Hi everyone! Again, I've been super pleased with the reviews for the previous chapter! Yay! I wasn't expecting to upload this early, I was hoping to have the chapter done by Thursday or Friday, but my after-school club was rescheduled for lunchtime so I had 3 hours extra free time today! Anyway, I hope you enjoy. As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated- and I'd love to see who you think will win! :)
Tom's Point Of View
Why does Nicki have to be so difficult? When I went to find her, I was intending to say sorry, however, Nicki decided to play hide and seek. Now we're in some competition of who will crumble first. Is it just me, or is this really, really immature?
I look over my class of Year Eights, who are trying to write poetry. Some are succeeding, but most... are not. Let's just say that this class isn't the most talented. A majority of the group is chatting, but I don't really mind that (at least there aren't any paper planes involved... yet). I do a quick walk around the room to make sure that everyone is okay, and that at least some connection between pen and paper has been made, and then I return to my desk. Again, my thoughts drift back to Nicki... I am slightly annoyed and angry, yet rather amused at our current situation. This is just so abnormal. How many times have I been in this situation before? None, that's the answer.
"Er... Mr Clarkson?" I hear a quiet voice to my left, and I jump slightly. Standing there is one of the girls from my class, Leah. Guiltily, I realise that she's been there for a few minutes. And I didn't notice her, because (and I hate to admit this) I was daydreaming. About Nicki Boston. Great, I am so gonna lose this competition...
"Yes, Leah?" I say to the girl, smiling and trying to make up for ignoring her.
"Well... I finished my poem." She says, nervously handing me her exercise book. I read the poem, and it's very good, especially as this is one of the lower sets. "This is great, Leah. You should be very proud of yourself. Do you want to write another poem?" She nods and walks back to her desk, beaming. I'm glad that at least one of the class is learning something in my lesson.
Finally, the bell goes for break, and the class leaves. I clear up and then head to the staffroom. Nicki is there, of course, but I head to the other side of the staffroom and grab a random newspaper. I'm pretty submerged when Sian comes over.
"Hey, Tom, what's up with you and Nicki?" She asks, teasingly.
"We've fallen out, okay?" "Over what happened this morning? Surely not!"
"Er... yes."
"Well." She raises her eyebrows. "I can't see this lasting long."
"Shut up, I can hold a grudge!"
"I'll believe that when I see it!"
While I'm walking back to my classroom, I think about what Sian said. True, I'm not the best at holding a grudge (okay, I'm pretty bad). But still... I want to win this competition! Maybe I'll have to make Nicki talk to me, before I can crack and talk to her. But how? There must be a way! After giving my next class their task, I sit back at my desk and start to plan...