I decided I won't redo it. I won't make you guys wait and risk potentionally loosing interest/inspiration. So I'll continue. Also, you'll notice more of Shelby's flaw coming out in this chapter and future ones too.
"Today I want to get started on our first project," Miss Zenon told the class, holding onto a clip board. "I'm going to divide the class into groups of two and then you and your partner will pick one of Shakespeare's works to discuss in front of the class. I expect a two page essay along with it and a glossary of terms and characters. After I announce the groups, one person from each group needs to come up and take a rubric."
Shelby subtly kicked his foot. Ravi glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, gingerly."Ravi, hey," she whispered, keeping her eyes on Miss Zenon. "Maybe we'll be partners! Won't that be fun?"
Not exactly, per say. He was becoming used to her presence (as if it was possible to not when she was so obnoxiously happy and excited all the time) but that didn't mean he could tolerate extra amounts of her.
Miss Zenon began reading off names. "Ben and Katie."
Ravi watched as they grinned at each other, albeit Katie's was more shy.
"Kerry and Jerry."
Shelby was going to be disappointed, or as close as she could be. Between all of the other unpaired students and the reputation teachers had for pairing up students that either didn't know each other or hated the other person, Ravi was sure they wouldn't be together. It would have had to have been pure luck. Only a random, completely coincidental chance of being paired with-
"Shelby and Ravi."
What?
"Oooh, yay!" Shelby beamed and went to retrieve the paper, leaving him baffled.
"How did that happen?" Ravi muttered to himself.
"I had strong prayers," Shelby was still smiling widely as she returned to her seat and handed him the rubric for him to peer over. His stomach sank lower and lower as he absorbed the instructions. They were going to have to reenact a scene from the chosen work, either filming it to show the class or perform it on the due date. Oh God. Great. A chance to humiliate himself.
"Did you read this?" He took a deep breath to calm his heightened anxiety.
Okay. Do not panic. It will be okay
You always say that but it always goes wrong
I'm trying to be positive
Why? It never works. Not for you
"Not yet," she shook her head, flipping open her binder where she had all of her papers about Shakespeare. "Why? What's it say?"
"We have to reenact a scene," he said uneasily. If she didn't want to and he didn't want to, perhaps there was a way out of this. They could submit a longer essay or-oh, who was he kidding? She was probably going to the love the idea.
Her eyes lit up. "That sounds fun!"
Knew it
"I suppose," he shrugged, not wanting to seem wimpy over something as trivial as a school assignment. He felt nauseous at the thought of it.
"We did something like that back at my old school," Shelby reminced, putting her chin in the palms of her hands. "We were reading Macbeth and my teacher, Mrs. Cheatem, had us act it out instead of just reading. We even got to use costumes that the drama kids used. It was so fun! I got to be Lady Macbeth and I can't remember what Emily was but she didn't like it. She wanted something small because English was her sleeping period but Mrs. Cheatem gave her a bigger part. It really helped though, to act it out. We all passed our big test at the end, even Emily and she sucks at taking tests. She got a 5 percent once. It was a math test. Her parents were so mad. I didn't know you could get that low; I guess you can if you don't study. Emily doesn't like to study, she's too lazy and she says it's a waste of time. Our other friend, Isabella, she studies for everything. She told me she made into AP chem this year. Emily likes to call her a teacher's a pet and Isabella likes to call Emily a future plumber because she says it's the only job she'll have if she doesn't study."
Against his better judgement, that last remark did bring out an amused smile.
"You smiled!" Shelby said excited, as if it was a great discovery. Several people turned their way. "Oh my Gosh! I can't believe it! I'm pretty sure that's the first one you've done, around me anyway. Doesn't it just feel just terrific to smile? I love to. I do it all the time!"
As quick as it came, it was gone due to her reaction. Ravi hid half his face, cringing inwardly at what everyone else must be thinking. "Do you suppose we could focus on the assignment, please?"
"Of course!" Shelby went on as usual. Of course, though. She didn't have to deal with the repercussions of her words. "What should we pick? I'm good with anything. You can choose. I bet you'll find a good one."
How about nothing?
"How about Romeo and Juliet?" He tried. It was the easiest, most well known work of Shakespeare's. They would get their easy A and find something doable to act out that wouldn't leave him a puddle of nerves.
Sure that's why you want it and not because there's a kissing scene
Ravi's cheeks reddened and he hoped Shelby took no notice of it. Granted, she was a pretty girl but that did not mean he wanted to get romantically involved with her.
"I like it," Shelby told him. "What scene should we do? Oh, there are so many good ones! My school did Romeo and Juliet for our school play. I wasn't in it, but I watched it. It was really good. Isabella played Juliet. I wish I could act but I can't keep a streight face." At this, she giggled a little.
"Let us focus, please," Ravi repeated, suppressing a sigh. He had a feeling that he was going to be saying that a lot until they were finished. "We only have two weeks to get it done and I would rather not waste most of it by slacking."
The words spilled out thoughtlessly. He winced and expected to see hurt or anger in her eyes but there wasn't any.
"I agree," she nodded vigorously. "I've never really liked group projects because it all gets pushed on one person and it's so unfair."
That...that was Ravi's major grievance with group projects. He was the unlucky person that had to do all the work while everyone got credit for it.
"Me either," he admitted.
Shelby patted the top of his hand. It was something that momentarily stunned him. No one voluntarily touched him anymore. Regardless, he managed not to pull his hand away, even though it should have been his first instinct. "Don't worry," she meant to sound reassuring, "we'll figure this out. I won't make you do all of it."
Ravi wasn't used to kindness, especially from a girl. People like Shelby didn't go around being nice to everyone including him. People like her snubbed people like him. They didn't get happy or smiley and they didn't make a promise to divide the project equally.
It was all wrong.
"Did you decide what scene you wanted yet?" Shelby had her book open as well. All of her notes were in a neat pile on her desk.
"I do not know," Ravi sighed. "Perhaps act five, scene two? It's fairly short so neither of us would have many lines."
But Shelby had other plans. "Oooh! Or we could do the balcony scene? It's so romantic!" Her eyes gleamed and she let out a dreamy sigh.
"And long," Ravi deadpanned.
She giggled.
"Besides, we will not have enough people for that scene. The nurse makes three and there's only two of us," Ravi said slowly as if he was speaking to a small child.
Shelby smiled knowingly. She leaned over to reach his book, which was open to the page. "That's why I'll play Juliet and the nurse."
"But how will that work? You will need to distinguish your voice and as we've already discussed, you cannot keep a straight face while acting."
"Raviiiii," she stretched his name out purposefully. "Don't worry."
He couldn't help it. It was his nature.
With ten more minutes left of class, he was a bit discouraged at what they had accomplished-or lack of accomplished.
When she suddenly grabbed his arm, he had to fight the urge to squeak. Squeak. "Oh my gosh! I have an idea! It's a really good one too! I think you'll like it, I know I do!"
"What is it?" Ravi kept the irritation out if his voice, miraculously. He was a pro at this.
"We should work on this at your house!" He froze. "It would be SO fun! I could meet your family and we could hangout together. I used to do that with my friends back home all the time. We always stayed at Caleb's house. His house was the hangout spot. I hope they're still doing it even though I'm not there. I'm sure they are. I wouldn't want Caleb to get lonely. He's a little shy. I remember when we met in first grade, he got scared by some kids on the playground and stayed with me and our friend Lexie. Don't you miss first grade? It sure was different, but a good different. I hated naptime so I always tried looking at picture books under my blanket." "
"You-me-my house?" Ravi stammered, ignoring the rest of her spiel. "Oh no, I am not certain that's wise."
"Why not, silly?" She seemed to have made up her mind already. "How else are we going to practice our lines?"
"Before school," he suggested desperately. "I can ask Jessie if I can stay after as well."
"Or we could go over to mine!" Was this girl ever not excited? She was going to blow her pupils out. "My parents would love to meet you! It's still kinda messy from moving but you can actually see the floor now. I could show you my room, it looks so cool! I haven't had anyone over yet so you'll be the first one!" She had already put her stuff back into her backpack.
Ravi, on the other hand, was still caught off guard by this latest idea.
RIIIING
The rest of the class collectively left, talking at once about their projects.
Shelby stood up, waiting for him. "Aren't you coming?" She asked, unfazed.
I wish I was not
