The Baby Project

Chapter One

I sat in homeroom with Luke and North.

Luke was behind me, playing with my hair as we waited for the period to be over. After the initial start of the school year things had considerably slowed down in homeroom. It was more of a time to chat than anything.

As the teacher walked in, he had a few boxes that he brought in and the class perked up.

The teacher turned to face the class, "So I'm sure you've noticed the lack of work during this class. The school board demands that every class be used productively and since you all already have a study period we were given very few choices as to what we were aloud to do."

He clasped his hands behind his back and walked over to his desk. I sat up and North looked back at me, he smiled softly and turned back towards the front of the class. I felt Luke stop playing with my hair, he was finished. For now.

The teacher grabbed a clipboard and turned to face us once again, "So I chose the Baby Project. You all might as well learn something that you'll more than likely need to know in the future," some of the kids in the class hooted and other shared glances, I didn't know what this meant.

We're we supposed to learn about babies? My cheeks heated.

"Now, all of you have been paired up. There is one group of three and to make things even that one group gets twins."

The teacher started rambling off partners, what? Twins? We were getting actual babies to take care of? I shot a glance back at Luke, just as my name was called. I swirled my head to look at the teacher.

"Sang.... and Luke," I saw North tense in front of me, "and North. Sorry, you three will have twins but it's only because there are three of you," the teacher read a few guidelines but I was distracted by North.

He slowly turned in his seat to look at me, he had a soft smirk on his lips.

"Sang Baby," he looked to happy in that moment that i couldn't help but smile back.

"Sweetie," Luke's beautiful voice made me turn to face him. He was grinning too and he touched my hair.

I was happy that I didn't get paired with a stranger. I was even happier that one of the boys wasn't paired up with another girl. I pushed that thought away, not completely understanding it.

The teacher had started calling pairs up to grab something from a box. After the first group grabbed a toy baby from the box, I finally understood the project.

Right before my group was called up, the door swung open, and the girl, Jade walked in. I tensed up real bad and I could see North and Luke look at me curiously.

Jade walked over to the teacher and handed him a paper. The teacher nodded and pointed to the empty seat in front of North.

Jade saw me and a wicked grin spread across her lips. She perched in her seat elegantly.

The teacher looked in my group's direction, "Good news! Jade has joined the class. Her and North will be partners. Sang, Luke? Please come get your baby."

I swallowed and numbly got up, Luke was watching me with soft worried eyes, we walked to the boxes and I picked up a baby, cradling it to my chest to keep from shaking. Me and Luke returned to our seats, and North and his new partner got up and grabbed their baby.

I felt like I was being punched in the heart.

Why was I so effected by this? Because of the party. Because of the hungry way she looked at North. Because of the malice she had in her eyes whenever she looked at me.

After class North stood up and went to reach for my hand, Jade pulled him by his wrist away so that they could discuss their parenting plans.

I'm glad it was Friday. I wouldn't have to see her drool all over North. Not until Monday at least.

Luke scowled and took my hand, pulling me out of the room. He had my bags on his back and my violin case in his hand. We walked to Ap English and when I got there I fell into my chair. We were early but Kota had still beat us.

How was he so fast? Kota saw the baby but he didn't question it, he gently ran his fingers through my hair, recognizing something was wrong and knowing not to talk about it right now.

Gabriel breezed into class and sat in his seat just before the late bell, he pushed his hair behind his ears and grinned, turning to face me.

When he saw the baby his expression changed into a curious one.

I wish I could put the baby away or something. But the teacher had told us that the baby could minister how it was treated and if it was changed and fed and burped and a number of other things.

The day dragged on till lunch, I sat in my usual spot and yawned. I passed the baby to Luke to hold and he grinned softly at me, as if shy about the project.

I sat down between the Gabriel and Silas. Silas took one look at me and frowned, pulled me too his chest.

"Aggele mou," he breathed into my hair, "what's wrong?"

I was about to answer when North walked over, looking down at a baby with a pink blanket while Jade was naming off names.

My stomach twisted and I curled into Silas, he knew about Jade. I had pointed her out once before. He pulled me closer, and when I looked up at him he had his jaw locked. Like he could protect me from every injustice in the world.

I sighed.