Bad Timing

1

I sat quietly in my seat, fidgeting. The teacher was droning on about a really dull lesson on something that we had already covered for the past two weeks. I had all the notes to prove it along with the quiet annoyance of my classmates.

I sighed, looking down at my notebook. I caught sight of my sweater sleeves and smiled. I half-listened to the lesson as I started doodling.

A nudge at my elbow caught my attention and I glanced up to see Eren looking at what I had doodled. I glanced behind him to see if the teacher was looking our way before giving Eren my full attention. Talking was strictly prohibited whenever lecture was going on.

Who's that? He mouthed.

I shrugged. It was a common question whenever I doodled a person as if I had to have a biography and historical record of every person I ever drew. He nodded once before going to tap his fingers on the sink that sat in the middle of our octagonal tables.

I put my focus back to our teacher as I noticed him finally move away from the PowerPoint. He wandered over to his filing cabinet, pulling a key from around his neck to unlock it, and then pulling out our tests.

"Here are your last tests from the extra reading that you had to do." He said. "(Y/N). Pass these out."

I kept my complaints to myself, knowing I was going to be picked. He only had a select group of students that he trusted to do his bidding and I had the misfortune of being just that. I hopped down from my seat, heading to collect the tests as he continued talking.

"Now, this doesn't mean you can start talking." He scolded. "Consider this your last easy test. If you thought these tests were difficult - be prepared for a storm. Someone decided they would be smart and steal the tests. Not, you know, take a picture or take a copy and return it, but take the original test. So, now I'm forced to make new tests. And they will not be easy, nor will there be a word bank this time."

I felt like I was going to have a stroke hearing that. I halted in passing out tests to look at the teacher, my mouth slightly open. Mistake. He saw.

"My exact reaction, Miss (Y/N)." He shook his head as he went back to his seat.

I felt my face heat up as attention was brought even more to me. I went back to passing out the tests, giving one to Jean. I looked down to the next test - Levi. I looked up, a little confused. I don't remember ever seeing him in this class. He was a real quiet kid that was the epitome of an edgy punk lord, so he was hard to miss. But, apparently I had.

He was sitting in the back corner, right in front of the windows.

Oh, that is not a good score, I noted mentally as I passed him his test. He roughly took the test from my hand.

Rude.

I continued passing tests out as another PowerPoint was pulled up.

"Group projects, folks." The teacher announced, leaning back in his chair. "No, you won't be choosing your partners."

I frowned as I sat down, finished with the tests. I looked at the title, this was not going to be fun.

"You will be making your own science experiment. You and your partner will make handouts with instructions. Make a procedure. And either show the class or have the class do it as a lab. This is my philosophy for you guys to gain respect for the common teacher."

I blinked. He didn't use philosophy right.

"You will draw your partner out of the hat. I'll draw the person who picks, then you pick your new friend." He reached forward, grabbing a basket filled with paper off his desk.