Rainbow in the Darkness

Chapter 5B

"Now, class, settle down," my health teacher yelled, getting almost no one's attention. I don't even stop writing my poem about my spot, knowing it will take more than yelling to get the class settled and ready to possibly learn. The teachers think they know the students, but they don't. Nothing will get them to stop what they are doing unless they are threatened to have their phone taken away or threatened to have a lower grade.

"If you guys don't be quiet, I will pick your partners for you."

Or threaten to force them to work with anyone but their friends.

This would have been great if I had friends in the classroom. I would have rather have wood shoved under my nails then have to pick my own partner. Scanning the room quickly, I counted thirty-one students. That would mean one person could work alone. I planned on keeping my head down and letting everyone else pair up. I would talk to the teacher after class and get him for me to work alone.

"Now, everyone find a partner," my teacher said, looking at his phone.

My palms got sweaty; my heart beat fast. My body was acting as if it were reacting to fight or flight. If I didn't say I was working alone until it was a few days before the due date, maybe I could get away with it.

Everyone starts to form partners. One by one, each pair is formed. Working alone could be a plausible idea; maybe luck would be on my side for once.

"Can we be a pair of three?" one of the jocks yelled across the room.

"Since there is an odd number of students, you can, but I want your project to be better than the others since you have three minds to brain storm inventions."

Well, I was stupid to think luck would be on my side.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I was familiar with the feeling of being watched over the last couple of months. The only questions were, who was watching me and why were they watching me? The one time I wished I was invisible was the one time someone was actually noticing my existence. Using my hair as a shield, I glance out of the corner of my eye to spot my watcher.

Beautiful aquamarine eyes stare right at me, making my fast beating heart stop dead in its tracks. The smile directed at me makes all my classmates disappear. No one is around, but me and the person in possession of the smile. Without thinking, I let my hair shield drop and look at the person fully.

Derrick notices my change in posture and smiles bigger, causing his dimples to become more pronounced. This would have been no problem if it wasn't for everyone ignoring me and treating me as if I existed in the same plane of existence. For a moment in time, I forget where I am and who is around me. I knew smiling back would be a bad thing and only cause more trouble for me in the end, but I was craving some attention. And some attention from a cute and caring guy isn't a bad thing.

Without looking away from me, Derrick grabs his books and heads over the desk in front of me. "Is this seat taken?"

Not being able to form any words, I shook my head.

"So, would you like to be my partner?"

And so much more, I thought before I could stop myself.

"You don't need to make yourself suffer. I'm sure there are plenty of people here that would like to be your partner, "I said, putting my head back into my notebook, praying he wouldn't walk away.

Instead of walking away, he lets out an angelic laugh that caused my pulse to flutter. "You mean like the airhead cheerleaders, straw for brains jocks, space traveling pot head or the walking encyclopedias?"