(✔) 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙗𝙤𝙮 ↳ (𝔃.𝓭.𝓱)

ten !

     Over the course of the next week, Zach was absent to all of the biology classes. Of course, he fooled exactly no one into thinking he didn't show up to school that day. Everyone knew he was just ditching biology.

     During lunch or in between classes, he would constantly be seen with his friends being loud and rowdy in the cafeteria or in the hallways.

     And of course, he had a new girl. She had curly black hair that fell all the way till her butt, and big brown eyes. She had heard from Ariana and Isabel that her name was Lavender Huerta and she was a year above them.

     She looked very different from the past few girls Zach had 'dated', but she had one thing in common with all of them; She was gazing up at Zach with a smitten expression on her face, clinging tightly to his arm. Honestly, Everly felt quite sickened at this scene she saw everyday.

     But she was glad she didn't have to work with him anymore for the project, and even gladder to get rid of the sight of him everyday in biology, which was their only class together.

     She quite liked working alone. Well, maybe not that much, but it was better than working with an uncooperative a-

     Never mind. She wouldn't finish that.

     "Everlyyyyy!" Ariana called, waving at her friend from across the hallway. Grinning, Everly hurried out of her math class, racing over to her best friend.

     "Dude, I am so sorry. I have to go see Ms. Jackson for some extra credit work so I can't have lunch with you today," Ariana grumbled.

     Everly shrugged. "No, it's fine. I'll just go sit with Isabel then," she said lightly. Ariana shook her head. "You can't. She called in sick today. She's down with the flu," She said seriously.

     "Oh it's fine then. I hope she's okay. Anyway, good luck with Ms. Jackson. I just had her for math earlier," Everly shuddered in a joking manner.

     Ariana giggled. "Alright. I'll see you later. Byeee!" She said loudly as she continued down the hallway to the staff room, waving frantically. Amused, Everly waved back, laughing to herself.

     Everly hurried down to the cafeteria and found an unoccupied table. She pulled out her own sandwich from her backpack (the cafeteria food today looked disgusting) and began chewing as she scrolled through her phone.

     Everly didn't mind eating alone and sitting by herself. She had to do that a lot at her old school before she found any friends, but the peace and quiet was actually kind of enjoyable. However, that was interrupted by someone sitting down opposite her. Someone... unwanted.

     "Hey, sweetheart."

     Everly's head shot up and she was greeted by Zach Herron's aggravatingly handsome face. She scowled, setting down her sandwich. "What do you want now, Herron?"

     Surprisingly, he wasn't smirking or sniggering at her. He wasn't smiling at her, but he wasn't frowning either. "Can I sit here for a while?"

     Everly's brows furrowed in annoyance. "You already are, Herron." He grinned cheekily and Everly resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "So. What do you want?"

     "I choose the nitrogen fertilisers."

     Everly stared blankly at him. "Are you high?"

     Zach rolled his eyes, chuckling. "No, sweetheart. I'm saying I wanna do the nitrogen fertilisers for the science project."

     Everly was taken aback for a second but quickly snapped out of it. "Herron, I already told you. We're not working together anymore." She said shortly.

     Zach raised an incredulous eyebrow. "C'mon, sweetheart. Did you actually talk to Ms. Ramirez about working alone?"

     Everly fell silent. She hadn't. She wanted to slap herself. Why hadn't she just told Ms. Ramirez that they were going to be working alone as soon as possible?

     Zach snickered again, his old smirk plastered back on his face. "So, you didn't then." Everly glared at him. "It's none of your business whether I did or not."

     "Actually, it is."

     "Why is that so?"

     "Because I'm your partner."

     "You were my partner, Herron. Now please leave me alone."

     "Please, Everly," he whined. Everly shook her head stubbornly. "No can do, Herron. Sorry. And besides, you only want me to be your partner again so I can do all the work, and you can get the credit for it."

     "Not true!" Zach said, placing a dramatic hand over his heart, looking insulted. "Look, if you be my partner again, I'll give you anything you want. Please," he pleaded, giving Everly his puppy dog eyes.

     Everly smirked slightly, narrowing her eyes at Zach. "Anything...?" Zach nodded. "Anything."

     "You have to get me ice-cream later," Everly joked.

     "Deal."

     Everly's eyes widened. "Huh? I was kidding. I didn't mean it. Nothing's gonna make me take you back as a partner."

     Zach laughed. "Too late, sweetheart. Ice cream later after school," He said, winking as he departed Everly's table, jogging back to his friends.

     "Wait-!" Everly cried, but he was gone.

     Everly sighed, dropping back into her seat, rubbing her eyes tiredly. This boy was unbelievable.