Clueless and In Love

Chapter 17

 (Jackson)

A week into December meant that the dance was only 2 months away.

Erika and Zelia had finished selling all the tickets. According to how many they sold, a total of 1000 students were coming.

As for the tickets I had gotten for me and Chloe, I was planning to give them away, but I didn’t know who I would give them to, nor if I would give them away at all. Was there still some part of me that wanted to go with her…..?

Damn, my life is a mess.

The school board, whose lives weren’t a mess, decided to take this opportunity to include ballroom dancing to our lessons.

Whether you were to attend the dance or not, all students had to learn how to ball dance. Not to mention they were grading us on it.

I had assembled with my classmates at the gym.

Our gym teacher and coach of the basketball team, Mr. Reo, may look stern at first glance, with his beady brown eyes, slick black hair, and clenched jaw, but once you got to know him, he wasn’t a bad guy.

He was a funny teacher who loved teaching and making fun of the kids. He knew when to teach, and when to make others laugh, which was why I thought he was just great.

“Okay, move it, move it,” he said, blowing his whistle. “Today I’ll be pairing you up. You may switch partners during practice, but the person you are paired up with today will be the one you will dance with during the physical exam.”

A few murmurs came from the group, probably girls and guys hoping that they’re partners were good looking and amazing dancers.

He looked at us and we clamped our mouths shut.

“Now then,” he said, facing the rest of the students. He placed his hands behind his back and started to pair us.

He walked to his left, like a drill sergeant scanning his troops.

All of us averted our gaze, trying our best not to look at him in the eye.

When he passed by me, I looked away, but, too late, I had been spotted.

“Mr. Wilde,” he announced.

I groaned under my breath.

“Come to the front,” he called, motioning me to step forward.

I made my way to him, and he displayed me in front of the class for the whole group to see.

“And……,” Sir Reo said, scanning the group again for my partner.

My mind wandered at this point. Emma wasn’t my classmate, but I would have loved her to be my partner, since she and I were in good terms.

Of course, the other girls were alright, if they weren’t so fan girly. Zel and Erika wouldn’t be so bad either. The only person I dreaded being paired with was…….

“Miss Young!”

I snapped back into reality. The coach had just made the worst decision in my entire high school life. And that was saying something.

The whole class collectively giggled and said, “Eiiiiiii.”

I locked eyes with her for a millisecond, and then looked away. I knew what we were both thinking, ‘Why did it have to be him/her?’

“Miss Young, please accompany Mr. Wilde up front,” Mr. Reo said, then turned his back on us and started pairing the rest of the class.

Chloe looked reluctant, but she took a step forward, then another, and another. She was slowly walking up to me, not daring to even look at me.