By The Book

Nine

January 12

I'll skip the getting ready because you know how that goes. I went downstairs to see Mom waiting for me, as always. I didn't want to listen to all the instructions Mom was giving me, but I knew that if I missed something, I could end up with what happened the other night. My hands were healing, but I still wore a bandage over them just in case. Mom got through all the usually regular stuff, and a few new things that were kind of irrelevant. Then she gave me another instruction.

"Today Mrs. Lodd, you know, your second hour social english teacher-is giving a partner assignment for everyone, and she will draw names, you will be with Anthony Clay. You know him right? He's a boy in your second hour?" Did I just hear her correctly? Did she just tell me I get to be partners with Anthony Clay at school? I could feel my heart beating faster and faster, and I tried not to show the crazy excitement in my face.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah I know him." I said, trying to sound casual. She continued to talk about what the project was on, and other details like that, but I could barely focus on that. I was so excited. I actually get to have a chance to talk to Anthony Clay without getting in trouble.

"Got all of that?" I heard my mom say.
"What? Oh, uh, yes." I replied.
"Good. Back to reality." she said, giving me a kiss on my forehead. I started walking out the door, still thinking about what she just told me.

"Goodbye Clarita. I love you." I turned around realizing she was talking to me.
"Uh, bye! Love you too!" I yelled, through the cracking of the door I was walking out of.

I kept smiling. It was hard to control. I know it sounds like I'm freaking out too much about this, but this is like, a once in a lifetime chance. I would never get to talk to my real crush on any ordinary day. When the bus shook up the street up to my driveway, I was still smiling. I usually don't smile a whole lot in the morning, but it was going to be a good day. I could feel it.

" Good morning miss Clarita." said the bus driver.
"Morning!" I replied, more enthusiastic than usual. I got to my regular seat, and sat down, looking out the window.

I was actually kind of excited for school to start. It sounds crazy, because who likes school? But second hour felt so long away, even tho it seems to usually come pretty quickly. I met up with Lauren, no one else, just like in my instructions, and I was still smiling ear to ear. We talked about whatever we were supposed to, and she didn't ask me once why I seemed so happy. Then again, Mom never said she would ask me that. And Mom seems to know everything. Then the bell rang, and I quickly skipped to first hour.

"Goooooooood morning, stringers!" Jam exclaimed, doing a little dance, talking to all of the orchestra students. Everyone laughed. Jam really did know how to get a giggle out of anybody. Even Josh Zeller, who never seemed to smile. He was just always very quiet, and wore his hood up a lot. Although most of the time teachers would tell him to put it down. We did our regular stretches, and then rehearsed our songs again.

When we got through all of the songs, we still had about 10 minutes left, and Jam didn't make us review parts in our songs, so we played some improv games he learned when he did theatre as a kid. I mean, obviously I already knew we would play them, but I didn't expect them to be as fun as they were.

The bell rang in the middle of when we were playing a game called 'Mafia,' and a girl named Bri shouted "I was the mafia the entire time!" and another boy said, "Me too!" and we all laughed as everyone revealed what their role was in the game.

Then I remembered, second hour! I almost forgot! I raced out of the room past a bunch of people, with my stuff in my hands, quickly opened my locker, grabbed some stuff I would need for second hour, (along with a stick of gum) and rushed into Mrs. Lodd's room.

I sat down at my desk, with a smile on my face, and waiting for the final bells to ring. Everyone sat in their desks, surprisingly no one late today, and waited for Mrs. Lodd to walk in, shutting the door behind her.

"Okay everybody, settle down, settle down, shhhh!" she said, calmly. The noise level sounded like the volume was literally being turned down on a knob or remote.

"Today, we are starting a new assignment." While everyone groaned and seemed annoyed, I couldn't help but to smile in excitement, and stare at the back of Anthony's head.

"It will be a partner assignment." Mrs. Lodd continued. Everyone seemed a little bit more pleased with that, than the first time. I just sat up even straighter in my chair, knowing that I get to be with Anthony.
"I will choose the partners, drawing names." Everyone groaned again, but I didn't mind, because I know I am going to get out with luck.

"The project is on this past book we just read Ships Passing the Night." There were a few people who seemed annoyed, but I personally enjoyed that book. Mrs. Lodd explained everything required for the project, and what we were supposed to do, but I was just anxious to get to the partner choosing part.

Finally, Mrs. Lodd picked up her little cup, with popsicle sticks with all of our names written on them, that she would draw two by two. She started saying names.
"Chloe and Ali, Jackson and Kate, Ben and Alex B..." I realized my foot was tapping. When will she say "Clarita and Anthony?"

Then, there it was, those two sticks, that led to her saying that beautiful combination, "Anthony and Clarita." I was very tempted to scream, or get up and start dancing, or something, but obviously that wouldn't happen. I looked over at Anthony, and he turned around to look at me. I smiled at him, and he returned with a shy, pleasant kind of smile.

"You have about 5 minutes left of class, to start brainstorming for your project. Get with your partners!" Mrs. Lodd said.