Dilemma

Chapter 1

I'm in Geography class and I'm bored out of my mind (that should be obvious). The last thing I want to be doing is sitting in a cold chair, in front of a just-as-cold desk whilst listening to some random rabble from everyone else in the room – including the teacher. I've completely zoned out from what the teacher is saying (something about reservoirs, cycles or whatever else), but I hear a knock at the door; breaking me out of my trance. I really don't care about what it is, but looking up is an instinct, like when you hear a loud noise and you immediately look around to figure out whether the bang was a firework or a gunshot. Looking up, I see a boy at the door. His presumably soft, brown locks frame his face like a picture in a museum and his eyes are a calm shade of dark green with hints of turquoise that I can just about make out from where I'm sitting. He shows a very relaxed, laid back atmosphere which other people in my year, or even my school, simply lack. The teacher puts down her whiteboard marker and answers the door. I can just about hear their conversation.

"Can I help you?" Miss Crawford asks the boy, an irritated tinge in her voice whilst waiting for his response.

"Hi. I'm Nathan Rowland, I got told to come here. It's my first day." He responds, looking towards the teacher with his fingers intertwined behind his back.

"No worries son", Miss Crawford assures Nathan, her tone completely changing, "could I see your timetable?"

"Oh, of course." Nathan responds, taking his timetable from his blazer pocket. The teacher studies it and motions him inside, after giving the timetable back to him.

"Just come on in and stand at the front so I can introduce you."

"Oh, that really isn't necessary", Nathan says, "where should I sit?"

"Er", she studies the room full of students before finally responding, "next to that young lady over there", and pointing at me. I look away before she can see me paying attention to their conversation and distracting myself. Great, I thought I'd get to sit by myself this year in Geography class, a real break from last year (sitting next to someone that would much rather curl her eyelashes than get a degree), but no. A week into the school year someone gets seated next to me. Could this day get any worse? (Is that a bit melodramatic? I presume so.)

Miss Crawford goes over to her desk and takes out a blank exercise book as Nathan puts his bag down next to my desk and takes a seat. The teacher then places the exercise book in front of him and goes back to the front of the room to continue babbling nonsense.

"Hi, I'm Nathan, Nathan Rowland." I hear Nathan quietly say to me.

"I'm Kacey." I respond, not really concentrating on what he's saying.

"Have I missed anything important?" He asks, now studying what the teacher is doing.

"Not really, I'm not sure though. I haven't really been paying attention." I truthfully say.

"Oh, alright." He says, finally finishing the conversation. I look up to the clock above the door, it says 12:15. Thank goodness, only 5 minutes left. Surely I can survive 5 more minutes of this nonsense.

The bell rings and immediately I put all of my belongings back into my bag and head out of the door. I storm down the almost empty hallways and get half way down the stairs before hearing very fast footsteps behind me. My school hasn't got that many pupils, and my year is the only year present today. Also, the fact that the footsteps are extremely fast gives me the chills.

"Kacey!" I hear the voice that's connected to the fast footsteps yell. Instinctively, I turn around. I'm greeted by the sight of Nathan running towards me, his half open bag hanging from his shoulder. He ends up catching up with me before placing his hands above his knees and catching his breath,

"What....lesson do.....you have....next?" He asks between gasped breaths.

"Err, maths." I say, confused as to why he almost gave himself an asthma attack just to ask me that. After fully regaining his breath, he speaks again.

"So do I, but I have no idea where it is. Could you, perhaps, lead me there?" He asks.

"Yeah sure, just follow me." I say before leading him through a labyrinth of staircases and corridors.

"Just through here." I say, motioning him through the classroom door. I go to sit at the back, as usual, and see Nathan sit next to me after handing the teacher a note, and them responding with a nod. I place the text book between us and get out of my seat. I go over to the back of the room, grab a plain exercise book, and go back to my seat, before sliding the book over to Nathan.

"Thanks." Nathan responds before getting a pen out of his blazer pocket and writing what I can only guess is his name on the front. The teacher begins calling out the register. I always get anxious when I have to answer my name. It's not like anyone will judge me on my voice or response, but a metaphorical bolt of electricity always jolts through my body.

"Kacey." The teacher finally calls my name out, after what feels like forever.

"H-", I clear my throat, "here." I relax in my seat, knowing that I probably won't get called on for the rest of the lesson. I glance over to my side and see Nathan smiling at me.

"Nathan?" I get his attention and he looks away.

"Please," he begins, "call me Nate."

"Kacey!" I hear someone yell.

"Huh?" I mumble and jolt bolt upright. I look around and see my teacher staring at me, almost giving me a death stare.

"The answer?" She says, waiting for me to respond. I look down towards Nate's side of the desk and see him pointing at a piece of paper with the number 27. Automatically, I blurt it out.

"27?" I say, uncertain.

"Erm, correct." The teacher responds, suspiciously. I turn to Nate and mouth the word "thanks" before actually paying attention to the lesson, in the attempt of not getting caught out again.

~Edited on 09/03/17