Change | E.D

Thirteen

Charlotte

"For our next project, I want you all to work with a partner." The teacher says as she grabs a stack of papers from her desk.
She then goes around and starts placing packets of worksheets onto everyone's desk. 

"What I want you to do is simple. Since this is home ec, I want you guys to make a meal plan for an entire week, keeping the health and nutrition pyramid in mind. On these sheets will be your partner's name, how many people will be in the family you're feeding, and other things that I'm sure you'll ask me questions about."

I internally say a quick prayer that my partner is halfway decent. I pick up the stack of paper on my desk and my eyes immediately flash to the two names up top. When I see the name right beneath mine, my heart gives a quick pound against my chest.

Frustrated that this whole Ethan thing is completely taking over every aspect of my life right now, I rest my elbow on the desk and then rub my fingers against my forehead. He's not even in this class but he still somehow manages to bring me down!

"Hey partner!" A peppy voice says as Alexis grabs the empty desk from beside me and then slides it to where it's right next to mine. She glides in gracefully and then props her chin onto her freshly manicured hand.

I find it almost strange how Ethan's girlfriend can be so nice to me when he's so terrible. "Hey."

Not even bothering to look at the papers on our desks, she says, "So, I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

My stomach sinks when I realise it's probably something Ethan said about me that she's going to think is totally harmless but is really going to kill me inside. It seems like Ethan is a professional at that.

"What?" I ask.

She grins at me, flashing her bright white teeth. "So what's up with you and Isaac? He's so gorgeous!"

My cheeks flash in embarrassment, hating that I've been called out on it. I know the risks of being with one of the popular people while I'm on the complete opposite of that scale, but I guess I never really thought that much of it. I guess I'm just not used to people knowing my business when usually they could just care less.

"Um," I start, not really knowing exactly how to define Isaac and I. We're going on a date, but that doesn't exactly mean we're dating, right? Dating usually refers to going on a number of dates. This is our first one. Goodness, I'm such a newbie at this that it's depressing. "We're just..."

She cuts me off excitedly, "I saw him kissing your cheek this morning, girl, don't lie to me!"

Finding it so strange that Ethan's girlfriend, the girlfriend of the guy who it seems has made it his life mission to mess with my emotions, seems so happy that I have a guy who genuinely likes me, I say, "I don't really know what to call us...we're going out tomorrow night, though."

"Really?" She practically squeals, and I'm not going to lie, her excitement really does make me feel good. It's been so long since I've had someone be genuinely happy for me, actually care that something good is going on in my life, and I love it.

So that's why I completely forget about how this girl is dating the guy I'm in love with and happily gossip with her for the rest of the hour.

-

I'm sitting at the popular kid's table. No, I'm not lying. I'm not trying to fool you; I'm not trying to make you think that you're seeing things. I'm serious. I'm sitting at the same table as the kids whom I've always thought were so out of reach, so intangible, and I'm not going to lie. It's really freaking weird.