Hiding Behind A Mask | ✔

C H A P T E R F O U R

A week of school has passed by. The whole me and the mask thing has kind of cooled down. Now that homecoming is coming up, there are fliers up that say "choose me for homecoming queen" and "choose me for homecoming king". I gained a little confidence in myself, holding my head high, most of the time, as I walked through the halls, and looking Sandra and the girls in their eyes as they eyed me up and down.

Christine comes over to my house every day for our session after school is over, but sometimes she couldn't make it, like today, because something important came up. For most of our sessions, she asked a lot of questions, most of them the same, but is rephrased differently.

I sit down at a desk in my English class as Ms. Goodnick teaches today's lesson on what words to use as transitions for paragraphs in an informational essay. As some of my classmates raise their hands to answer her questions, I write them down in my notebook along with side notes.

Ms. Goodnick turns around with a gleaming smile on her face. I know that smile, I've seen it many times on teachers' faces when their going to give homework. Some students groan, seeming to be thinking the same thing as me.

"Oh, stop your groans! This homework will be fun..." she says causing them to groan again with exaggeration. "You'll be working in pairs!"

Now I start to freak out. My palms growing sweaty with the constant shake of my leg. I can't work with a partner! What if I'm paired with someone who is mean and may want to ruin my life? Or someone who would just bully me, and make me do all the work?

All my thoughts came rushing at me, some sounding completely stupid and unrealistic.

Ms. Goodnick stands in front of the class with a sheet of paper in her hand with the list of names she has paired together. I listen as she calls out the names until I hear her call my name and my partner's. "... Annie Hunter and Chance Beckett..." she says and then calls out other names on the list.

I stiffen, pausing my shaking leg and wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans. I think to be partners with one of the most popular guys in freshman year is worse than being partners with a bully or someone who's wanting to ruin my life.

Looking down at my open notebook, a piece of folded paper slides on to it. I hesitantly take it up and unfold it to find a little note written on it. 

Hi there, partner :) 

- Chance

I stare at the note on my desk with no thoughts in mind.

I must have been staring at the note for a long time because suddenly, another slides on to my desk, and I unfold it to read it.

You're probably wondering how I know that you're my partner. Well, I know everyone's name in this classroom except for yours, so I figured the name belonged to you :D

- Chance

I finally come back to my senses after reading this note only to start freaking out again. Now that he knows my name, he's going to tell the whole school, making the news go from one student to another and then Sandra is going to find out and try to ruin my life again along with the others; Lindsey and Amy.

I rip a piece of paper from the back of my notebook and scribble down the only thought that came to mind.

Please don't tell anyone my name...

I slide the note on to his desk that's just next to mine in the other row and quickly bring my hand back away from his desk.

"Okay, class. For this homework, you'll be writing a biography of a person you and your partner is going to be assigned. This will require a lot of research so I've decided to give you guys this week and next week, the week before homecoming, to put all your research together," she tells us as she presses the power button to the projector. "When the projector comes on with the list of pairs, please look for your names and write down the name of the person you've been assigned to do a biography on."

The projector comes on and I look up at the whiteboard. Moving my eyes down the list of paired names, I finally find me and Chance's name. Next to the both of our names is Maya Angelou. I've read many of the poems that she's written during my free time, and they're amazing. This homework assignment will help me learn some interesting facts about her.

The bell rings, and I close my notebook, putting it in my bookbag along with my pencil. Another note slides on to my desk by who I believe to be Chance, and I take up the not folded piece of paper to read it.

I'm afraid I won't be able to do that. I think everyone already knows... :(

- Chance

I move my eyes up from the note and watch as Chance exits the room.

Of course, everyone knows, especially all the girls who were looking forward to being partners with him, like, literal partners.

I look around the classroom to find some girls looking at me with intense stares, and I quickly get up from my desk, heading towards the door of the classroom, but of course, someone had to get in the way.

Ms. Goodnick stands in my way, staring at me as I stare back at her. The girls that were just standing by their desks, walk out of the room, leaving behind Ms. Goodnick and me.

"I don't think students are allowed to wear masks to school," she says with a thinking expression on her face and her hands on her hips. "I would like you to please take the mask off."

I'm now glad that I've taken my precious time to write a simple, fake doctor's note to give to anyone who would try to ruin my cover. I take one strap to my bookbag off my shoulder so that I can reach for the back and pull out the note from a small pocket on my bookbag to give to her.

 Ms. Goodnick is always happy. I don't think I've ever spotted a frown on her face, well, fake ones, but other than that, I've only seen smiles. It shouldn't be long for her to be convinced.  

I watch as she carefully reads it and gives it back to me with a small smile carved on to her face. "Well, then... You're good to go!" she's now back to her happy, cheerful self, and I give her a small nod, turning around to leave.

As I leave the classroom, I walk through the hall. I'm walking closer to where my locker is only to be stopped by the group of three girls with their hands folded across their chest and a mean scowl etched on their faces.

Oh, no...

* * * 

A/N:

Hm... Chance has finally talked to Annie. *inserts think emoji here* What do you think of the small notes Chance sent her? I found them cute, do you?!

And what about that group of three girls? Who do you think they are?

Thank you so much for reading this chapter! Please be sure to vote, if you liked it, and comment your thoughts in the comments section!

- Tanya <3