the project (short story)

school

It was now Tuesday and I had spent the whole weekend thinking about Sammie. Our class is only on Tuesdays and Thursdays due to the school's block schedule so today would be my first time seeing her since the beach. She truly is the strongest girl I've ever met. She has been through so much and I wish I could just take her pain away.

I got ready for school and got into my car. My mom was always gone before me in the mornings, so I made sure the door was locked before I left. On my drive to school I played the same CD Sammie had put in on our drive to the beach.

All weekend no matter what I thought about my mind drifted back to her. Try to watch a movie? The girl reminded me of her. Tried to do homework? Made me think of our project. Reading a book? Picked a book about twin sisters somehow. I couldn't seem to escape her. I hadn't seen her or really talked to her since I dropped her off at home on Saturday. I didn't want to suffocate her, but we did exchange a few brief texts Sunday night when I checked in on her just to make sure she was holding up okay.

When I parked the car and got out, I noticed her standing by the doors, probably waiting for her friends. I walked up and she ran towards me.

"Hiiiii!" She yelled louder than necessary.

"Hey Sammie!" I chuckled at how bubbly she was this morning. "How was your weekend?"

"Well Saturday I had the best day ever and Sunday I spent the whole day thinking. How was yours?" She teases me about Saturday.

I was glad to hear that she had a great day. I was glad that I could give her some happiness in her dull world. She didn't know it but she gave me happiness too.

"Well Saturday was alright I guess." I teased sarcasm dripping from my tongue. "I got to spend time with the strongest girl I've ever met and learn more about her, and Sunday I spent thinking about how amazing she is." I was pretty transparent with her which made my nerves fly off the chart. I wanted her to know what I thought about her and didn't want to give her any doubts about my friendship with her.

"Woah.." she said clearly taken aback by what I said. "You mean that?" She asked me quietly looking at her shoes.

"I would never lie to you." I said. "Now I gotta run to get to class it's on the other side, but I'll see you in English yeah?"

"Yeah.." she trailed off, clearly lost in her thoughts. I made my way to class with her front and center in my mind.

SAMMIE'S POV

"Alright what's up with you? I have almost all of my morning classes with you and you have been in a daze all day long." My friend Ari spoke.

"Yeah, she was like this in chem too. Even during lab, which is her favorite." Rylan spoke.

He and Ari were dating and they were two of my best friends at school. I don't have to worry much about being friends outside of school since they spend all their free time with each other. I was more than hair with the arrangement and I'd consider them to be my closest friends.

"Guys it's nothing I'm just kinda tired." I spoke hoping they wouldn't ask more.

"Bullshit!" Ari yelled. "You had a large coffee when you came into history this morning. And I know how hyper you get after that." She called me out with a wink.

Rylan studied my face for a few minutes and I avoided eye contact knowing just how good he is at reading people. After coming to his own conclusion, he finally spoke. "She's thinking about a boy." He spoke casually stealing a fry off Ari's plate.

"No I'm not." I quickly defended. "To think about a boy would mean I'd have to spend time with a boy and you're the only guy I spend time with Rylan and you're definitely not my type so clearly I could not be thinking about a boy." I hugged and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Okay I'll admit at first I thought you were crazy for thinking that baby but now seeing her response I see you're right." Ari agreed. "Who is he?" She inquired wiggling her eyebrows.

"I'm not thinking about a boy." I mumbled before taking a bite of my apple.

Truthfully, all morning I've been thinking about Wes. He thought I was strong? And amazing? Why would he think that? I mean I also thought he was pretty awesome and he already meant a lot to me but I mean he clearly wouldn't feel that way about me. It scared me I've never opened up to someone like that and now I'm worried about the consequences of my actions. I'm broken and he knows the full truth. I hated to admit how much time I spent studying him in the past.

There was no doubt that he was a handsome guy. And there always seemed to be something I couldn't quite figure out about him. I'd been curious for longer than I care to admit. The way his bright green eyes will change shades depending on if he's happy or sad. The way his brown hair flops into his face and he constantly runs his hands through it. I wanted to run my hands through his hair and have the ability to feel his soft lips against my own as we-

"Sam!!" Rylan yelled at me.

"Don't yell at her she was just thinking about her new mans." Ari wiggled her eyebrows at me again.

"I don't have a mans." I giggled at Ari's words.

"Okay maybe he's not your man yet but you want him to be I can see it in your eyes. So who is he?"

"Ugh he isn't anyone." I stood my ground as my eyes darted around the cafeteria to see him sitting with a group of guys seemingly not listening to anything they're saying. He lifted his head in my direction as I made eye contact with him and I quickly looked away. But not before Rylan noticed. Stupid Rylan and his observant eyes.

"Wesley Rider?" He asked. "He talks to people?" He spoke, clearly confused.

"Wesley??" Ari whispered yelled. "He's so hot but no girl can get with him."

"Babe I'm right here." Rylan said his jealousy kicking in.

"Baby you're the hottest in my eyes you know that but I'm not blind. Almost every girl in the school has tried at some point to get with him and he is a major asshole and ignores everybody." Ari replied. "Why would you like an asshole?" She asked me.

"He's not an asshole." I defended. "He and I got paired up for a project and I started to get to know him and he's actually really nice. He makes me feel like everything else doesn't even matter like I can just be free around him. He didn't even know that everyone tries to talk to him." I told the couple in front of me adding in the last part quietly.

"What is he an idiot or a liar? Because I'm pretty sure you don't just not notice when every day new people try to make conversation with you." Ari said, getting upset with me but I knew she just had my best interest at heart.

"Okay look I know his hair is kinda longish but am I seriously the only person who noticed his wireless earbuds in his ears every day? Or the only person who noticed that he never looks like he's paying attention to anyone because his brain is somewhere else?" I said getting frustrated with her.

Neither of them spoke up as they shared a look so I kept going. "He was so nice to me when I saw him outside of school and I spent pretty much an entire day with him and he is the most genuine person I have ever met. Excuse me for starting to like him because clearly he's hot and he's also really nice and really sweet and he already cares about me even though I don't understand why." I finished with a huff and kept eating my apple angrily.

"Look I'm sorry okay? I wasn't there nor have I ever talked to him. I judged him based on his cover and I shouldn't have done that." Age started genuinely. "If he's half as great as you make him sound make a move on him. From what I've noticed about him he doesn't give anyone attention so the fact that you've had so much of his he clearly has some kind of feelings towards you either friendship or more. Oh who am I kidding? It's gotta be more you're drop dead gorgeous girl." Ari spoke up ending with a laugh and throwing a fake flirty wink my way.

I laughed with her at her last sentence telling her thank you and I'd think about it and we ate the rest of our lunch talking about some funny thing Rylan did this past weekend when he and Ari went on a date.

I spent most of the lunch period just thinking about him and when I looked at him near the end, he was already looking at me with a soft smile on his face.