2022 Version |
Nina Torres has everything she could ever dream of. Friends who stick by her side, a family that supports her, and a cute boyfriend. High school is going to be the best years of her life.
Lucas McKlane is a boy who tries to blend with...
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We pulled up at our driveway, and Joel cut off the engine. He sighed as he looked down at his phone and grabbed it.
"Are you going to tell me what happened?" I asked.
Joel sighed again, this time he sounded tiresome. "It's Angie."
He went on and explained that Angie was hooked up with one of his friends before they broke up and during the summer too. He explained he doesn't know how to feel since he did it too, but the difference was he did it while they weren't together and she did it while they were together.
"So," I dragged the word, "are you going to break up again?"
"I don't know." I could see it in his hazel eyes that he was telling the truth. Angie is— was— his first 'real' girlfriend. They've been together for almost three years, and I could tell he loved her, but not the way before when they recently dating.
He wanted to cry, I could tell by the way his eyes watered. "I guess," he sniffled, "this is it."
~ * ~
Two weeks in and surprisingly, I could not figure out what was the cute blond's name. He sat beside me in Biology and I know I could just ask him, but my mouth froze ever time I tried. Mr. Reddan doesn't call out names, instead, he wrote down on a piece of paper where we sat and our names. He checks it off each day before class while we do a warmup about the type of organisms are in Earth.
Mr. Redden stopped us and said he had an announcement. "Okay class, today I assign you your partner for this project..."
He started to call out names and then he lands on a name that finally rang a bell. "Mason Hunt with Caesar Chavez." From the corner of my eye, I saw him not so happy.
"Nina Torres with Lucas McKlane."
Lucas McKlane? Who's that?
I looked around, trying to find out who was the unlucky person to be paired with me. I debated if he was even here. Mr. Redden then said that we should get to our partners to get acquainted. I grabbed my backpack, stood up, and looked around as everyone moved seats. Caesar Chavez sat on my chair. I was the only one left without my partner.
I walked up to Mr. Redden. "Um, Mr. Redden. I think my partner isn't here."
Mr. Redden furrowed his brows, "Sure he is," he pointed toward the back of the class. "He's right over there."
He was right. I recognized him from the hallways back in middle school. His tall frame, his long, shaggy brown curls covered his eyes, and how quiet he was since he transferred in the second grade. I didn't know his name— actually, I've never bothered since he was the type of guy that stayed away from others.
I took a seat next to the empty chair on his right. I hung my backpack on the chair. The classroom was filled with conversation as I sat awkwardly beside my partner.
