binded

grace ; psychology partners

The entire classroom becomes dead silent, every side conversation coming to a halt. What's the big deal about Zane Lawrence? I don't even know who he is! I stand up, adjusting my inky-black skirt and my white sweater to see who else has stood up. My heart grows an achy feeling as he runs his fingers through his jet black hair. I gulp and we move to sit beside each other. There is something about his appearance that causes me to feel an odd sensation that I never have before.

While the teacher partners everyone else up, I feel the boy's sapphire eyes locked on me. I'm unable to tell if him eyeing me is flattering or making me feel uncomfortable. Let's go with the second option.

"Do you mind?" I ask, pieces of my hair falling in front of my face, "Or are you that just intrigued by me?."

His reaction shifts from confusion to arrogance. Part of me wants to wipe that dumb smirk off his face while the rest of me has a strange emotion that I've never felt in my existence.

"Just admiring my view." he winks before pulling his phone from his pocket.

I catch myself peering over to watch him type in his password and eventually scroll through to find a specific app. He finally presses on Spotify and scrolls through his playlists to find a certain one. Finally, he decides on a playlist entitled My Favs. He shuffles the playlist and the bottom displays the song that he is listening to, Castle of Glass by Linkin Park.

I've only heard of the band a few times and shrug it off, opening up my planner and turning to today's date. While I scribble down what my homework for my second period, AP Calculus, Zane begins to tap his fingers on the table as if he is playing the piano. I give a little scoff as I write down that I need to have my syllabus signed and organize the notebook for first semester.

"Okay class." Mrs. Murray claps her hands and I am startled from my aimless scribbling on the paper, "Today, we are simply reviewing the syllabus for our first semester together."

I check the sheet of paper that she had previously provided for everyone and read over the key details and even highlight certain pieces of information displayed on it.

"Welcome to AP Psychology. This is a college preparatory course that is designed to prepare students for their freshman year of college. During first and second semester, we will be covering the scientific and systematic process of both the behavior and mental process within the human brain and that of other animals." she reads, pacing the room, "Students are introduced to psychological facts, phenomena and principles that are associated with each major sub category within psychology. They will also learn the methods and practices that a typical psychologist will use in order to diagnose a patient."

I push my glasses up the bridge of my nose and take a quick peek in Zane's direction. He sits on his phone, sending text messages to someone with the contact name 'Zoey'. I cross my arms and turn back to face the teacher, feeling odd around him.

Throughout the class, I continue to listen to every aspect of the course and attempt to ignore Zane's actions. Just his subtle mannerisms are distracting me and it is difficult to stay focused as his eyes look me up and down.

When the bell rings, I retrieve my belongings as fast as humanly and leave the class before Juliet can catch up with me. All that I truly need is a distraction from him, and maybe going off campus for lunch will be just what I need.

I find myself in the senior hallway and eventually begin searching for my own locker. Each locker is an alternating color, one silver and one royal blue; the school colors. Once I locate my gray locker, I twist the dial to enter in my combination. I lift up the latch and it pops open, my backpack decorated with an assortment of pins and patches suspended from a hook that has been bolted to the door.

"Gracie." a voice calls out and I shudder, "Isn't that what all of your friends call you? Gracie."

I place my binder on the upper shelf of my locker and slam it shut, "Just leave me alone." I shake my head and turn to see Zane with his lips tugged up in a sneer.

"If you hadn't rushed out of the room, you would've heard that we are supposed to contact each other tonight." he states, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"Do you truly think that I believe that for a second?" I raise an eyebrow, noticing a hint of lying in his tone, "Because I don't."

Zane chuckles, looking down at the tiled floor and then back up towards me, "You've barely even met me and yet I have this bad reputation in your eyes."

"You're the new guy." my hands are on my hips as I suddenly laugh, "And by the way you look, I don't have a good reason to believe a single word that you say."

I stroll away from him and go down another hallway that contains all the junior lockers. Juliet and Penelope are sharing one this year and it doesn't take long for me to find the two chatting. As opposed to using full phrases, both are simply spelling words out. Their conversation involves the two being in similar classes and potentially driving to get coffee after school.

"Hey." I say, then signing for Penelope."Do you two want to go off campus for lunch? I'll drive if one of you pay."

Penelope nods, signing five letters. A-R-B-Y-'-S. I laugh, nodding as I pretend to knock on a door as a way of saying yes.

"Arby's would be great." I say while signing it, "Meet in the commons and we'll drive there."

At the end of the day, I make sure to get to my house prior to Zane being able to find me at my locker. I barely even know the guy yet he makes my skin crawl! As if I have butterflies in my stomach, but not as poetic. More like wasps. Hornets and wasps crashing into the walls of my stomach and forcing their stingers into the intestinal walls. It's more of a bitter feeling, and I can't tell why I seem to enjoy it.

By 5:00, I get a Skype call from Juliet and one of her friends, Ava. She's a junior as well and used to live in Canada. Ava moved to California her freshman year and just like Juliet, she quickly befriended the girl.

Ava and I have never been close, and I can tell that she's been slightly jealous of my tight-knit friendship with Juliet for ages. I'm sure that she is counting down the days until I graduate so she can attach herself to Juliet.

Even though I truly don't want to, I answer the call and their faces appear on my screen. Juliet has her blonde hair in a high ponytail and is wearing a tank top while Ava displays her newly cut hair, attempting to make me notice and compliment her. However, I ignore her attempts and keep a smile on my face.

"Hey guys." Juliet waves, tucking her hair behind her ear, "I actually wanted to ask you guys a question...it's kinda important."

After a few seconds, she takes a deep breath in and frowns, "I think that I like a guy, but he's a senior...his name is Axel."

"Axel Williams!" I yell, pulling at the coils in my hair, "Juliet, he's a total bad boy! He smokes pot, you can't date him!"

"I never said that I would date him, just that I like him." she crosses her arms with a frown."It's not that big of a deal if I like him."

"Yeah Grace, get off her back." Ava says, immediately choosing to defend Juliet without a second thought.

I shrug, "I just think that it isn't the best idea, that's all."

"Whatever." Juliet shakes her head, "I knew that you wouldn't be the right person to ask, you have a pole so far up your ass that it is fucking with your brain!"

"That made no sense whatsoever."

"Shut up Grace!" she yells, pure anger in her voice, "Just because you're older than me, doesn't mean that your judgment is any better than mine."

I've had enough of this. I end the call and grow furious with both of them. Ava shouldn't even get a say! All she ever goes is blindly follow Juliet along like a beaten up puppy. My anger boils over and I slam my laptop shut.