Oh to be Mr Berry

just how you wanted her not to

As usual, you continued attending your math classes, doing all the homework and always having questions prepared so that you would always have things to discuss with Mrs Berry. She was just so kind and understanding, ready to answer anything you wanted her to, and she would do it with such precision, that it made you think she was there when Pythagoras and Thales came up with these formulas. 

On one occasion, she ran into you in the hallway, but it seemed more as tho she was looking for you.

- Oh hey! Good that you're here, I need some assistance! - she greeted you and motioned for you to follow her.

- Anything Mrs.

- So spring is coming up and on the 15th of March, we have the open days. Well, it's one day, but whatever. Basically, elementary school kids can come to see what our high school has to offer them and I need to find some volunteers who are willing to show them around, tell them some stories and answer a few questions. Could you do that? You wouldn't be the only one to, don't worry. - she explained as you followed her into the faculty lounge.

- Uh... sure, yeah. Will you be there?

- No, that's why I need to find two students that will represent me.

- Oh. - you sighed sadly. It would've been the best thing ever if she and you got to spend the entire day together just talking. 

- I'll probably ask some other good student like you to be your partner in the project. - she continued, but you stopped listening. "Student like you" what the fuck does that mean? There ain't no student like you, she's your only one and you should be her only one. 

- No problem, you can count on me! - you promised her and left for your next class. But you weren't over this that easily, no way. You now couldn't wait to find out who the other woman in this situation is - cause it's definitely not you.

A couple of days later, there was a really difficult math exam. All three of your friends, Awis, Marie and Cass decided to skip the entire day rather than facing the fact that they don't study at all. It did make you sad that they didn't even tell you they'll do it, didn't even ask you to go with them, even tho, of course, you wouldn't have said yes as that would hurt your teacher. You had to admit - it was really dull without your friends. No one made you laugh at the back of the class, you had no one to exchange glances with when some weird shit happened and you were all alone for lunch. Sure, you could've just hung out with someone random, but you didn't feel like it. While sitting alone in the hallway, drinking the overpriced school cafeteria coffee and scrolling through something stupid on instagram, someone caught your attention.

Across the hall, there was a group of guys. They were pushing each other around and happened to push someone who wasn't in their group - Victor. He was tall and scrawny, just like Victor from Corpse Bride, and he did look quite dead. He started yelling at them for pushing him, they yelled back but he quickly walked away. To be fair, he probably couldn't fight one of them jocks, let alone a group of five or six. Strangely, in that moment of frustration, he looked kinda cute? It was weird, you've known Victor since the first grade of high school, you even had some classes together, but you've never really talked to him. As he walked past you, still annoyed, your eyes were glued to him. You haven't seen him for a while and he's... changed. Not wasting a second, you stand up and decide to catch up to him. Was it out of pure boredom, or out of the lingering feeling of your friends kinda ditching you, you couldn't distinguish.

- Hey, wait up!

He didn't say a thing, just turned around. 

- Victor, yeah?

- Right. - he simply said and continued walking, so you followed up.

- I saw what they did. Total assholes.