The Paired Project

Chapter 9 For The First Time In My Life

I dropped my pen on the table in frustration. I was in the library with Nadia and Harriet. This was not working. Granted I was nearly finished, but this was a paired project and as much as I hated to admit it, I needed him. He had finally given up on trying to make contact with me, sometimes even through Alexis. And the last time Alexis came up to me, he said that Doug had agreed to finish our own parts of the project separately and hand it in filed together. I decided that would work.

Nadia's phone vibrated on the table. She took one glance at it and flipped it over suddenly, her eyes wide. 

Oh, I  forgot to mention: Alexis also asked for Nadia's number. And I gave it to him.

"How," Nadia whispered violently. "Did Alexis Fucking Faber get my number?"

I shrugged innocently but my shifty eyes gave it away.

Such a bad liar...

She looked at me furiously, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish whilst she shook her head.

Harriet looked awkwardly between us, probably, like me, expecting Nadia to scream at me, regardless of us being in the library. But instead she picked up her phone, whimpered when she looked at the screen, and then handed it to me.

Hey xx

It's Alexis btw xxx

Sami gave me your number, I didn't stalk you or anything ;)

I raised an eyebrow. "Well he's tactful..."

"Why did you give him my number?"

"I thought you need to start actually talking to him instead of running away. Because otherwise he'll just carry on chasing you. You know I'm right"

"Yeah" she sighed.

"What are you going to send back to him?" Harriet asked as I handed Nadia her phone back.

She typed something, a smirk on her face.

Not a good sign...

She held up her phone to us, showing the message:

I don't know who you are.

A week later, we were sitting in our French class. Doug and I had filed our papers together and handed the project in last Monday and today was the day Madame Giselle had promised to give us our grades.

With a film going on in the background where the actors and actresses babbled in superquick french, she called up the pairs to her desk to give them feedback.

Nadia returned, giving me a thumbs-up and a wide grin.

"A*!" she said happily. "She said she liked our artistique approach"

"Well done" I giggled, high-fiving her.

But my good mood was short-lived once the teacher announced "Sami et Doug!"

I got up slowly and walked up to her desk. I felt Doug's presence beside me as we sat down on the chairs opposite Madame Giselle's desk.

Madame Giselle sighed.

Oh gosh...

"Well all of ze content was zere, and very accurate francais" she started. "But I could sense something wrong"

I looked down at my lap.

"Wh-what do you mean, Madame?" Doug asked quietly.

"I very specifically introduced this as a project to be done in pairs. Not one to be done separately and zen put together as if I would not realise!"

She looked angry. And scary.

"You did not listen to my instructions, I do not care for reasons why, I just want you both to understand, oui?"

I nodded, out of the corner of my eye seeing Doug do the same.

"As I understand, Monsieur Olner, you are already in detention for a fight, oui?" she said filing papers.

Already?

But that means...

Without waiting for an answer she continued.

"So you, Mademoiselle Wilson, will be joining him in detention on Friday"

My head snapped up in disbelief.

Seeing I was about to protest she added. "Un email will be sent 'ome to both of your parents. You may return to your seats now"

I felt stuck to the chair but managed to stand once Doug had gone back to his seat at the back of the class.

I felt serious dread when I got home. I expected an avalanche of reprimanding when my parents read the email.

And I was right.

"You lied Samantha!" my dad yelled.

"I am very disappointed in you!" scolded my mum. "Me as well as your father!"

"Your grades are going down and now you have an after-school detention?!" shouted my dad. "You are forbidden from seeing anybody outside of school for three months!"

"Especially this- this boy!" added my mum.

"Go to your room and get on with your homework!"

Tears welling in my eyes, I went upstairs. I saw Abbie standing by the banister on the landing.

"What are you going to do- tell me how irresponsible I am?" I hissed at her.

"Sami, wait..." she started.

But I had slammed my door before she could say anything more.

***  

I am very, extremely, profoundly, sorry for the really long update wait.  

But I survived exams and now am back!  

I hope you enjoyed this chapter because I loved writing it almost as much as the last one with all the violence and stuff.  

So vote, comment, fan, send me roses and chocolates, ya know, the normal stuff.  

Kiki out :)