Fall ➳ lrh

Chapter Two {Edited}

Walking to my history class was one of the worst experiences I personally have had to deal with since being in high school. Everyone would whisper as I walk by, or laugh and point at me. For the past three years at this school I have flown under the radar and as soon as I associate with Luke Hemmings, things go to hell. Maybe this is the universe's way of telling me to stay away from the asshole.

As I went to move away from someone, they stuck their foot out. I tried to dodge it, but I felt myself falling anyway. Right before I hit the ground, someone caught me. My books and binder crashed to the ground resulting in my papers scattering throughout the hallway. With my eyes screwed shut I let out a breath, gripping the person's shirt tightly in my hands.

''Rose? Are you okay?'' I recognized the voice as Calum Hood's which caused me to sigh loudly and push myself off him. I only nodded in response before kneeling onto the ground and starting to clean up my papers, keeping my eyes away from his and turning my body so he couldn't see my stained shirt. He dropped to his knees beside me and started to gather all my papers that I hadn't reached yet.

Biting my lip, I looked over at him only to see him looking back at me with a smile on his face and all my papers in his arms. I felt a smile tugging at my lips but I didn't smile, only taking my papers from his arms along with my books and almost sprinting to my class. The bell was about to ring, I wasn't going to be late.

Right before I ran around a corner I spun around, my hair swishing and hitting me in the face in the process. ''Thanks!'' I shouted at Calum, who was standing in the same spot and frowning before I yelled. His smile returned to his face but before he could shout anything back I ran out of his sight.

The hallways were empty as I ran through, it was kind of creepy. Finally, after what felt like years, I made it to the history classroom, a second before the bell rang might I add. Once again the seats were filled, the only empty seat beside none other than Luke. Just looking at him made my stomach drop, not in a good way like it used to.

His blue eyes met mine, an emotion I couldn't really identify in them. Sadness? Shock? Amusement? Most likely the last one. I bit the inside of my cheek, so hard I could almost taste the blood. Slowly, I made my way over towards Luke, sitting in the seat beside him with my hair covering my face so he couldn't see how much he was really effecting me. He can't know that.

Ms. Mitchell, the history teacher, looked at each of us from behind her desk before standing up and pacing around. The bell rang long ago, and she has yet to do anything. I could feel Luke's eyes on me but I refused to look at him, so I kept my eyes trained on my hands. For instance, I counted the freckles that littered my skin or how chipped my nail polish was.

After a long, boring silence Ms. Mitchell spoke up, ''I have a project that will take half of this semester. You will have groups but this is worth 500 points. So they better be good. Pick your favorite thing you have learned about history and write a three page essay. Now, you will have around two months to complete this project. This isn't a project you can do in one night, ladies and gentlemen.'' Everyone glanced at their friends happily. ''Oh, and I will pick your groups.'' She smirked when everyone groaned.

I sighed, burying my head into my arms. Groups aren't my thing. I always get stuck with all the work while the rest of the group goes out and has fun. I'm sick and damn tired of it. Ms. Mitchell walked behind her desk and retrieved a paper, shaking it dramatically in the air.

''This paper has everyone's groups arranged along with a list of topics.'' She eyed everyone before turning around and taping the copy to the white board. ''Good luck.'' Everyone except for me rushed to the paper and huddled around it, whispering excitedly to each other while others groaned loudly when they saw who they were paired with. I looked around the room, making my way up to the paper which was no longer surrounded by people.