The Project

Chapter 2

I had 2 out of 6 classes with the new kid, which is the same amount of classes I share with Benny.

For some reason, I took an interest to Johnny. He was attractive, anyone with eyes could see that, with his golden skin, dark hair and eyes equally as dark, looking as though they contain a collection of secrets.

He made me curious. I wanted to know what his deal was.

Then again, maybe there was no deal with him. Maybe he's just shy. That's probably it.

But I couldn't help myself, watching him walk into 5th hour, his gaze down at the floor.

Everyone had the same, wondering, expression as me as they watched him walk pass. He finally made it to the desk beside mine, setting his backpack on the floor and sitting down.

His backpack was all black and had some holes in it, along with a broken zipper. It seemed like he might've repeatedly used the same backpack for previous school years.

"Hey, do you have yesterday's homework?"

I look away from Johnny, and instead to Benny who I hadn't even noticed walked into class and sat in his desk behind mine.

"When are you ever gonna do your own work?" I wonder. "How will you ever get to a good college?"

Benny scoffs.

"I don't need college," he responds. "I can just become a professional baseball player or something."

I definitely didn't doubt him. I'm not much into baseball, but I could watch Benny play all day long. I don't know what it was, but it was simply entertaining watching Benny play.

It comes so naturally for him. He was born to play baseball and I was positive about that.

"Alright class, begin the warmup I wrote on the board," Mrs. Peters instructs. The class takes out their notebooks to write the prompt Mrs. Peters had given us.

"Homework or no?" Benny whispers, and I sigh, rummaging through my folder to give it to him. "Thank you!"

I read the prompt written on the board.

"Write about your favorite type of soda and why."

The prompt was strange but easy to write about so I wasn't complaining. I started writing.

My favorite soda is cherry coke because...

English was by far my favorite class. Everything about it made it favorable; the teacher, Benny, and the fact that I'm a natural with reading and writing.

A few minutes of silent writing pass until Mrs. Peters starts talking again.

"Alright, who wants to share what they wrote?" She questions, looking around at the various students. There were few volunteers. Mostly everyone was tired and no one except the nerds sitting in the front row wanted to share. "How about you, Johnny?"

Johnny's eyes widen and he looks up from the notebook he had been writing in.

"Uh, that's okay," he says, earning some laughter from other kids.

Mrs. Peters smiles at Johnny, who hadn't been joking and was clearly uncomfortable. His face had a bright red blush on it.

"It's just a sentence," Mrs. Peters tries to reassure.

Johnny sighs, picking up his notebook and putting it in front of his face so none of the students or Mrs. Peters could see him, except for me.

"My favorite pop is cherry coke 'cause my friends-" He cuts himself off, before continuing. "Because it tastes good I guess."

I look down at my own paper, surprised and now even more intrigued in Johnny because we had the same favorite soda.

A crumpled piece of paper suddenly hits me in the back, and I don't even have to look at him to know it's Benny.

I pick the paper up from off the floor, unfolding it and setting it flat on my desk.

"Your fave soda is cherry coke, isn't it?"

I chuckle, writing a response.

"Yeah! Coincidence?"

Tossing the paper back to Benny, he switches the note with my homework that he had copied.

"Okay guys, I'm going to announce our next project!" Mrs. Peters informs, getting a mixed response of groans and cheers from throughout the classroom. "This project is worth a big grade, our biggest one this whole school year, and you will be working with a partner."

I could practically feel Benny's stare to the back of my head, probably having assumed we could choose our own partners.

"So, the project is to write a 20 page short play and act it out in class when the time arrives," Mrs. Peters explains. That sounded fascinating. "There's a basket in the front of the room where you and your partner will choose a slip of paper that has your play's plot on it. They're all different."

I shrug to myself. That actually almost sounded like it could be fun. Though 20 pages is a lot.

"The project is due in 2 weeks, you'll have to work out of school," Mrs. Peters continues. "Finally, what you're all dying to know, your partner is the person sitting next to you."

Johnny and I look at each other in unison, our eyes meeting again. He looks away in a swift movement.

"What?" Benny says aloud.

I turn around to face him, almost laughing at his disappointed expression.

"Hey, it'll be fine," I reassure. "We can't be partners for everything."

I knew Benny was let down, and of course I wanted to be his partner too, but now working with Johnny, I could see what's up with him, if there is something up with him.

And besides, Benny would be partnered with the pretty girl he sat next to.

"You have the rest of class to choose what your play will be about and to get started," Mrs. Peters decides. I turn to Johnny, who was already looking at me, waiting for me to initiate the conversation.

"I'll go choose a piece of paper and then we can get started," I offer, he nods.

I start towards the front of the classroom, where a few students were surrounded by the basket that contained the little slips of paper.

Once it clears up, I blindly choose a piece of paper, and start reading it on the walk to the back of the room.

"One of your characters is a time traveler and goes back in time to the 1800's, where they fall in love with a person but can't stay with them because the reason they time travel is to prevent the end of the world."

I set the slip of paper on Johnny's desk for him to read. He scans it quickly, eyebrows raising.

"So one of us has to fall in love with the other, but can't stay in the 1800's with them because they're saving the world," I clarify, and Johnny nods. "So, who's house do we wanna work at?"

"Yours," Johnny replies without a moment of hesitation. "If that's okay."

"Yeah, that's fine," I say, jotting my address down on the back of the paper. "Does 7 o'clock work?"

"Yeah," Johnny answers.

"Cool," I smile. "Then let's get started."

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