Apples Don't Just Mean School [in process of rewriting]

Change Your Mind

Can't anybody hear me/Can't anybody see me/Cause I think I must have lost my way ~ Andy Black, Put The Gun Down

Emily's POV

I sat down with Jared at a small booth in the warmly lit coffee shop near to the office. I tried - and failed - to not fidget awkwardly in my seat as I attempted to tear my eyes away from him. I swore that I could see golden specks dancing in his deep blue orbs. Oh damn it all, hormones, go to hell. Maybe I like him just a little? NOW your prejudices aren't clouding judgement! "So, have you ever dated anyone?" he asked in a liquid gold voice. "N-No, and I'm not planning to, I guess..."

He smirked slyly. "That's a pity, can't I do anything to change your mind?" I froze in my spot mid-fidget, expecting to feel disgusted, but instead I felt a blush rise up. Calm down, go flirt back. I can't flirt! When was flirting back a rule?! Love's a game, Emily. Play it. And when someone flirts, you gotta flirt back. What IS he trying to get at? Ugh, I'm so embarrassed. You're really inept at this, aren't you? I've never dated before, okay? Cut me some slack. "And how are you going to manage that?"

He leaned on a toned arm - no doubt from working out - and raised an eyebrow. "Won't you like to know?" I controlled an outburst and went for a playful smile. "Oh yes, I would." Frick frack tic tac snick snack quarterback that sounded terrible! I took sips from my vanilla iced latte and noticed him staring at me from over the rim of my cup. What do I do now? Stare back. So I did. He broke off eye contact soon enough. Bingo~ Maybe you're not as horrifically terrible as you make out to be. Now, stimulating conversation!

Third Person's POV

"Hey, guys, it's going to be Teachers' Day soon, and Ryan's playing the piano... He wants us to sing along to give it more impact, you know? So, besides me, Francis, Joseph, Raphael, Lucas and Jordon, all of you should sing..." Veronica yelled over the huge commotion. "Practice is during recess today, in the hall! And if Mr Steinfield lets us hijack his Physics lesson, we will have more time. The song's Try Everything by Shakira, 'kay?" She waved the song sheets in the air crazily.

"Dude, you DO know that the performance is... like two days later, right? And we're supposed to memorise and sing the entire damn song? How the hell are we going to do that?" Eren demanded. "It's possible. Come ON, guys, it's we're the last 9R! There will only be 8R from next year onwards. Make it count!" Victoria said, gesturing wildly. "I'M not going to sing," he snapped. "You'd better sing, Eren. The whole class should. It's for Mr Harper AND Ms Emily!" Elizabetha defended angrily.

In the end, only the girls, Ryan, Joseph, Raphael, Lucas, Jordon and Francis turned up. "Wow, seriously? Oi, guys, you have to tell the other boys to come, you know... It's got to be balanced..." Veronica sighed. "They don't want to come." "Then freaking MAKE them come! It's your last bloody year in Silver Creek High!" Elizabetha flared out, glaring at the boys. "Well, we'll try. Don't expect too much though..." Joseph shrugged.

Emily's POV

I stifled a laugh as Jared animatedly imitated our editor in the newspaper. "We've been waiting for you... Your articles are a crime in itself. That's why, we're sorry to say... YOU'RE FIRED!" He pointed at me dramatically. He could rival Matthew... "Oh no, sir, PLEASE!" I begged, going along with it. "No... Go and never come back!" he crowed, falling back into the red upholstered bench. Our editor, as one could see, was very dramatic - overly so, in fact. I chuckled and broke role to laugh. "Thank you, thank you..." He bowed to an imaginary audience.

I gave him a high five and leaned back into the comfy chair. "Have you ever taken drama classes?" I asked jokingly. "Oh, no, it's all part of my natural charm," he replied airily. "Natural charm," I snorted, pointedly finishing my coffee and rolling my eyes. I'm actually having FUN. Surprise, surprise... Well, you DO like him. He likes you back. I don't LIKE like him, right? No, you are in love with him. I indeed was. A short awkward silence later of admiring his eyes, Jared opened his mouth.

"Em. I... uh... I know we've only known each other for a really short time but... I sort of... I understand if you say no but Ikindofloveyousowillyoubemygirlfriend?" he stammered out adorably. I felt a jolt run through my body. Oh my GOD! What do I say? Say 'Yes'. "Well, yeah, we HAVE only known each other for a while and I do like you back, so why don't we try for a month or-" My words stumbled over each other, but he silenced me by pecking me on the cheek. I felt my entire face heat up. "Y-Yes, I'll be your girlfriend." Then he smiled and my heart melted.

Matthew's POV

I looked at the clock. Forty-seven more seconds until it was time. Thirty-four. Twenty-six. Seventeen. Eight. One. The door was nearly rammed down by the kids - twelve of them - as they tumbled in. "Yup, six twenty-six exactly!" I declared, to the whoops of the students. A brown paper bag was passed forward and deposited on my bedsheets. I ripped open the packaging with the unspoken prompt... And a blue pineapple fell out. "We couldn't find purple paint," Olivia explained apologetically. "So we thought of blue," Hunter finished. 

I raised an eyebrow before flipping the pineapple over to its base. Get well soon, MH! Love, 9R. was painted on the underside of the fruit. A slow smile spread across my face and I stood the pineapple on the table beside me. "Thanks, guys... You are amazing," I said quietly. They all heard me. "We... We brought a lot more fruit," Elizabetha offered. Charis held up a large bag and passed it to Joseph and Raphael. They began taking out the fruit while naming each one.

"Hot pink apples, coal black bananas, cherry red pears, cheddar yellow rambutans, light orange watermelons, neon green cantaloupes and glow-in-the-dark mangoes." I blinked a few times at the pile of garishly-coloured fruit in the corner. "You should be able to eat them if you take off the skin... We specifically chose edible paint, but it still tastes weird," Natalie Lemon added, shooting a glare at Eren. "I tried it!" he declared shamelessly. "Plus, fruits are good for you!" Tyler added. I looked back at the fruits, before bursting into laughter.

A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating. There were exams... I'll try to upload another by tonight! Sorry again...