Parker's Partner

Chapter 8

Peter's POV

As I sat through geometry I thought about everything that happened today. The chemistry project itself, the fact that Quinn was my partner, and the fact that she actually gave me her phone number. I thought it was crazy that someone like her would actually even think of giving me her number, let alone actually do it. The concept of a girl actually paying attention to me was almost completely new to me. There was Liz, but I never really felt like she actually liked me. After she left I had missed her for a while, until I began to realize that she probably just went to homecoming with me because she knew I liked her a lot and she didn't want to be rude or make me feel bad. But now. Now was a completely different story.
The bell finally rang and I left the class for lunch, dropping my bag into my locker on the way to the cafeteria. I met up with Ned and Michelle after getting my food, and sat down.
"What's up with you?" Ned asked.
"You look like you saw a ghost," Michelle said bluntly, looking up from her book, her mouth crunching a chip she had just bitten into.
"Well, the new girl, Quinn. She, uh, she gave me her phone number," I had no idea how to explain what I was feeling.
"Really?!" Ned started fanboying.
"Ned, shut up!" I freaked out, looking around to make sure no one else was listening. "And yes, really."
"Oh my gosh!" He said, only a half of a decibel quieter.
"Ned! Seriously!"
"Sorry," he calmed down for a moment. "But that is so awesome!"
"Okay, so you got her phone number, big deal. The question is what are you planning on doing with it?" Michelle cut into the conversation, and I remembered that she had been there the entire time and I hadn't even noticed.
"I uh... well I don'-"
"Oh good grief, you both are idiots!" She cut me off before I could continue, although I didn't know where I was going with that particular sentence anyway. "First tell me why she gave you her number?"
"Chemistry project," I answered promptly. She could be scary when she wanted to.
"Now tell me why do you think she gave you her number?"
"For our Chemistry project?" I said slowly, quite confused at this point.
"Oh my gosh! You are completely stupid," she pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head in disappointment. "She gave it to you cuz she wants you to call her!"
"I know, I'll call her when we need to work on the project. That's what she told me! What's the big deal? I don't see your point," I sat there, staring at her, more confused than ever.
"You dumbass! She likes you, you idiot! She wants you to start talking to her, as in talking talking," she burst. "Geez, I thought this school was for smart people, but apparently not!"
She continued muttering to herself angrily and Ned and I looked at each other and both let out an understanding "oooooh."
"W-wait, she l-likes me?" my stutter came back at the thought.
"Duh," Michelle had gone from muttering back to her book.
"Oh gosh," I rubbed my face and ran my hands through my hair, making it stick up even more than usual. "What am I supposed to do? I mean, what am is supposed to say to her? How am I supposed to act? How am I supposed to feel? Do I feel the same way? Of course I do - wait, do I? I don't know!" I was freaking out, filled with so many different emotions at one time I had no idea what to do with them or myself. "Michelle! What do I do?! Help me!"
"Oh my GOSH! PARKER!" She yelled and stood up from her seat, towering over me like a giant spider about to prey on a fly.
People turned and looked at us, half of the cafeteria falling almost silent, the other half not caring what was happening.
"Calm. Down." She glared at me, obviously well aware that we were being watched. "Or so help me I will personally cut your tongue out with a pair of molten scissors. And don't even try and contradict me on that, Ned, you know perfectly well what I meant." She snapped the latter at Ned, her hand snapping in a 'close your mouth' motion.
Ned gulped and I stared at Michelle, dumbfounded. I had never seen her be actually emotional about really anything, but now that I had just seen her dark side I clapped my flapping jaw shut and let go of my hair, settling down in my seat and looking down at the table.
People around us went back to their chattering and ignoring us, and Michelle stiffly sat back down, opening her book and silently reading without even a glance at either of us.
A few moments passed and she still didn't say anything. I looked at Ned and he shrugged, looking back at her the same time I did.
I cleared my throat. "U-uhm, Michelle?" It wasn't really a question.
"What?" She looked at me annoyed.
"I still don't know what to do," I said quietly, shying away from her reaction.
"Well then figure it out for yourself, genius," she snapped, standing up and clapping her book shut as she walked out of the cafeteria just as the bell rang.
"She is so confusing," Ned shook his head, standing as well.
"You're telling me," I rolled my eyes to myself, standing and grabbing my tray, dumping the trash in the trash can and leaving my tray by the kitchen as I left for my next class. Still puzzling over what to do about Quinn.