It had come to the day of our Music project; I was hoping that Mr Dylan would change his mind and let us pick our pairs. Though maybe if I was put in a pair with Jake we would be able to at least make up and become friends. I wouldn't be the one to make the first move, you can be sure of that. I trudged into the classroom whereas Georgia skipped into it, she stopped skipping immediately when she noticed Toby watching her from his seat at the front of the class, I glanced at Georgia's face to see it had turned beet red. I giggled and she lightly slapped me on the shoulder.
"Violent child!" I called as she began to wander over to her seat. I shook my head at her antics and sat next to her.
"Okay guys!" Mr Dylan was one of those 'just out of college' teachers who tried to act like he belonged with us, I didn't really mind to be honest. It often made the classes quite amusing. "It's time for the project you've all been waiting for! I have put you in partners;" the whole class groaned, including me "don't be like that! I have put you with people I think would best suit your instrumental skills slash singing style. When your names are called please go and sit with your partners Here is the list, starting off Georgia Ray and," I could almost hear Georgia wishing for Toby, I didn't mind that it wasn't me, one of us should be happy with our partners, right? "Toby Turner." I nudged her ribcage and she turned sharply, she mouthed 'What?'.
'Lucky' I mouthed to her and she blushed scarlet again before rising and going to sit next to Toby. I turned my head to the front as Mr Dylan called out the other names on the list. Some people cheered when they got their partners, others inwardly groaned (you could see the disappointment on their faces) and others groaned fairly obviously.
I waited patiently for my name to be called out; people were being paired off left, right and centre, I half-hoped that Jake's name would be paired with someone else, while the other half wished to have him all to myself. I was crushing. Big time. Mr Dylan finally got to the last names. My name and Jake's. I stayed sitting down, if I was going to have to work with him then he would have to come to me. Soon I felt a warm presence sit down in the chair next to me, I didn't even bother to turn my head, I knew it was Jake. I kept facing Mr Dylan as he explained the project to us.
We have to take a song that has already been written, adjust it to our voices and then turn it into a duet before performing to the class. The students who got the highest mark would get to perform in front of the whole school during assembly.
Once Mr Dylan finished his explanation he told us that for the last ten minutes we should start discussing with our partners. I already had a few ideas that I hoped Jake would shoot down. I turned to face Jake and, being the polite child I am, asked him if he had a few ideas.
"Look I'm sorry for whatever I did that made you angry." He apologised, he looked at his hands that were in his lap.
"I don't care about that at the moment, all I want to do is get this project done and out the way so I don't have to talk to you anymore." I whispered harshly. I honestly don't know why I was being so frosty; I guess frostiness is my barrier against getting close to anyone who could break my heart. "I have a few ideas about what we could do."
"Shoot" he said, though I could hear a faint trace of sadness in his voice. It couldn't be because of me, could it?