pen pal | on hold

prologue

                        [[ W R E N ]]

        "Wren Mayer?"

        "Present."

        "I think we established that during attendance, Miss Mayer."

        Everyone in the class giggles and I look up, my pencil falling onto my notebook with a blush. "S-sorry, what?" I ask, paying attention to my journalism teacher, Mrs. Richardson.

        Mrs. Richardson cracks a smile, leaning forward against her desk. "Well, I was about to explain to the class our new semester project." She pauses, chuckling at my confused face and turning to the class once again. "As some of you may or may not know, the journalism department of our school and one other, in this school district, has been selected to participate in a test-trial socializing campaign. You will be carefully paired up with someone who you normally wouldn't talk to - but it will be somebody tolerable, I should say - and you will have to e-mail your partner at least twice a week, having a conversation with them, until May 31st."

        The class' response is a mixture of cheers and groans.

        Mrs. Richardson ignored the students' murmers before continuing, "As I was saying." She starts harshly, cutting off everyone. "I'm going to list off the rules - although I will be handing out a flier once I finish talking - then I will assign you your pen pal's e-mail address, they will be receiving your e-mail address today.

        "One; Your pen pal cannot know your last name or a definite imagery of what you look like and/or who you actually are. Two; You and your pen pal are not allowed to meet in person until the school provides a meet day and time. Three; No exchanging or talking to one another in any way other than through e-mail/text message, so long as no names are shared. Four; No switching pen pals. Five; You can - if you and your pen pal 'hit it off' - exchange gifts using the school address' only and no names. Six; You must keep a journal of the amount of minutes/hours spent talking to your pen pal and nearing May 31st, you will write an essay in detail of what you have learned about your pen pal. Any questions before I start assigning pen pals?"

        Mrs. Richardson looks around, seeing no one with hands raised, and smiles before looking down at her attendance sheet to start calling down students in alphabetical order. "Anderson, Suzie." She calls and Suzie lumbers down to the front of the classroom, receiving a flier with the list of rules and a slip of paper with her pen pal's e-mail address listed on it before Suzie turns and walks back to her seat.

        This happens multiple times until Mrs. Richardson calls out, "Mayer, Wren."

        I sigh, getting up and shutting my notebook before walking to my smiling teacher. I fake a tight smile, grabbing the papers from Mrs. Richardson before quickly heading back to my seat and looking at the thin strip of paper with the e-mail address of the person who I'll have to talk to for the next 18 weeks:

        Wren Mayer - LDSport13@hotmail.com

                        [[ L E V I ]]

        I walk into the classroom, smirking and waving at my teacher before taking my seat in the back of the class like normal. I feel myself zone out after he calls attendance until he calls my name once again.

        "Mr. Donovan?"

        I straighten up, looking at the teacher with a winning grin. "Yes, Mr. H?" I ask, ignoring the girls beside me sighing dramatically.

        Mr. Hale sighs, running a hand over his balding scalp in exasperation. "Come down here, Sir, and get this semester's assignment. In case you weren't paying attention - which I know you weren't - this semester you will need to talk to a pen pal at least twice a week until May 31st. Here is the paper about it and your pen pal's e-mail address."

        He leans forward, handing me two pieces of paper before making annoying gestures to shoo me away.

        I go back to my seat, grumbling a few choice words to myself as I look down at the slip with a probably really annoying person's e-mail address on it:

        Levi Donovan - ReadWriteSleep@yahoo.com

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