"So do you like him?" Eli asked as we walked to English, a class we happened to share.
"Who?" I asked.
"Peter. The guy you sat next to." I shook my head.
"No. I just sat there to be friendly but he's quite the womanizer." I joked causing Eli to erupt with laughter.
"Yeah, Classic Peter." He said as we walked into our English classroom.
We both sat in our seats. He sits in the front row with the kids who only think about sports or the meatheads as the rest of the school called them, not that Eli could ever be one of them. And, I sat in the back with all of the nerds.
I know, typical.
The bell rang and once class started the room settled down.
"Today class we will be reading Shakespeare." Mr. Ringley said with his faint British accent.
"We will be reading Henry V." He said as he handed out our packets.
The entire class groaned in unison. No one wanted anything to do with Shakespeare. Not after we all had to act out Romeo and Juliet last semester. I swear Mr. Ringley has a Shakespeare obsession.
Tammy of course didn't have English after lunch so this class was always boring.
"I'll put you all in partner pairs for the project. One of you will write an essay and one of you will take the test." As if on cue, the class groaned.
"Here are your groups. Francesca and Milo, Peter and Jake, Eli and Julia..." And he droned on like that for the next ten or so minutes.
"Now go sit with your groups." He said enthusiastically.
Eli walked over to my seat and took the one behind it. "Thank goodness I know you otherwise I'd be lost." Eli said, patting me back.
I nodded in agreement. I didn't have Tammy in this class so had I been partners with anyone else, I would have been lost.
"So. Do you want to do the essay or the test? I personally want to take the test but it's up to you." He said locking eyes with me causing my heart to flutter.
"Uh, I'll do the essay. You can take the test." I said turning back around to look to the front.
"Now I assume that you have chosen which assignment you will be doing." Mr. Ringley stated, getting everyone's attention.
We all nodded in a bored fashion.
Now that I was going to be writing the essay, I could look forward to many restless nights ahead. It was then that my anxiety remembered it's job.
What if I failed? Would I disappoint Eli? What if he hates me? He can't hate me!
I laughed at myself instantly in my head of course. As if my social anxiety would allow me to make any actual sound!
"Hey you alright Juls?" Eli asked me, concern laced his tone.
I nodded quickly before raising my hand and asking if I might be allowed to use the ladies room.
I stepped into the restroom and immediately released a breath that I didn't know I'd been holding.
"Oh my gosh are you okay?" A girl with long brown hair and big brown eyes asked, seemingly worried.
"Yeah fine." I said, trying to catch my breath.
I hadn't realized it but I of course was out of breath.
"My name is Alli. Who are you?" Alli asked politely.
"I'm Julia." I said, panting slightly.
"Anxiety?" Alli asked knowingly. I nodded.
"Same girl." Alli said knowingly. "English?" She asked again.
I nodded, still panting slightly but otherwise calm. I guess that Alli and I were at the point of 'friendship'. I mean, having anxiety attacks in the bathroom together is quite a bonding experience.
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635 words
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It Began on the Bleachers | ✓
ChickLitJulia Fanning has only ever had one goal in life. Marry a prince. Of course, once she came to terms with the fact that she wasn't going to be marrying a prince anytime soon. She lowered her expectations and met Eli Kingsley.
