The road was wet, and due to that, so
were my shoes. My new shoes. What was I even doing out here?
Wandering around stupidly, that's what. I wasn't even sure where I
was, but I knew I'd end up at his house eventually. It was inevitable
and necessary.
I hadn't meant to hurt him, but
looking back, how could I have done that and not thought
it would hurt him? But it really shouldn't have hurt him. I mean, I
had done things just like it several times before. Only this time
instead of the annoyed, angry look I was accustomed to, he had
flashed me an offended,scarred look that made me feel like a
heartless witch. Maybe I had been reading him wrong this whole time.
All those playful annoyed looks he had given me had really been
offense and now he just couldn't take it anymore?
I pulled my hood
tighter over my hair. I was definitely going to eat crow tonight.
* * *
One week earlier.
“As
you all know, this is normally the day you would all be receiving
your 'babies', but since they seem to have been 'misplaced', I will
not be handing them out today.”
The
entire classroom erupted in exclamations of joy. No one had
wanted to carry those plastic noise makers around for two days. So,
although I didn't really care for the method, I wasn't surprised
someone had finally done something about it.
The
teacher continued, “And because we have absolutely no idea where
they are,” he looked at Mark and Lance, who everybody and their dog
knew had stolen them, but due to lack of evidence remained innocent,
“you could very well go the whole semester without receiving them.
So, I am still going to assign you to your 'spouses'. You'll just
have to pretend you chose to not have children,” he mumbled to
himself, “which is probably more accurate anyway.”
Lori
leaned across the isle to whisper, “Dibs on Corbin.”
“As
long as I get Jack.”
Meg
piped into our conversation, “You're both insane. The only real man
in this room is Kevin.”
We
weren't very good whisperers and were in a wretched spot close to the
front, so, Mr Webb interrupted us, “I know you giggling trio are
most anxious to find out who your new husbands are, but you should
probably listen to the requirements before calling dibs on whoever
you find most attractive,” He shot for embarrassment, but we just
held true to our name and giggled, so he ignored us, “You will have
three things you have to complete for this assignment. You will need
to have accomplished the daily acts of service given to you in class,
go on at least one formal date with each other, and spend a
significant amount of time with each other out side of school. You
will need a minimum of three hours to pass. If you want an A, you
better make it five. Your date does not count for part of these
hours, but phone calls do.”
He went
through the rest of the details with the same speed and disinterest.
You could tell he hopped we all ended up as miserable in our
marriages as he was in his.
“Mr.
Webb,” Lori raised her hand, “what if we are out of town this
weekend?”
“I
have taken that into account, that is why you have an entire week to
complete this assignment.”
“He
makes it sound like we have a year,” I commented.
Meg
drummed her fingers on her desk, “It very well could be depending
on who we're put with.”
The
butterflies in my stomach testified to that. I don't think there were
any boys in the class I would be scared to be put with, but
there were a few that spending more then twenty minutes with could
result in their untimely death. I glanced over my shoulder to see if
I could tell who Jack was hoping to be put with, instead I made
awkward eye contact with him, which made my face go red, but also
gave me hope.
The
teacher pulled a stack of papers out of his desk, “I used the 'What
I want in a spouse' surveys you took at the beginning of this unit to
pair you up. So if you don't like who your with, it's your fault.”
The
pile of paper seemed to hold more power then any I had yet to see.
The list that could swing our pendulums of happiness completely
opposite directions depending on who's name was written next to each
of ours. Lori crossed her fingers under her desk, Meg wrapped her
lucky necklace around her pinky, and I sat completely still as my
stomach fluttered about.
For
half of a second, the room went completely still as Mr. Webb took a
breath to read off the first couple, “Max Gins and Mary Long.”
The
three of us simultaneously relaxed and then tensed up again as he
read the next two names.
“James
Line and Caitlin Johnson, Adam Rolling and Jane Bowler, Lori Swan and
Corbin Long...”
“Yes!”
Lori immediately turned to Corbin waving unashamedly at him. He was
the type of flirt that mischievously winked back.
“...Kevin
Sandburge and Kylie Fisher, Megan Rowlings and Kevin Lineman...”
“Whoo!”
Megan's practically jumped out of her seat and then immediately hung
her head in embarrassment because of it. She was bright red, but she
still had an excited smile on her face.
I was
shocked that both my best friends had managed to score getting their
dream men. Please be Jack. Please be Jack. Please, Please be Jack.
“...Carly
Draper and Trent Bates.”
My
dreams crashed to the ground. Trent? That's not even close to Jack.
Why cruel world? I immediately felt bitter that I couldn't share in
my friends happiness as they both gave me sympathetic looks.
Wait,
Trent? Trent Bates? I was so fixated on the fact my partner
wasn't Jack I hadn't realized just who my partner was. I slowly
turned around in my seat searching for the face I knew all too well.
He was sitting in the back corner next to a couple of his basketball
buddies. He was tan, with light blond hair and blue eyes so deep it
was unnerving if not insanely attractive. He was more on the quite
side, but that didn't stop dozens of girls from liking him. He turned
his head to find me, when our stares met he didn't look excited.
And I
knew why. This should have been a great moment for me, but one little
detail kind of ruined it.
Trent
Bates hated me.
