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Jade sits tensely in the back of the large classroom. Looking, more like glaring, back and forth between the front door and the empty seat next to McClain, the girl that separated Jade and Kinsey, or at least their seats.
The brunette is jittery at the idea of the obnoxious blonde coming through those doors. Outlandish scenarios contrived by Jade's active imagination instills more fear into her. Scenarios that varied from the blonde coming in and completely raging at the brunette and exposing her actions or the blonde ignoring what happened between the two of them. There was another scenario, but it was more of a fantasy as it involved Kinsey coming into the class and confessing her love for Jade while smothering her with kisses. That scenario made Jade smile momentarily before she feigned being uncomfortable with such a queer thought.
The pencil nearly flies out of Jade's fiddling fingers as the school late bell sounds in all its glory. The sound interrupted Jade's intense thinking and fear.
She doesn't know why she feels more dismay at the blonde's absence.
"Okay class, before we begin, I'd like to discuss our traditional beginning-of-the-year project."
As if on cue, the entire classroom of merely 20 students erupts in agitated ughs.
"It's September!" A random student shouts.
"Did I ask?" Mrs. Rodriguez snaps back, glaring at the boy who said it. "I know you all are hesitant," The teacher starts, "But this will be somewhat of an enlightening experience for you guys, I promise."
Jade is essentially open to the idea of learning something new but she just hopes that this project doesn't consist of-
"Partnerships! There will be partnership pairings for this project due to all that has to be covered!" Mrs. Rodriguez announces, combatting Jade's internal wishes. "I will not accept any individual projects and there will be no partner switching unless you can convince me, which I highly doubt."
Jade slumps deeper into her plastic blue chair. To say she is dissatisfied is a bit of an understatement. Jade and new people did not mesh well together and that was quite evident through her awkward encounter with Kinsey. The brunette always thought there was something wrong with her. She never understood why her encounters with new people were so awkward, but then again, she is an awkward person in general.
"Before I share the contents of the assignments, I will have partners picked first, along with the specific assignment your pairing will be in charge of."
It seems to the class that Mr. Rodriguez does not play. Her experience in the field of teaching, oozes from her precautionary rules on the assignment.
The short and stocky redhead woman takes hold of two turquoise beach buckets filled with slips of paper and starts towards the first desk by the front door of the classroom. Her barely one-inch black heels clink against the floor as she walks at a steady pace.
