"You should really watch where you're going there, mate!" Merlin yelled out at the arsehole jocks that had knocked him into the lockers; knocking all his books and school work to the ground. He mostly meant this comment at the one with the blonde hair, whom he didn't even have to name because everyone in this school knew who those locks belonged to.
Will winced and helped Merlin pick up his things.
"They think they're so fetch. Just you wait and see, Mer, they'll find that they peaked in high school and that's all they ever were."
"Stop trying to make fetch happen, William," Merlin said, smiling because Will always knew what to say to make Merlin feel better.
They both stood up and hurried off to first period; dearly not wanting to be late. Their English teacher wasn't the meanest but she certainly was one of the strictest. Merlin and Will quickly took their usual seats side by side. The classroom quickly filled up. The woman herself, Ms. Blake, held a hand up and the whole class fell silent.
"Today, I am going to choose your partners for the assignment we are going to be doing for the play Romeo and Juliet. As of now, we've read to the scene where Romeo has met Juliet and they've professed their love for each other. I shall be allowing you and your partner to choose whichever dialogue you prefer from the play. You're to perform the dialogue for class. Failure to do so shall result in not only an F for a project grade but I shall also ring up your legal guardian and have a, shall we say, friendly chat."
The whole class collectively gulped. Ms. Blake smiled to herself.
"Come now, children, this assignment shouldn't be too hard. I'm not asking for an Oscar worthy performance, but do give it your best."
Ms. Blake then started assigning partners, so the whole class deemed it safe to talk and stared to chat amongst themselves. Merlin turned to Will, eyes wide with worry.
"I hope she lets us be partners."
"Relax, Merlin, we're top in her class, of course she'll let us be partners."
At that very moment, Ms. Blake came by and pointed at Will and said "William, you're with Mer-no, scratch that, you're partnering up with Lancelot. Merlin, you'll go with the crowned prince himself."
She said that last part with such heavy sarcasm that on any normal day Merlin would have chuckled to himself and clapped for her mentally; but not today. Merlin looked up in horror as he saw Will collect his things, smile encouragingly and trade places with none other than Arthur Pendragon, quarterback for the high school football team and all around tool.
"No," Merlin said without thought.
"Excuse me?" Arthur asked as he sat down next to this insufferable know-it-all. He just knew Ms. Blake was going to refuse to let him partner up with Lance so of course she'd chain him to this twit.
"No, we're not partners. There's got to be a mistake. I refuse to be partners with the likes of you."
"Oi! Just who do you think you are? It's not like I want to be partners with you either. How am I supposed to focus on this ridiculous assignment when not only do I have a match this Friday but you've got the most ridiculous set of ears I have ever seen?"
Merlin's face flushed red and he clenched his teeth as he said "Fuck you."
Arthur looked at him in disbelief and then sneered at him and said "Fuck you."
To this day no one really knows who started it but either way, both boys tumbled to the ground as they tried to punch each other. They were pulled apart respectively by their friends, yet both Merlin and Arthur still spewed insults at each other. Arthur ended up with a black eye and Merlin got a split lip. Both of them had to have a chat with the principal about the disciplinary rules there at Albion High. Thankfully, neither of them was expelled nor suspended. However, they were sent home that day and given a shitload of detentions and it involved cleaning up all of the classrooms in the school for a month straight. The principal also phoned their households. Both boys winced at the idea of the reprimands they'd be facing when they got home. Not only that, but Ms. Blake refused to assign them different partners and even went as far to imply that due to the fight, she'd be focusing on their performance more than any of the other students'.
Merlin and Arthur both sat outside the school doors; waiting to be picked up by their guardians.
"This is complete bollocks," Merlin said as he blearily looked at the sun on this chilly spring day.
"I'll say. They didn't even give me ice for the eye," Arthur said, shifting his legs as he crossed them.
Merlin turned his gaze towards Arthur and narrowed his eyes at him.
"You're an arsehole."
"You don't say. And what are you, a saint?" Arthur said with a raised eyebrow and a glare.
Merlin rolled his eyes and took his backpack off and fished for his book. Once he finally retrieved it, he took it out and picked up where he'd left off. He'd only been reading it for twenty seconds when he felt the weight of someone's gaze on him. He looked to the side to see Arthur studying him.
"What?" He asked feeling annoyed.
"Huh. I could've sworn your ears were far bigger than that. However, it seems your ears are no match for those saucers you call your eyes," Arthur said with a smirk.
"Do you want to have another go because I swear, if that's what you want-"
"No no no, Merlin, you've clearly proved you can hold your own and I'd rather keep the other eye bruise free."
Merlin huffed and said "Then?"
Arthur studied his face and then looked out at the parking lot as he said "Never mind."
He tried, he really did, but Merlin couldn't help but be curious.
"What do you mean never mind?" He asked, setting the book down hastily on his lap.
Arthur quirked an eyebrow.
"Curious now, are we? Well it's nothing you need to worry about, just a thought."
Merlin gritted his teeth. Arthur seemed to have that effect on him.
"Just tell me," he said as he rolled his eyes.
"I had just realized you're not the person I always took you for. Maybe you're not Ms. Blake's lap dog and a gigantic wanker. Well, actually, you're still a completer wanker but you did get in a fight with me willingly and most men wouldn't do that."
"Yeah, well I'm not most men. And for the record, you're the wanker in this relationship," Merlin said as he picked his book back up.
"Relationship? I don't remember ever asking you for your number let alone if you'd like some dinner."
Merlin burned holes into the pages of his book as it took everything in his power to not grab said book and slam it upside Arthur's head.
"You know very well what I meant by that," he said through gritted teeth.
"Yes, I do, but how I do love to see you squirm," Arthur said with a lazy grin.
It was at this moment that an old beat up red Volkswagen showed up. Merlin got up and tensely walked over to the car. Arthur squinted at the windshield and saw it was an older man picking Merlin up. He'd make a joke about it but he thought better of it.
"Oi! But I will need your number if you plan on actually doing this blasted project."
Merlin scoffed in disbelief and yelled out his mobile's number. Arthur typed it into his cellular and then mockingly waved Merlin goodbye. Merlin flipped him off through the open window which made Arthur laugh even though it hurt to.
It was in this moment where he was left alone that Arthur collected his thoughts. There was something about thoroughly annoying Merlin that made Arthur feel so alive and made his blood sing with anticipation. Merlin was definitely not the person Arthur mistook him for yet he was the person Arthur yearned for. The fact that Merlin had got him in the eye shocked him completely and forced him to accept that in a sense, Merlin was his equal. He was Arthur Pendragon and he'd been taught how to win a fight since he was 3. Yet this scrawny, pale boy with the too big ears and too blue eyes landed a punch.
Too blue eyes? What. Arthur thought as he realized that yes indeed, he had actually thought that about the boy he had picked a fight with over an hour ago. Arthur shook his head as if he could shake off these thoughts.
A car honked and Arthur looked up to see Morgana sitting in the front seat of her B.M.W waiting on him. Arthur sighed as he grabbed his stuff and got into his sister's car.
"So on a scale of 1 to 10-," he began.
"He's at an 8," Morgana said interrupting him.
Arthur sighed.
"Oh, you look awful," Morgana said as she tentatively touched his black eye.
Arthur hissed in discomfort.
"That's a lie, I always look amazing," Arthur said as he turned to look outside the window.
Morgana rolled her eyes fondly and turned the car onto the road. Arthur leaned his head against the window hoping he'd die before he reached his father's offices.