Love at first cruise

Apologetic Damon

The next two days went by fast. I didn't really understand the book, but I was making progress. Damon didn't either (what does he understand) but he at least listened to what I told him about the book.
Thursday's lunch came around, and I went to sit with Tatiana and Henry as usual.
Tatiana took a bite of her turkey and cheese sandwich and glanced up at me as I took my seat.
"You've been busy with Damon?" She asked while winking.
I gave her a disgusted look.
"Tati, you're disgusting. Plus I'm doing all the work. It's not fun."
She chuckled and nudged me in the shoulder.
Henry looked up from his Nintendo and smiled. His face was pale and he had super dark under eyes forming.
I gasped.
"Woah what happened to you?"
He shrugged.
"I haven't slept the past two days."
Me and Tati looked at each other.
"Mario kart?" We both asked.
He nodded and looked back down.
"The extended version."
I rolled my eyes and took a sip of my water.
Tati brushed a piece of her brown hair out of her blue eyes and sighed.
"At least you have a handsome dude for the project. I got nasty Bill."
I held back a laugh.
Bill got his nickname last year when he was caught eating food out of the dumpster. It sounds ridiculous and almost set up, but he even admitted to the principal that he did it.
"Well does he do the work?"
She looked up at the ceiling and nodded.
"He's two chapters ahead of me."
I held out my arms and suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder. I slowly turned around and spotted Damon standing right there in his blue and white football jersey.
"Mind if I join?"
"Of course!" Tatiana said, glancing at him like he was the hottest male alive.
He pulled up a chair and sat in it from behind.
"What do you want?" I sneered.
He smiled and shrugged.
"I have a football game tonight so I won't be able to make it after school."
I groaned and slapped my forehead.
"I hate Mrs.Lowrey now."
Tatiana frowned and crossed her arms.
"Come on. You're making Beves do all the work and it isn't fair, pretty boy."
He seemed flattered by the "pretty boy" comment.
"Well, nosey, if it makes you feel any better," he turned his head towards me and smiled,"I won't play the game tonight."
My jaw dropped and I just about flipped.
"Tati, how did you do that?"
"FIRST PLACE!" Henry screamed.
My eyes widened and I watched as Damon jerked his head toward him.
"Wow dude, you still have a Nintendo? Lame."
I grabbed Damon's face and turned it towards mine.
"You can go now."
He frowned and stood up.
"Bye, beaver."
Once he left I thanked Tatiana.

After school Damon was already there with his copy in hand. I was shocked. The last couple days he would either show up an hour or two late. Thank God I'm patient.
"Um hi," I said as I pulled up a chair and sat in front of him.
He did one quick nod.
"Where's Katie?"
"She has a game tonight."
I silently cheered.
She would always put pressure on me as I would tell Damon what happened in the book. She would usually whisper things about me and Damon would crack up laughing. It was not fun.
"Well should we start?" I said.
He nodded quickly and asked what page we were on.
Once I finally told him about the sigla approach and etc, he nodded and shut his copy.
"Even though I barely understood half of that it sounds cool."
I chuckled.
"Well, what three parts should we reenact so far?"
He thought about it and then held his finger in the air.
"That's your job."
I frowned.
"Seriously? Everything is my job!" I shouted.
The librarian turned around in her chair and held her finger to her lips. I mouthed sorry and began glaring at Damon.
"I'm sorry, beaver, but I haven't read the book."
I bit my lip, really wanting to slap his pretty little face right now. Oh did I really just think that?
"Hey." He snapped.
I lost my gaze and glanced back at him.
I felt my face get real hot with anger.
"Listen, you pick what we reenact. You've been listening. It's your job now," I whisper shouted as I got up and finally left.

Once I got home I ran up to my room and threw my backpack onto my floor. I really thought I could do this, but I really couldn't. I should be studying for all my other finals, but instead I have this project that Damon is making me do all the work on!
I bellyflopped onto my bed and let my anger dissolve into tears.
Suddenly Jessica walked in and stood in the door way until I said something.
I lifted my head up from my pillow and glared at her.
"What?"
"Is everything okay?"
Could she see that my pillow soaked and that my eyes were probably red and puffy?
"Yeah. Everything's......great," I lied.
She sighed and shut the door.
I groaned and saw a light from the glimpse of my eye. My phone was blowing up. I sighed and grabbed it off of my nightstand.

(From Damon)
Hey I'm sorry. It's all my fault.

I frowned at his name. I remembered giving him my number the day we were assigned partners, but I watched him throw it away. I didn't even care at this point.

(From Damon)
I know you're there. I've been a jerk. Just answer plz.

I shook my head at the fact that he was trying to apologize. He could never make up for it. What was he going to do? Read the book? He couldn't even finish half of it in a month even if he wanted to.

(From Damon)
I'll read the rest of the chapters 4 u

I looked down and laughed hysterically. He can't tell the words specific and pacific apart. How is he going to understand a book from 1939? But I decided to answer, sadly.

Me: deal. you explain all of them to me tomorrow and leave me alone for the rest of the night.
(From Damon)
Ugh fine. How am I suppose to finish that many chapters tonight?
Me: hey you said you would leave me alone.

After that my mom walked into my room. She looked petrified.
"What's wrong?"
She sighed.
"You dads going to be late tonight."
I groaned. My dad owned a dentists office downtown, and he would always come home late at night. It made my family worried because, well he didn't do much there. My mom would always get scared and wonder if he was cheating on her. I didn't believe it.
"How late?"
She shrugged.
"Linda called. She just said he's going to be late."
I nodded. Linda was my moms best friend and also worked with my dad. She was homeless for a little bit, but my dad took her in and offered her a job as the front office lady.
"Well I'm going to order some pizza."
I bit my lip and watched as she left and shut my bedroom door.