at me with what can only be interpreted as anger or jealousy. To get out of her sight, I begin walking towards Elizabeth's desk with my worksheet and pencil in hand.

"Everyone begin working. This is due at the end of class." She tells them as I pass her. I look at the ground in order to keep my eyes away from her body. Some of the class groans at her announcement. If it were due on the next day, they wouldn't have to work in class and just talk with their partners.