Moonlit

six

You guys better thank me for writing this chapter, I think you'll like it (: 

Also, there is going to be mature language—but not much—so warninggggg.

-R

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With Jake's stiff body paralyzed so close to me, the intimidation caused me to lack in focus. Keeping my eyes ahead of me, I managed to moderately concentrate on the attractive teacher.

Mr Fern sat himself down on one of the unoccupied desks, leaning back on his hands and crossing his legs that were clothed in grey trousers.

As if it wasn't the most horrid idea in the world, he said casually, "I want you and your partner to compose a vocabulary of negative words." His poisonous words filled my stomach, pressing against the sides and rising to clutch around my heart. I gritted my teeth together.

Before anyone could ask he explained, "I don't know about you, but a basic use of words when there are over a million in the English language makes me want to eat my shoe and shit out the laces." In front of me, Jace's—as well as the majority of the students'—cheeks turned red from laughter at Mr Fern's amusing choice of words.

I, on the other hand, felt my lips tighten into a straight line. Why negativity? Why not something that could've warmed the chilling silence between me and him? And no, I haven't forgotten: why him?

Trying to brush off the eerie feeling of Jake's eyes on me, I raised my hand. Once I had caught Mr Fern's attention, he asked, "What's up, Miss Brooklyn?"

"Why are we being limited to only negative words?" I asked while mustering all of the sweetness I could produce in my voice. Jace turned his head to me and rolled his eyes dramatically, completing it with a wide grin.

"Don't worry, Tahli, we'll be writing up a positive vocab tomorrow so we aren't left on a sour note this weekend."

Oh, perfect. More partner work.

"Great," I muttered under my breath sarcastically as white sheets of A4 paper were being passed up the rows. Jace gave me a solicitous look as he handed me the last sheet, his eyes dancing sympathetically from Jake and I. I guessed he noticed the blank stare I was receiving. I widened my eyes obscurely as if to say help me but he merely shrugged an I don't know what to do, sorry and spun back around, abruptly beginning a conversation with the quiet, pretty European girl next to him.

Feeling like banging my head against the table, I leaned all my weight into the black chair I was planted on while tapping my pen against the page uneasily, spotting it with small ink marks.

I let out a shaky sigh as a result of the growing sensation of Jake's sheer gaze sending daggers into my bloodstream and suddenly, I felt self-conscious. I had never thought my appearance to be anything near extraordinary—I didn't own eyes that carried seas or the sky, my face wasn't perfectly symmetrical and my body wasn't as curvy as I would've liked. I wasn't a beautiful form of art like those in my home. I wasn't compared to sunsets spilling out colors of pink and oranges; I was much more similar to a dirt road; drowned in dreary colors, fragile and trodden on until it's wholeness turns to wisps of crushed dust.

It doesn't matter what he thinks of you, I thought. He's just another guy that doesn't know the meaning of 'manners'.

Tilting my head in attempt of letting my loose hair partially cover my face, I mentally scanned my vocabulary in search of a fancy word to somewhat impress Jake and hopefully make him begin to believe that I'm not as unintelligent and dull-witted as he made out to be.

"How about 'grotesque'?" I asked nervously, yet silently proud of my quick thinking. Hoping for some recognition, our eyes contacted. His eyes weren't as dark as they usually were; I noticed the slight contrast between his pupils and his rich brown irises. Thick eyelashes beat around his eyes like wings. I swallowed down the urge to compliment them as well as the need to pinch myself for even thinking of that.

He finally dropped his fixed look, resting his chin upon his muscular arms. My eyes travelled up to his shoulder which was covered in a black t-shirt again, then to his strong jawline. "Whatever," he muttered blandly in his deep voice.