a cigarette for cade | ongoing

05 | that blonde-haired devil

"Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it."
- J.K Rowling -

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"TATIANA, YOU'RE WITH CADE. Jacob, partner up with Audrey - Audrey stop groaning, it's not that bad - and... Let's see... Willow, go with Eli."

I wanted to stab myself to death with an eraser right now because this cannot be happening. Through my peripheral vision, I saw Cade grimace.

Mrs.Coleman was my English teacher, and though she was a very kind-looking lady and usually very kind-hearted too, today she had decided to ruin my life. She had paired me up with Eli-freaking-Van Zandt.

He was the first boy Tatiana had dated for more than a week. In fact, they'd been together for two years up until the start of Junior year. And though he had long moved on - it was clear that she still hasn't. The blonde-haired-she-devil has been trying to get him back for months now.

Unfortunately for me (since I was his partner for this stupid poetry assignment), Tatiana is going to consign me to my sad demise.

I cast a glance in her direction, only to see her staring daggers at me. Well shit.

"What's up?"

My head perked up and my eyes met with a set of hazel ones. I've never talked to Eli before (or even seen him this close up), but now I finally understood why Tatiana can't get over him.

He was the epitome of a Sweet Californian Boy. Sun-kissed skin, bronze hair, a dashing smile - he had it all. For some reason, I compared him to Cade. Though Eli wasn't nearly as tall, he was definitely more muscular. Hence, playing varsity football.

"Hey," I swallowed thickly.

Eli dragged a chair across the linoleum floor and took a seat in front of my desk, so we were face-to-face with each other. He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

"So you're my partner?" he asked, with no clear timbre of excitement or disgust in his voice.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, because obviously I was his partner. So I just nodded.

"Cool," he laughed, and pulled his chair closer.

Mrs.Coleman walked up to us and placed two pieces of paper onto my wooden desk. Eli picked up a sheet and squinted his eyes a little as he read it.

"To a Young Girl, by William Butler Yeats," he pronounced, and handed it to me.

I read it aloud. "My dear, my dear, I know / more than another / what makes your heart beat so / not even your own mother / can know it as I know / who broke my heart for her / when the wild thought -"

He started to snicker, his hazel eyes full of amusement. I turned to look at him, perplexed.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Nothing," he choked, biting his fist to stop himself from laughing. "Continue."

I let out a sigh, and turned back to the poem. "- that she denies / and has forgot / set all her blood astir / and glittered in her eyes."