Life Saver//Michael Jackson Fanfiction

Chapter 2

Well, he was clearly smart. It's pretty hard to get into this class.

The bell rang and everyone eventually got quiet. The teacher was a substitute, so generally once everyone figured that out, they chose to be immature, yelling out random chants at random times. The sub took attendance the old fashioned way, calling out the names and mispronouncing 75% of them. "Cas-san-dria Delgate?" The teacher said, giving a weak smile while looking around. "Here," I said, raising my hand slightly. All teachers have always had a rough time pronouncing my name. "Melanie Garretts?" "Here," Melanie says. A couple of names later, the teacher calls, "Michael Jackson?" "Here," the same sweet voice calls.

I smile slightly in spite of myself after hearing his melodic voice again. "Okay class, your teacher has informed me that you all have your big semester project coming up!" The teacher says, overly excited. A collective groan rises among all of us. 'Big Semester Project' is just our regular teacher's way of saying 'Stressing, Important, Huge Presentation'. Usually, you have to pick a partner from the theme (opposite gender, same color shoes, etc), and you and your partner study for about a week or so and then you put together a big presentation of which you present at an assembly. The best is awarded a certificate and great recognition.

"Alright! So there has been a slight change in partners this semester, your teacher has already picked them for you!" Another unison groan rises from the class. Our class is set up in pods of two in three vertical rows, six pods in each. I sit in the fourth pod in the third row, with Melanie next to me. "Your partner for this semester's presentation is the person directly in front of you." The teacher says, then turns to go to the back of the class. I look forward and remember that Michael is the one directly in front of me. My heart lurches up to my throat, when I realize. "Alright! Meet you partner!" Socializing is a rough subject for me, and Melanie knows it.

She smirks at me, not in a mocking way, then walks over to meet her partner, Nate, who apparently was extremely confused at how the partners worked, which left me alone. Michael turns around and smiles shyly at me. "Hi, I'm Michael," he says. His voice still gets me. "I'm Cas." I say, practically shaking. Congrats Cas, you can't even introduce yourself with your actual name. I thankfully smile back to cover my awkward introduction, which doesn't last long because we end up putting up a huge brick wall of silence between us. I begin looking around as if I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing.

Melanie rushes over to her seat, flushed. "What's wrong?" I ask. "My partner is such an idiot!!" She says back, through her teeth. I giggle and Michael smiles. "So, how's your partner?" She says, giving me the same smirk, and making the situation awkward again. "Umm, he's nice," I say, softly, looking away. "He's nice? That's it? You need to be more social, here let me help you," she says. "Michael, this is Cassandria. She's a very intelligent, book-smart girl who is very pretty and is about as social as a sloth." Melanie says, making me turn a nice shade of pink.

Michael laughs and says, "It's nice to meet you, Cas." With that, the bell rings and we gather our stuff. While walking to our lockers, Melanie turns and says loudly, "HE'S ALREADY CALLING YOU CAS YOU'RE MEANT TO BE." "Well that's cause I ac-" "No excuses, Cas, you guys are going to make an amazing presentation, no buts." She interupts.

"Maybe we will", I say to myself, smiling to myself again, replaying the science class in my head.