Play the Game

Chapter Two

  The next day at school, I was nervous the whole time. Today was the day that Nate and I were officially going out, and I had barely spoken one sentence to him. I found Frank at lunch and told him about my concerns.

  “Shh," he said. He pointed to someone out on the crowd. “I told him to sit with us. Just then Nate approached our table in an unenthusiastic way. He didn't even acknowledge us. Without a word, Nate sat down.

   Frank and I looked at each other on surprise. “I didn't think he would show," I mumbled so only Frank could hear.

  Frank cleared his throat, causing Nate to look up at us. Frank said, “So. Is your first official day of being 'together'. You two have to make sure to be seen together, talking and smiling. And if there are any partner projects, it's you two. Okay?"

   I was surprised at how well Nate seemed to be taking all of this. Sure, he was getting paid, but dealing with Frank hardly made it worth it.

  Nate just nodded and reached into his brown paper lunch bag, pulling out an apple. At that moment, Frank noticed Mark enter the cafeteria. He said,  “Code M, three o'clock," and cocked his head toward the entrance of the cafeteria.

  There he was, Mark, standing at the doors with a few of his best friends. He looked almost as if he had never even left, meaning he carried himself in a way that would make you think he owned the place, or at least he thought he did.

   Quickly, I looked from Mark, to Frank, then to Nate. Trying to avoid eye contact with either of them, I scooted closer to Nate. He didn't seem to mind. In fact, he was better at this than I was. He sighed, as if to say, “I'll have to do this myself."

  Right when Mark passed our table, he reached into my bag of cookies and brought it to my mouth, offering me to take a bite, which I did.  Judging by the look on Frank's face, Mark saw us. I sighed a relieved sigh.

  Frank clapped his hands once Mark was well out of earshot. “Wow, Nate, you're a natural." He just shrugged modestly. “Just doing my job." It was the first time Nate showed evidence of having a real person under his hard appearance.

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   Just as Frank had said, there was a partner assignment that just happened to be my one class with Nate. Photography. “For this assignment, you will have to choose a partner to work with, and choose wisely," said our teacher. “I will give you a list of meaningful words, and you will have to take a picture of something that best represents the word.

  “You and your partner will have to work together to find the best illustration of the word. It won't be easy, but I believe there is enough artistic vision and talent in this class to succeed. You'll have three weeks. Shall we?"

  She began passing out the list of words and people began choosing partners.

  I glanced over at Nate. No one had asked to be paired up with him yet. I had plenty of friends in this class who would've been great to work with, but remembering what Frank had said, I walked over to his desk in the back of the room before anyone could ask me.

  Nate's eyebrows were scrunched together. He was absorbed in reading the words on the list were had been given. “Hey partner," I said. He looked at me with the smallest of grins on his face. “Yeah, I guess we are."

  I looked down at my list and read the words aloud. “Success. Anger. Friendship. Time. Wealth. Hope. Family. Love. Happiness." I looked at Nate. “Wow. That's pretty deep." He nodded.