My Opposite, But Not Really

3: The Project

-Alexis-
"I...I d-don't know..." I admit after thinking over his words. Why is he even here? Talking to a loser like me? I'd like to ask him a billion questions but I can't risk being annoying. I probably already am. I'm so embarrassed about my stutter, he probably hates me already and just feels bad for me. Pity.

"Whatever y-you like I don't c-care." I admit. It's true, he can stay if he wants I really don't mind that. But if he goes than I'm used to being alone. "I can spare a lunchtime for you." He smiles. I looks away, fighting a smile.

"Why don't you tell me about yourself, since we'll be working together and all?" He suggests. I shrug. "Not m-much to tell..." "Alright, well..." He thinks for a minute. "I'm 16, I do track, I'm the best in the school actually. I love music and writing. Oh and I like making new friends!" He smiles as he says all of this.

It's hard not to say 'I know' to everything he says. To be honest, I do know all of that. I've watched him for years and figured out all lot from that. "Oh. That's cool" I say. "You should tell me a bit, so I don't have to work with a stranger." He smiles. Right. He doesn't know anything about me. Not surprising.

"I'm Alexis-" "I know that silly." He's smiling again. "R-right. W-well everyone c-calls m-me Alex. Not Alexis." I say. God I'm embarrassing myself. "I draw a-and I like artsy t-things. I have a f-few friends but it's hard to m-make friends and t-to keep them i-is ev-even h-arder."

"That's cool! See it wasn't so hard to talk to me!" He's smiling. He's wrong. "Yeah..." Is all I say. "Do you want to meet up after school? To talk about the project since we may not have much time in class." He asks. I'm not sure if I want to but I need good grades for my parents.

"Okay." I say. He smiles and pulls out his phone. "I'll text my mom and tell her we're going to the cafe after school." I nod. "Do you have a phone?" He asks. He really does talk a lot. I shake my head. I'm too poor so my parents never got me one. I'd never tell him that though.

"Here you can borrow mine to tell your parents. You know their number right?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. I nod and take the phone he's offering me. I quickly message my mom.

~*** *** ****~
-Mom it's me, Alex. I'm borrowing someone's phone to see if I can go to the cafe to discuss a project for English class.

I sit, waiting for a response. "She m-might be at work s-so I may not g-get an answer for a-a w-while." I admit. He smiles at me. "That's alright, we can meet at your locker at the end of school and see her response." He says. He talks so much. I just nod in response. I hate my voice and my stutter so I don't talk much.

I feel like this lunch has been going for three days, I just want to get out of here. It's so awkward being here with him. I don't want him here. I want to be alone or with my friends. Not with someone who doesn't like or appreciate me. Who thinks their better than everyone else.

He is better though... And he isn't even like that. He doesn't brag about money or looks. I'm just jealous. He is so nice, to everyone. He's nice and that's just another reason I dislike him. He's so... Perfect. I hate it. I wish I were him or like him at least.

Finally, the bell goes off. I rush to stand up, but I don't make it two steps before he says. "My locker is by Mr. Jocks classroom. Meet there after school." I turn around to see his bright smile. So annoying how he gets to be perfect and happy. I wish I had that. "Okay..." I say. And with that, I walk away.

He's just nice because that's the person he is. He's nice to everyone. I ain't special. I wish I were. No one's nice to me besides him, but he's nice to everyone so it doesn't count. I want someone to like me, for me. To be nice because it's me their being nice to. Not fair. At all.

As promised, I meet by his locker at the end of the day. He's there, waiting for me. Annoyingly. I walk over and he doesn't notice me yet. He's talking to Kory... My bully Kory. I walk over. I shouldn't have.

"What the hell are you doing here? What's he doing here? You can't just walk up to people that don't want you! " He turns to Dakota with murder in his eyes. "Relax." Dakota says as he puts his hand on his shoulder. "We have a project together."

With that he grabs my arm and pulls me away. Once we get outside he pulls out his phone. He hands it to me and says to look at what my mom said. I look at the message only to see he saved me mom's contact as 'Alexis Mom.' kinda strange.

~Alexis Mom~
Mom-Sure, be sure to be home by 7! Love you.

-Love you too, mom.

I hand him his phone back and smile slightly. He looks at my message, and smiles as he turns it off and puts it back into his pocket. "My car is over there." He points. It isn't a fancy car, which is what I expected, but it's still nice. I nod and we begin walking over.

As we drive I can't help but think about the situation I'm in. Driving with my complete opposite. I suppose that's what I'll call him. My opposite. Everything about us is different. Money, looks, friendships, relationships, family. Everything. I can't help but feel we have nothing actually in common.

"I'm sorry about Kory, he can be an ass but he's really a good guy when you know him." He breaks the silence. I sigh. "You a-always see the best i-in p-people, it's a-nnoying almost." I admit. "Y-your too nice. W-Why to m-me?" I ask. He looks at me for a second, before continues driving.

After a few minutes, probably seconds actually, of nothing he says, "For what it's worth, I don't think you deserve to get bullied by Kory and his gang. No one does. I've known him for years and-" He goes to continue but I interrupt him. "Your w-wrong a-ab-about him. He isn't nic-nice!" I'm angry.