It's Hard to Breathe

The Project

The next few days at school followed a routine: Get up, get ready, leave, enter the school, go to her classroom, walk in sit down, glare at Fintan, tolerate him staring at her for the rest of the day, tell him off a little at lunch or sit in sullen silence, go home, do homework, sleep.

By the time mid-quarter rolled around, Gisela was passing every class with flying colors.

Then came the project that her blasted homeroom teacher assigned "late".

"I will be picking your partners, and you will be making a poster telling everyone about yourselves, your favorite subjects, colors, pets, etc." The teacher announced one day to a class that was zoning out slowly in the afternoon heat.

Gisela sat up straighter, and suddenly she could see the back of Fintan's spiky blond hair, for he was finally paying attention.

"This will be graded, and I will not grade them individually, because it is a group effort. Here are your partners." Ms. Marineta continued, pulling out a piece of paper.

"Cyrah and Prentice."

"Tiergan and Juline."

"Jamen and  Circ ."

"Brant and Alvar."

"Gethen and Vespera."

"Trix and Umber."

"Ruy and Glimmer."

"Fintan and Gisela."

Gisela froze.

Wait, what?!

Fintan turned around, and smiled unconvincingly at her. She gave him the Death Glare. He turned around and faced the front again, where Ms. Marineta was still talking.

"These projects will be due next week Wednesday, which gives you exactly a week to complete these. You may now meet with your partners to discuss when and where to meet."

Fintan turned around with a leer.

"You heard Ms. Marineta, Gisela," He said snarkily.

"Where are we going to meet for our project together?" He asked, purposefully stressing the word together.

"We'll communicate between the two worlds. Me above and you below." She snapped, fed up with his superior attitude.

"Be serious, Gisela," He chided mockingly.

"Okay, we'll meet at your house." She said.

"No, yours." He counter offered.

"Yours." She argued.

"We meet at your house or we both flunk." He snapped irritably.

"Fine, my house it is." She agreed, sighing.

No way was she going to let her grade suffer because of that knucklehead.

"When?" Fintan demanded.

"How about 1pm to 3pm Sunday evening?" She asked. 

"That way we get it all done in one fell swoop. I also allowed time for your shenanigans in there. You come with your info, and we'll put it on the poster. Done and done."

"1 to 4." He countered.

"Why?" Gisela wanted to know.

"So I'll have time to talk to you." He stated.

"Why would you need an extra hour?" She questioned.

"Because I just will." He answered smugly.

"Fine." Gisela groaned.

"I can't wait until you'll leave."

"Mmhmm." Fintan muttered in assent, not even bothering to form a coherent reply, as he was now eyeing Gisela with great interest.

"Would you stop that, Pyren?" Gisela snarled.

"Stop what?" He asked, jolted back to the present by her lilting and chilly voice.

"Stop staring at me!" She whisper-yelled.

"Oh! No way, gir-Gisela." He said, catching himself in time.

Gisela's pretty face went from annoyed to furious in two split seconds.

"Cut it out, Fintan. Now." She snapped, her voice like black ice.

"Fine." He said sullenly, and turned around.

Gisela rolled her eyes behind him.

This was going to be an interesting project.