"What!" I screamed out, I instantly turned on my heel and ran down the stairs two at a time, not caring about how much noise I was making. I grabbed the letter out of my weary mother's hand who rolled her eyes slightly amusedly. I read the letter and felt my jaw drop into a perfect O shape.
"Anya sweetie-" My mum interjected, I held up my hand, still staring at the letter in shock.
"I failed grade 11 English? I failed!" I let out a small frustrated scream and my mum closed her eyes and sighed,
"Anya-"She tried again; I shook my head and slumped down onto the seat next to me.
"So while my entire friends graduate this year, I'm gonna be stuck repeating English?" I sighed loudly and closed my eyes as well, trying to calm down. "I can't believe this is happening. My life is over"
"Anya, will you calm down honey please? It's one class, do not be a drama queen" My mum laughed slightly and sat down next to me, rubbing my hands sympathetically. "Now go get ready for school sweetie, you'll be catching the bus, still can't drive you I'm afraid." Mum leant over and kissed me on the top of my head, leaving me alone now with just my heavy heart and a letter proving I was failing.
Nervously I entered my new, well old actually, English class. Ms. Dawes smiled at me warmly,
"Ah, Anya Macpherson! Class, welcome her, you've probably seen her around, Anya- take a seat we're gonna dive right in" Ms. Dawes winked at me and turned around to face the board, her back now facing me. I instantly dropped the fake, cheery smile on my face and sighed again, looking around the tiny classroom filled with unfamiliar faces. Okay, I thought to myself, you know Clare...kinda. You know...i scanned the class. No familiar faces, I cursed my past self for not mingling with the younger grade and took a seat next to a boy with a beanie on, I think his name's Adam. He looked over at me, slightly hesitantly. I tried out a smile on him and a small wave,
"Hi," I said, he gave me a small smile back, giving me an apologetic look as Clare grabbed the sleeve of his arm from the seat on the opposite side of him, they put their heads together to whisper- loudly, I couldn't help but hear.
"Things with Eli are done. Over." Clare whispered to him, Adam nodded his approval,
"Glad to finally hear it. Now things can maybe go back to normal?" He asked, slightly hopefully. I pretended to write down in my book as Ms. Dawes talked in the background. I had heard of that Eli guy a few times. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Clare shrug and turn back to her book,
"I...wouldn't get my hopes up. Sorry Adam" She said. Ms. Dawes clapped her hands together and I finally snapped out of it. Crap I hadn't listened to a thing she had blabbered on about and already students around me were pairing up for something. I looked around the room; everyone around me had already pulled their desks together with someone else. I was by myself. I sighed and slumped in my seat again slightly.
"All right, now...who doesn't have a partner?" Ms. Dawes asked the class. Silence enveloped it. I cringed slightly as I put up my hand, feeling like a dork, twenty pairs of eyes focused on me. Ms. Dawes looked straight behind me and smiled, "Great, problem solved. Anya- you'll be partners with Eli". I confusedly twisted in my seat to look behind me, there two rows down at the back of the class was a slumped boy with dark, black hair, and he had faded black fingernails and rolled his eyes as he saw me. I slumped even further in my seat and turned back to the class. Great, I thought to myself as Adam and Clare gave me a small sympathy look, I'm stuck with the class sociopath.