Chapter Three - The Assignment
Max POV
I walked into school, people's voices buzzing in my ears. Everyone was upset about something, I just didn't give a damn why.
"Max!" Nudge screamed in my ear. I flinched away, fighting the urge to punch Nudge in the face. Her face was full of excitement and anticipation. She looked like her whole person was about to explode and I just smiled, shaking my head.
"What do you want, Nudge?" She suddenly gasped, looking at me, clearly appalled.
"Didn't you hear? Lisa Giffings and Fang Ride broke up!" Her squeals of happiness and delight rang in my head, floating around like dust bunnies.
"What?" I asked, stunned.
"Yeah, they broke up today because that famous magazine everyone's talking about, Us Diaries, caught Lisa making out with Dylan Gunther-Hagan!" She shrieked, jumping up and down with absolutely happiness and excitement.
"Is that what everyone's been talking about?" I questioned, looking confusingly at the inside of my locker. She nodded, too cheerful to speak for once.
"I just can't believe they broke up! They really had it going for them. Like, being popular, "hot", cool, "supportive", "seductive" and that other crazy shit. It's still really surprising even though everyone figured that she was sleeping with five other guys a week before they started going ou-" I finally slapped a hand over her mouth, not taking her ramble anymore.
"Are you done?" I asked, looking sideways at her. She nodded, and I took my hand away. Staying completely still-the exception of moving her feet around-she just stood there. When the bell finally rang, she quickly squeezed me around the waist, and rang off to her class. I slowly followed, turning the opposite direction she had.
I walked in and everyone stared. The boys wolf-whistled and the girls glared daggers. Ignoring everyone's eyes, I walked to the back and took a seat in the corner. Ten minutes after I arrived, the famous Nick Ride came in, and on his heels was Lisa Giffings.
"Fangy, please. They were just rumors. I swear. Come back to me." She then spun him around and shoved her tongue down his throat. Moving her hands up and down his chest, eventually reaching the buckle of his pants. He then pulled away.
"Get off of me." His gruff voice echoed throughout the silent classroom that had been watching the scene. There were only two seats left; one by me and the other on the opposite side of the room near Dylan Gunther-Hagen. Fang stalked over to the one next to me and sat down, sighing. Lisa shrieked with anger and then stomped/slid on her four inch heels to the other seat. People slowly started to whisper and chat just a few minutes after the fight had taken place.
"So, you and Lisa broke up?" I asked, looking at him from the corner of my eye. I could see his head turn a fraction of an inch towards me.
"Yeah, so what?" His gruff tone scared me and yet made me curious. Was it really that bad? What Lisa did?... Probably.
"Everyone's talking about it. I could care more about shit than the gossip my sisters talk about, but it seems pretty huge." I explained, now turning my head to the left to see his face. His dark eyes swarmed like a black obeys over my vision. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.
And before he could answer, Mr. Waltons, clambered into the room. He looked like a drunken sailor as he crashed into his desk, knocking all of it's contents off. Glancing back and forth between the stuff on the ground and us, he finally spoke.
"Sorry, I'm late class. Busy night. *cough, blush, splutter* Today, I will be putting you into groups. In this group, you will write an essay on each others lives. You will compare your differences and you personalities. All the things you have in common and each others families. Um... Where did my list go? *shuffle, dig, blush, splutter* Ah, here it is. Okay...
Lisa Giffings with Dylan Gunther-Hagan
Amanda Brooke with Ethan Burns
Megan Anthoney with Andrew Harris
Brylee Weis with Isaiah Clark-"
I zoned out as he continued down the list, knowing my name was close to last. It always was. I turned my attention to the window, thinking about what it would be like to fly into the sky less clouds. To just fly up so high, no one could see me cry or hurt or show any pain. Showing weakness is my weakness. My attention snapped back to Mr. Waltons as he said my name.
"Maximum Martinez with Nicholas Ride."
What!? He paired me with him? Nicholas Ride? The famous, stuck up, conceited, sexist pig, Nicholas Ride? I stood up and stared at the teacher, surprise, confusion, and anger written on my features.
"What!? How could you pair me with him!?" I shouted, frustration sizzling in the pit of my stomach, making my insides burn like fire. Mr. Waltons just looked at me, alarmed and frightened. The bell rang at that moment, leaving the teacher free of any public harassment. I growled, shoving past everyone else, determined to get as far away from here as possible.
"Max! Max! Max?" I heard Ella's voice call from behind me. Avoiding her eyes, I turned a corner and ran out the door. I dropped my items on the ground, and started to pace back and forth in front of the building. How could I be partnered with him? With him! I can't believe that stupid teacher-who is a drug addict-actually paired me with him! The fire in my abdomen burned more painfully now, hatred creeping up to my chest. I quickly grabbed my things and ran to the nearest restrooms. I burst into one of the stalls, and puked into the toilet. As I emptied my stomach, the fire seemed to die away.
~Lunch
I walked into the cafeteria and went to grab a soda. Then I quickly made my way over to where my sisters sat, sipping slowly at the beverage. When I sat down beside Angel, Ella shot daggers at me from across the table. Her brown eyes narrowed into slits as she studied my expression. She suddenly softened, looking at me kindly.
"So, why did you throw up?" Her questioned shocked me, penetrated my heart.
"W-What do you mean?" I played dumb, in which, wasn't hard since I was already confused. She just shook her head and continued to poke at her salad. Nudge and Angel just couldn't stop staring at me.
"What!?" I finally shouted, annoyed by the looks they were giving me.
"Is it true that you and Nick Ride are partners on a project?" Angel blurted, smiling sheepishly when I looked her way.
"Yeah, so?" I asked, a little too much venom in my voice.
"Well, it's just that, we were all talking and we agreed you would look good with someone mysteries. And then we heard you two were partners and thought you'd be perfect together. And then were started planning your wedding and what colors you should have, what flowers you could use, which one of us would be your maid of honor and your flower girl and your bridesmaids and-" Ella finally slapped a hand over Nudge's mouth and I smiled at her gratefully.
"Listen, Nudge, I am not going to marry Fang. Nor will I ever want to date him, you should have seen how I freaked out in class! I still can't believe Mr. Waltons paired me with him!" I slowly explained, looking into her eyes to make sure she understood.
"Ouch. That hurt." A deep voice said from behind. I turned around to find Fang Ride looking down at me with his obsidian eyes.
