"Some of the greatest works of all time, letters. They reveal the hearts and souls of world leaders, of great artist and now, of you." Mrs. Dawhs, my english teacher told the class as I sat in my chair coloring my finger nails with a black sharpie. She was handing papers back and I was waiting for mine when I heard the beautiful girl I met yesterday ask about her grade.
"Mrs. Dawhs, there must be some sort of mistake. I've never gotten a C. How did this happen?" She asked. Her name is Clare, I just found that out earlier today. She may be hot, but she seems a little too into her school work.
"Well, your earlier assignments were divine, but recently your writing has become distant, impersonal." Mrs. Dawhs gave her a look and turned to go back to handing more papers out.
"I used complex sentence structure and advanced vocabulary." Wow. She really cared that much. It's only a C, she'll get over it in time. I rolled my eyes and continued to color my nails, trying to block out the rest of the world.
"Yes, but your assignment didn't tell me who you are, what you want. You can't hide behind vampire fiction forever." She said as she took another attempt to continue handing the papers out. I smirked. Vampire fiction? That's kind of hot.
"I'm not hiding." Clare said with a bit of an embarrassed sigh.
"Then prove it to your writing partner." Mrs. Dawhs pointed at me as she sat down, obviously giving up with the papers. I put on a little smirk, but tried to look as angry as I could, I mean, this could be fun.
"Me?" I looked at my teacher as I pointed to myself.
"Yeah you, you write well but you're a little wordy. You and Clare will be editing each other's work this semester." She said, now loving the idea.
"Great, that'll be fun." Clare said in a sad sarcastic tone.
"We may have a very special partnership on our hands people. like Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes." Mrs. Dawhs said as she smiled, gesturing to the two of us.
"Sylvia Plath killed herself." Clare said quickly. I smirked, liking the way she thinks. The class laughed as the bell rang and both me and Clare quickly walked to the door. We attempted to walk out at the same time but it caused a jam in the door. I went ahead of her and laughed a little, knowing it would annoy her. I heard her gasp in anger and walk up to her friend. "He's just so, uh!" Oh no, she sounds a little annoyed, how sad.
"I get it Clare you're in love with Eli, but can we talk about something more important here." Her friend said as I turned the corner, the rest was muffled. I couldn't stop smiling. This was going to be fun.
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The next day, me and Clare were sitting in english class a few minutes before the bell rang. I was eating an apple while she was sitting on the desk in front of me, staring. Waiting for any kind of response. "So? What do you think?" She asked nervously.
I had to think of something nice to say, to try to lighten her mood, but all that came out was "It's uh, um."
She looked at me with sad eyes as she described it. "Awkwardly constructed, filled with hyperbole and generally sloppy."
"The titles centered." I wish I could say something nicer, to see her smile, but I don't want to lie to her. The story wasn't very good.
"Dawhs is right, I have writer's block." She continued to look at me with her sad blue eyes that made me want to do anything in the world to help her out, even if just in the slighted.
"So don't hand it in." Was that really the best I could come up with? I knew she would never do that, but the words just came out so quickly.
"And what? Tell her the dog ate my homework?" She now didn't just look sad, but there was also annoyance in her eyes.
"Or you could take off." Now I was just trying to annoy her, it was kind of fun.
"You mean skip?" She looked scared and said it in sort of a whisper like it was the worst thing in the world.
"If you wanna get official." I smirked at her, surprised to see she was actually thinking about it.
"It would give me time to write a way better assignment." She looked at me as the bell rang and more people started to flood into the classroom.
"Decision time." I smirked as she smiled at me. "Stand up."
Much to my surprise, she packed up her food and walked to the door. When she was about to leave she turned to me and said, "Well, you coming?" She smiled at me. I thought about it. Why not? I put my apple in my mouth and grabbed out papers and my bag. We ran out, making sure no one was watching. When we reached my car, she waited for me to unlock it saying stuff like, "hurry, they're gonna catch us." When we were in the car, I drove away and I felt her eyes on me. "This was a great idea, we should do this more often." I knew she was being sarcastic, but it made me feel great. I think I just fell in love.
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The choice was up to her for where we go. She chose the dot and we sat on the bench in front of it. She got a coffee and we read each other's papers. "Wow. This is a first, skipping school to do work." It's actually pretty funny if you think about it.
"Okay I don't understand how you got an A and I got a C." She's still going on about that? That was like, yesterday.
"Simple, I'm dating mrs. dawhs." I laughed, but when she looked a bit annoyed, I knew I had to get serious. "You're a good writer but anyone could've handed in this piece. There's no point of view."
"I wrote about gun control, I say it's good." She gave me a look, defending her work.
"Wow controversial." I said sarcastically.
"Okay fine, what am I supposed to write about." She put the papers aside on the bench and crossed her arms. Then she looked at me with those big blue eyes.
"Something that pisses you off." She looked me up and down slightly.
"Besides my english partner?" I like the way this girl thinks.
"Ouch." I mocked hurt and she smiled a little. That's what I wanted to see. "if you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?"
"My mom and dad, they're not exactly getting along." She said quickly, not even taking a moment to think.
"So write about that." I shrugged my shoulders and continued to look in her eyes.
"I can't that's personal." She looked away, but that didn't stop me.
"You care too much about what people think." As soon as I said it, she got defensive and gave me another look.
"That is not true."
"Then prove it. Scream, at the top of your lungs." I looked at her, waiting. I knew she would never do it, but I guess that's the funny part. She looked around, making sure no one she knew was around. I heard the world's most pathetic "Ahhhhh" come out of her mouth and I couldn't help but laugh. "That's the best you could do?" Still laughing, she looked me in the eyes. I saw challenge in her beautiful eyes. She stood up and screamed "AHHHHH" so loud, she scared a few people away.
"Okay your turn." She said as I stood up to walk back to the car.
"Yeah, not my style." She just looked at me, now sort of laughing.
"What no you have to do it." She said and I overlapped her voice by saying "It's not my style." We kept laughing and I backed up into the nearest tree and grabbed Clare's wrists to help her keep her balance. For a minute we just stared into each other's eyes and I saw desire. The laughing stopped and I was slowly inching towards her face. I knew it wasn't right though. I let go of her hands and put mine up, as to say "I surrender." But I didn't stop looking at her. Neither did she for a minute. She showed me one more smile and turned around. Before she sat down, she looked a me and then awkwardly looked the other way. I took her hand and we walked back to my car, knowing it was time to go back to school whether we liked it or not. We drove in silence back tot the school, and she ran out as soon as I stopped the car. I stepped out and screamed "Don't you want to say anything? Maybe 'thank you for making me skip so I could write my paper?'" I used my signature smirk.
She turned to me and muttered a "thank you" and smiled at me. She ran back into the school. Yeah, I'm definately in love.
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Later that night, I was on the computer and I saw her name come on AIM. I quickly doubled clicked it and started to type. But I kept changing what I wrote. I couldn't help it, I was trying to think of something she would find amusing. I can't believe I'm nervous. I decided to go with, "More public embarrassment tonight?"
She relied about 30 seconds later with, "is that an invitation?"
I smiled. Then quickly replied "do you want it to be?" For a few minutes there was no reply. I thought she was just ignoring me. Maybe she does really hate me.
All of a sudden the ring for a new IM went off and it read "love to hang - but I can't." And that was it, she signed off before I could type anything else. God, this girl is confusing.
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"Missed you last night, was Twilight on tv?" I asked smiling at her as she quickly closed her locker and walked in front of me.
"She thinks she's protecting me by lying, but she's just making it worse." I grabbed her arm lightly to turn her around to face me and she looked sad. I need to make her smile somehow.
"Stop, rewind and, play." I smirked when I saw her crack a smile thinking 'that'll do it'.
"According to my mom, everything's find between her and my dad but anyone can see that it's not."
I really didn't know what to say that would make her feel any better, so I said "Do you think they're getting divorced?"
But that didn't work, because now she looks more sad than ever, like the thought never crossed her mind. "Divorced? My parents would never get divorced, my mom's just sad because my dad's always in a bad mood."
"Well have you told them how you feel?" She shook her head and looked me in the eyes.
"I've been trying, but they don't want to talk."
"You could write how you feel in that letter for english class, kill two birds with one stone." She looked at me and slightly smiled. I think I did make her feel a little better after all.
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"Well how did it feel to write this?" I asked looking at her. I wanted to tell her how amazing and brilliant it was. How much her mom would understand it.
"Good, really good. It's everything i wanted to say." She smiled at me.
"Ms. Edwards, Mr. Goldsworthy, it's nice of you to join us today. Actually I'm excited to hear your excuses for skipping last class, let me guess violent food poisoning?" Mrs, Dawhs asked as I got off of the desk and sat in my seat. I heard small chuckles coming from Clare, which made me laugh a little too,
"Actually, we were both working on our assignments." She said, as if it was a good enough reason. I turned a little to get a quick glance at her.
"Original. but it's not gonna save you from detention. Now I'd like to hear those assignments. Ms. edwards, why don't you go first?" She looked straight at Clare and I heard her mutter a small "Me?" And Mrs. Dawhs just replied with a happy "Yeah, come on" Clare got up and I looked at her up and down as she straightened out her dress. Man, she is beautiful. "We'll see if the assignment helped with your writer's block."
She walked to the front of the class and I gave her a small smile. As she read her paper, I really felt the emotion in that letter. If I wasn't convinced that it was a good paper before, I sure as hell am now. "We need to talk is a line that every kid dreads. But you know what's worse, waiting for it. Every minute of every hour of everyday. Because I know it's coming. The reason why you're fighting all the time and I know I won't like the answer." I smiled at her, she is the most amazing girl I've ever met. "But whatever you tell me can't be worse than the waiting. So please don't make me wait any longer. I'm sorry, ther- there's more." She lowered her paper as I saw tears forming in her eyes.
"No it's alright. It's a good start." I heard Mrs. Dawhs say as she directed her attention to me. "What do you say Eli?"
"I think it deserves a larger audience. Like at the student showcase tomorrow." I turned to look at Mrs. Dawhs who was smiling at the idea.
"That's a fantastic idea. Clare?" She looked up at clare who looked slightly scared.
"Well it's kind of personal." She then turned her attention to me and gave me a look that said 'I'm so gonna kill you." I raised my eyebrows as if to say 'bring it on' and then smirked at her.
"Yeah but all great art is personal. and this is head and shoulders above your last assignment. I am signing you up after class." Mrs. Dawhs just would not take no for an answer and she walked back to the front of the class and put a hand on Clare's shoulder. Clare faked a smile and walked back to her seat.
"My mom's gonna be at the showcase." She said getting very close to my face before taking a seat. Damn, she smells really good.
I turned around to take a look at the now saw Clare. "Which means she'll be forced to listen to you, isn't that what you wanted?" I wanted to prove to her that I listen to her, and I wanted to help her out, but she just looked more sad.
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I walked backstage to go to the student showcase looking for Clare. I stood with her in silence for a moment as President Sav was talking. "Okay you wanted to talk to your mom, and this is your chance." I said, trying to prove that I did not do this to hurt her, I did it to help her.
"Maybe I am wrong. Maybe there's nothing wrong at home." She turned around and started walking away, and I followed her, quickly running in front of her to stop her from going anywhere else.
"Maybe you're scared."
She looked me in the eye trying to find answers. "Of what?"
"Finding out what's really going on with your parents."
"That's not true." She looked away from me.
"Then prove it." I paused for any kind of reaction. When I got nothing, I started talking again, "Dawhs assigned us as english partners because she thought you need to take risks."
"With my grading, not my life. This isn't me, shouting in a park in front of a bunch of strangers. This is my family, It's personal." She gave me a look and I saw some tears threatening to come out. She turned to face to crowd and walked to the front. Sav called her name out. The was her cue to get on stage and talk. But instead she backed up slowly, shook her head at me, and walked out. I just looked around for a minute, man, I'm a dick.
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I drove to Clare's house deciding that I needed to apologize to her in person. I got out of my car and was about to knock on her door when she beat me to it. She came out before and could and asked "What are you doing here?" in a slightly nicer voice than she was using yesterday.
"Hi Eli how are you? Fine Clare, thanks for asking." I said jokingly. She crossed her arms and cracked a smile.
"Hi." We smiled at each other for what felt like days, it was nice.
"If you don't want to tell your mom how you're feeling, I respect that." I said trying to make her feel better.
"Too late." She said uncrossing her arms, smiling a little.
"You read her the letter?" I was a bit shocked, but proud. She walked a little closer to me until our faces were only inches apart.
"And she wants to know what's wrong as much as I do. She and my dad are talking right now." She gestured to her house.
"So what you're saying is my plan worked." I smirked as her with my hand on my heart. She let out a laugh.
"Could you be more smug?" She smiled.
"Absolutely." We smiled at each other some more. I took my headphones off of my neck and handed then to he . "Here. You might wanna borrow these. They're a noise cancellation. They might come in handy if things get worse with your folks. Or if you need to ignore an english partner." I smirked and she took them, smiling at me.
"Thanks."
"And I'm sorry for interfering, I promise not to do it again." I turned around and opened the car door, my hand still holding the top of the door. She quickly put her hand on mine and I smiled.
"Um you can interfere every once and a while. But I'm still gonna do whatever I want." She smiled.
I couldn't take my eyes off of our hands. I smirked and very lightly took my hand away and got in my car muttering "Wouldn't expect anything less." I turned to look at her before I drove away and she was smiling as she walked back into her house. Man, I think I do really love her.