Monday: Introductions
Maddy's POV:
Zae pushes her nose closer to my face, "Did you hear we're getting a new student in our class? Then you wouldn't be the newest." She says. I smile broadly; I was tired of all the glances I would get from nosey students.
"When will we meet them?" I ask curiously. The only reason I expected Zae to know was because she was the homeroom teacher, Mr. Finchini's daughter, so she knew everything. Zae taps her chin lightly and then sets it down on the wooden, first period desk.
"I think my dad said in about a week." I bite my lip, hoping the student wouldn't be another school snob like Sarah, while she had never targeted me, I didn't like to witness the bullying.
"Boy or girl?" I ask excitedly.
"Boy." Thank god!
"He better be cute. I'm tired of all the immature 8th graders." Zae says. The bell rings, and the whole class sits in their seats.
Zack's POV:
Mr. Gordon, the school's gym teacher, had taken me out of class again. "Zack! Take the shot!" He shouts at me from the three pointer line. I arch up my hand, jumping off the glazed, wooden ground and shooting the ball into the hoop.
"Great job Zack!" Mr. Gordon cheers. I wipe my sweat, matted red hair as I walk over to the bleachers where my Gatorade sat.
"Coach, you can't keep pulling me out of class. My grades are slipping in Science." I say, after gulping down the cold refreshment. This skipping class thing had begun last year when I took the winning shot, now, a month into school and I had only made about three or four science classes.
"Zack, I told you. You have great potential. So what if your grades slip in one class? You have wonderful grades in your other classes." Mr. Gordon then claps his hands, "Let's practice that shot one more time."
Zae's POV:
I bite down on the end of my pencil, nibbling on my eraser as I look over the questions. How am I supposed to know any of this? The quiz timer starts to ring and Mrs. Dingily begins to collect the papers. When she gets to me, she looks over the unfilled bubbles with dismay. "Zae, you can't keep doing this."
"But Mrs. Dingily…" I begin, poking out my lips.
"No buts, have you ever considered a student tutor?" She suggests, flipping through last week's tests. "Ah, here we go. Zack Chambers. He's an 'A' average and is very helpful." My face turns pink and I nod my head eagerly. I would just love to be taught by Zack.
"Good. I'll inform him." Mrs. Dingily says as she turns on her heel. I turn behind me to look at Madeline who was looking at me with her large dark brown eyes curiously.
"Zack's going to be my tutor!" I whisper excitedly. Madeline processes this for a moment before bouncing in her seat.
"It's fate!" she says happily. The bell rings and we get up from our seats, chatting excitedly before we split ways.
Maddy's POV:
I was on my way to lunch, passing by the principal's office when suddenly, I walked right into the parent and child exiting the office. I keep my head down after catching a glimpse of the dark headed boy who stood in front of me. "S-sorry." I say meekly, his hazel eyes seemingly piercing into me.
"Asher-say something." His mother says, elbowing him softly.
"It's fine." He says, seemingly indifferent, walking past me. His mother spares me a kind smile before walking after her son. I turn the corner into the loud cafeteria, the smell of hotdogs familiar to me. I take a seat at a crowded lunch table, sitting next to Zae who was talking to her crush Zack about something.
"So how about tonight?" Zae asks Zack. I guess they are talking about studying. I don't interrupt them, but instead start munching on my pizza as they continued to talk. They are so cute together. Both of their eyes were on me and briefly, I thought they had read my thoughts.
"Madeline, Zack wants to know if we'd like to hang out after school." Zae repeats. For the second time today, I say sorry for being in my own world.
"Sure." I say.
My eyes trace over the dance poster, it would be happening in about a month and while a part of me knew it would be fun, another part of me didn't feel like going. But who knows…things always change. I think as I pull out my backpack from my tiny locker. My theory was proven when I saw Zack and Zae walking arm in arm down the hallway. Things always change. Zae smiles innocently at me, "You coming?" she says. I smile and then take a deep breath, preparing myself for something I don't do often, lie.
"No, I, uh…something came up." While Zack looked convinced or just oblivious, Zae knew I was lying. But she was grateful as she walked off that I was giving her and her new boyfriend some alone time.
Zae's POV:
It happened so quickly, one second we were talking about homework and next about dating. "How about some apple pie from The Dot?" Zack suggests. I squeeze his hand which was wrapped around mine.
"Sure." I couldn't help but get lost in his blue eyed gaze whenever he looked at me. He leans in to kiss me, and I put a hand in front of my lips. Even I had a pace when it came to relationships.
"Something wrong?" He says, his lips making a tiny 'O' shape.
"Nothing. Just that I want to wait a little before we kiss." I say. Zack nods and we cross the street.
Maddy's POV:
While I need fresh air, I wanted to avoid Zack and Zae for the day. I didn't want to screw up their first 'date'. They probably are at The Dot so I'll just head somewhere far from there. I think as I walk down a street unfamiliar to me, followed by another and another. As I looked around, I saw the boy from earlier, watching me from his porch as I scurried randomly. Gosh darn! How come I didn't notice this earlier? I bite my lip before hesitantly turning in his direction. I swallow my nervousness.
"Uh, could you tell me the way to Rosemary Street?" The boy who his mother called 'Asher' looks puzzled before coming off of his porch and next to me.
"Repeat?" He says.
"Could you give me directions to Rosemary Street?"
Without even having to think he says simply, "Left, left, right."
I blink a couple of times, "Okay I think I've got it. Uh…thank you." I say walking.
"Wait." Asher says. I turn around slowly, wondering what he would have to say to me.
"Aren't you the girl from earlier?" I smile lightly, "Yeah, next time, I'll be looking where I'm going."
Asher raises an eyebrow and sarcastically says, "Why do I feel like you won't?" I can't help but smile and laugh lightly.
