Hurricane of Stars

Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE -

After about a minute or two of leading me down the hallway, Bennett looked at me and smiled sheepishly.

"Um, I have no idea where I'm going." I looked up, surveying our surroundings. Crossing my arms, I said irritably,

"We're in the completely wrong wing of the school, Bennett." He shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. "And I suppose you want me to lead the way now?"

"Unless you don't want to get to class..." He trailed off.

"You're pathetic." I huffed as I walked around him. I felt my backpack shift as Bennett grabbed ahold so as not to get lost in the crowd of high schoolers.

We got to the English room just as the warning bell sounded.

"Oh, I am indeed lucky to have a guide as knowledgable as yourself!" Bennet exclaimed jokingly. I gave him a look.

"You're lucky we aren't late. I would've had to have cut off your head." I said solemnly, trying not to crack a smile. Bennett faked a horrified look.

"I am so grateful to you, Your Majesty. What a kind and merciful being thou art." He bowed low and ushered me through the door. "After you, m'lady." I giggled and curtsied, then mentally kicked myself. This was a guy I had only met forty minutes before and now we were joking like old friends. What was I thinking?

We walked through the door to our English class. Bennett sat down at one of the tables in the middle of the class and patted the seat next to him, but I kept walking to the back. I hoped he would get the hint. I needed to distance myself. He followed me with his eyes and, once I sat down, started to grab his bag, looking as if he was thinking about moving back next to me. But the teacher, a young woman, walked in just as he was about to stand and he stayed where he was. I said a silent prayer. He seemed like a nice guy, but April Holt didn't need anyone. Nothing good ever came of it.

"Good afternoon." The teacher began in a quiet voice. "My name is Ms. Cotter. I am going to be your English teacher for this year. I'm a little new to this." She smiled nervously. "This is my first year teaching. I guess we'll start with seating arrangements. If everyone could stand in the front of the room, please?" The sound of scraping chairs filled the room for a moment, then died down and everyone walked toward the front. Bennett sidled up to me.

"Hey." He whispered.

I shot him a look. "Shush."

"This is stupid." He said a little louder. He had a gleam in his eye that told me he was doing this for the sole purpose of going against my request.

"Sorry, what?" Ms. Cotter said. I gave him a 'ha-ha' look. He ignored me. The kids around us 'oohed'. Bennett cleared his throat.

"I said this is stupid. We're seniors. We're mature enough that we can sit next to whomever we want and still be able to learn things." He said. There was a brief silence. I was starting to feel embarrassed for him.

"You know what, Mr. - " Ms. Cotter tapered off.

"MacCauley." Bennett supplied.

"You know what Mr. MacCauley? You raise a perfectly good point. You are all mature kids, soon to be adults. I think that's a good enough argument. You guys can sit where you want." There were a few appreciative murmurs and my classmates shuffled back to the tables to battle out who sat with who. I made a beeline for the back, to my original table. No sooner had I sat down, then Bennett plopped down next to me.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily." He said, grinning. I rolled my eyes.

"Alright, now I'm convinced that you just did that so you could next to me." I said teasingly as I pulled out a folder.