Chapter four- "Partners"

"I think were going to start this year with a little project." Mr. Peletier announced, looking up from his computer screen after taking attendance. He still couldn't remember most of the classes' names, after all school had only been in session a week. "You and your partner are going to pick a system of the body. Make a diagram of it and then present it to the class tomorrow! You only have this class period to work on it so make sure your not goofing around," He said, making his way in front of the rows of desks, a Styrofoam cup in his hands. "I will give you a zero and I will think it's funny."

Carol slightly rolled her eyes. She hated these kinds of teachers, the ones that never seemed to care about the student. She watched as students started to pick names out of the cup in the teacher's hands. He announced their partners out loud, making his way down the rows of students that Carol never talked to.

"Hey Carol," Mr. Peletier smiled at her, his voice soothing and warm and he held out the cup to her. Things like this always made her nervous. She hesitantly dropped her fingers into the cup, feeling the edges of slips of paper, as if she could tell whose name was written on each one. Even though she didn't really have friends in Biology, Carol would mind a partner like Jacqui or Morales. She had known them for years and they always did their work. She didn't want to deal with a dumb partner that made her do everything. Finally she subtly pulled one of the long slips out of the cup, smoothing it out with the tips of her fingers so she could read it. She let out a obvious grunt of disappointment when she read the name on the paper, causing Mr. Peletier to chuckle at her.

"That didn't sound to good," He laughed, taking the paper off of Carol's desk. She looked down at her hands in her lap, not sure where to look as he read the name. "Daryl D.!"

A few kids looked behind themselves to glance at him, waiting to see his reaction. He didn't even look up, and Mr. Pelieter moved on to the next kid. Carol could feel her heart racing. It wasn't that she was disappointed, just consumed by nerves that she knew too well. After all these years of school, she never had to work with him on a project. She wanted to turn and look at him, see if he seemed angry or happy. She was pretty sure he wasn't going to seem happy. Did Daryl even know that emotion?

"Y'all go ahead and get to work."

Students started to push desks together and it took a lot for Carol to get to her feet, a notebook and a pencil in tow. Daryl rested his head against the palm of his hand, his eyes looking at his desk. This moment, though very uneventful, seemed so important to Carol. She pushed a chair up the opposite side of her trying to be silent as she sat down. She cleared her.

"Hi." She said, and her voice didn't sound quite normal, but Daryl wouldn't have noticed anyways.

It's safe to say the moment didn't amount to as much as Carol expected. He looked up at her, staring above her eyes and he didn't speak. He looked away, and Carol could feel the corners of her mouth drop. She had just been ignored by the next-door neighbor she was trying to get the hopes up to talk to since she was seven. It was stupid anyway, she thought, getting her hopes up for something that was so insignificant.

"Okay, I think maybe we could do the respiratory system." Carol said, her voice much less sweet and shy. "I have some notes on it," She started, flipping through the pages of her black spiral notebook.

"Fuck this," Daryl grumbled, and she watched as he laid his head against his arm, shutting his eyes.

Carol looked at him, and she could feel a little bit of anger in her body. He was one of those people she didn't want to work with. She sighed, feeling disappointed more than anything. "This is supposed to be a partner project." Daryl didn't reply. After a few moments of silence she stood up, her notebook in tow. "I'll do it by myself then, but your not getting any credit. Have fun flunking this class."

She walked away then, and she wanted to think that Daryl looked up at her as she went back to her desk, sitting down with an angry thud. She wanted to cry and she thought she was so stupid. How could such a insignificant encounter make her feel so much?

"Hey Carol!"

Carol shot her head up in the hallway, walking to her last class of the day, shoulder to shoulder in the tight corridors. There were dozens of people walking in sync with a her, and she couldn't tell who had called her name. She tucked her notebook tight against her chest, her eyes trying to subtly scan the hallway without drawing attention to herself.

"Wait up," She heard again, just as a hand landed on her shoulder. She shoved the hand off her, turning around to make eye contact with none other than Daryl Dixon. Carol continued walking to keep up with the pace of everyone else, Daryl walking close behind her.

"What do you want?" She said, her voice cracking as she kept her eyes ahead of her.

"Sorry about earlier," Daryl said, his voice slurred. Carol turned to him slightly, looking at him through the corner of her eye. He was taller than her, with pretty eyes and a scratchy face. "I need to pass this class."

Carol stopped then, reaching with the door of her next class. She turned fully to him then, finding it hard to look him in the eyes. "Well, the project's due tomorrow," She shrugged, pursing her lips together. "I guess if you want you can come over," She said awkwardly. "to finish it."

Daryl blinked. The idea of going over to Carol's house made him feel awkward, and it was pretty obvious to him she felt the same. He didn't even know her. Daryl tried to smile, shaking his head slightly.

"Yeah, I'll come over."

a/n: Hey guys! Sorry the story is starting off kind of slow, but I'm super excited about the next chapter! Stuff it about to get so goood!