A Change Of Heart

19

November 5th, 1967

1:55 p.m.

"This week and into the next two weeks you'll all be doing a current world project. I've assigned each group a topic and I've also picked out your partners." Mrs. Francis spoke, looking around the room at the sea of bored and unimpressed students.

I rolled my eyes, I already hated this class and on top of that the mention of the word "project" had always made me cringe. Especially when it was a project you had to have a partner for. I always preferred to work by myself.

Tom had actually shown up to class today, sitting in the front attached to Molly's hip. We hadn't talked much and I couldn't blame him, I wouldn't want to talk to me either, especially after I'd bawled him out.

"We'll begin by pairing you up and I'd like if you'd move to sit next to your partner to begin discussing the syllabus."

"Here we go..." I mused quietly, it would be just my luck I'd get paired up with somebody who didn't do their work.

"Helen and Ross, Danny and Paul, Molly and Rebecca..." she drawled on quickly losing my interest. At least I didn't have to worry about being paired with Danny. A small smile crossed my features, ever since Tom and Danny's fight Danny had in fact left me alone.

"Tom and Luna."

My head snapped up, as I grabbed an instruction sheet that had finally made its way to the back, watching Tom move to the back of the room to take a seat next to me. There had to be a mistake, this couldn't be correct.

"Ma'am..." I raised my hand as she continued to read names off the handwritten list in front of her. Cautiously pulling out the chair next to me, Tom smiled shyly a rosy color painting his cheeks as he gave a simple nod.

"There has to be some kind of mistake..." I couldn't work with Tom, I was trying to move past Tom but it seemed he kept appearing just when I had really set my mind to it. The irritating part of the whole thing being that he didn't even have to be present to make me slip back into the memories of days gone by, he was constantly on my mind.

"Miss Lovejoy, is there a problem?"

"Yeah, are you sure this is the correct set up? I mean are you positive Tom and I are supposed to work together?" My voice shaking as I watched her look back down at her list and nod.

"Yes, you two will be researching the first successful human to human heart transplant." She smiled haughtily, going back to reading names on the list.

"Fantastic..." I mumbled, blushing a bit when I felt Tom's eyes studying my every move. I couldn't help but smile a bit at how bizarre the situation was. What were the chances that we weren't speaking and we had to do a project together?

"I'll go to the library after school gets out and get some books and stuff."

"I'll go too..." he mumbled, twiddling his thumbs before shyly blushing over at Molly making me roll my eyes.

"No, I'm sure you and Molly are doing something later and I wouldn't want to inconvenience you two in any way."

"You won't be." He spoke abruptly, smiling his normal gentle smile which made me want to slap him. He made it so hard for me to stay mad at him and I couldn't figure out why.

"Tom, it's just better if I do it myself."

"Stop being so stubborn...." he paused narrowing his eyes at me, "did you not hear her say we're partners?" His tone now serious and unwavering as he clasped his hand around his opposite wrist.