Stormy

Chapter 2

When I get to project class with the girls the next day, the DJs are already there. They all cramped into the back of the classroom, joking around and trying not to take any notice of us. We return the favor and sit down in front of them, giving our best to ignore them and their childish behavior. "I really can't believe we have to work with these guys...", one of the girls whispers to us, "They're like kindergartners." "Plus look at all their macbooks, I bet most of them can't even play a real instrument.", I laugh and the others join me. We are interrupted, when Mrs. Verholen gets up to announce the task for today's class: "Alright everybody, please listen up! For today's class we would like you to split up in groups of four and work on the topic "How can a musical collaboration succeed?" We want your work handed in as soon as the bell rings!" I immediately get together with Emma and two other girls I like, but then Mr. de Vries comes up to our table: "Excuse me ladies, but I will need you to mix up the groups for me. We want both classes to mingle, so I will need two of you to go over there and change groups with two of the guys.", he says friendly, but when he sees our annoyed stares, he says empathically: "Okay, so that will have to happen now." The two other girls at our table shrug their shoulders and sloooowly get up and over to the other table. And guess who Emma and I got to replace them. 'Dreamyhead' and 'Mr. I'm so cool' in his leather jacket. They slowly sneak over to the table and put down their macbooks without even saying a word to Emma and I. They start vigorously typing on one of the macbooks and don't even take notice of us, when we ask them to start the project now. Instead, they each put on a pair of headphones and off they are into another world. Annoyed, I get up and pull down Dreamyhead's headphones. "EXCUSE ME!", I say, "I know you guys don't want to work with us and neither do we want to work with you, but could we finally get started now?" Before Dreamyhead gets to answer, his buddy says: "Nah, not interested. I mean you can work on that if you want, but we will work on some real shit and not your average little school project. We have a show to play in Ibiza this weekend." Dreamyhead says nothing again and just stares at me. I hate to admit it, but his eyes are fascinating. Stormy, as I called them before. His friend shoots him a gaze and it's like he wakes up to say: "Yup. I mean, it's bad enough that we even have to work with you guys on one of these songs, so don't bother us now. Alright?" Then he puts his headphones back on and continues to work with his friend. Emma and I roll our eyes and just decide to do our own thing. I mean it was not our fault that they were not able to be cooperative. Emma and I work out our essays and then hand them to Mrs. Verholen at the end of the period. "What about the essays of Martijn and Julian? They were in your group, weren't they?", she asks me. Alright. Julian was the other name I was still missing. "Well, I am sorry but the two of them preferred working on their setlist for a show in Ibiza on the weekend. We tried our best but they didn't want to join the group.", I exclaim. "But Julie, the topic was making collaborations work. Are you sure you couldn't have tried a little harder?", she asks. I roll my eyes. It was not my fault that those dickheads couldn't make it work. "I tried my best.", I swear to her, "Please, you should've seen them! Can't we change groups again?" Mrs. Verholen, who I usually really liked, shakes her head: "No, I am afraid not. Julie, you are a really good student. I expect for you to try your best for this project." So it is now my job to make them cooperative, thanks a lot! Annoyed, I grab my guitar case and get out of the classroom to catch up with Emma and the girls.

The story repeats itself during the next few days until the week is finally over. After our final class, we all head to the announcement board, where our teachers had put up the list of pairs working together for the end of year project. I mean, I already had a bad feeling about his, but as soon as I see my partner, I sigh in annoyance. Emma next to me does the same. "Can you believe our bad luck?", I ask her. She shakes her head and replies: "No, why??? Do we have such bad karma? What did I do to have to work together with this Julian asshole? I mean you got quite lucky with Dreamyhead compared to me." "I know, but stiiiill. I don't wanna work with him.", I moan. I really wanted a good grade on this project, but with him? Not possible. Just not possible at all.