2.

CARTER

I walked back to class with my head to the floor. 

I still had half a day to face this cruel world before I went home. My brother was having guests over tonight and I wanted to be home early for him. 

We had chemistry and I was sure Mr Martins would already be in class since the bell had already rang. 

“Thank you for joining us, Mr Carter. Please, let us know if you find us worthy to stay with.”

The class laughed and I realized the only empty seat was beside Ramsay. Screw my life. 

His eyes were focused on the petri dish in front of him and if things weren't already awkward before, they surely were now. 

“Mr Carter, should we bring your throne here?”

Cue another round of laughter. 

Holding my breath in my lungs, I walked over to the chair and sat beside him, moving it a few inches away from him so that we won't be close in any way at all. 

“Okay class, today we're going to be having a group assignment. Your main purpose is to find out how different atmospheres make bacteria react in different climates. You and your seatmate will be partners and you will have a month to bring in all your findings every class.”

A month? To work together with Ramsay? 

No way in hell. 

I looked at him, wondering if he was even listening because he had been very quiet and our eyes met. 

“Any questions?” 

I didn't have a question but I had a complaint. No one said anything so I couldn't either. 

“Very well then, have a nice day class.”

As Mr Martins walked out of the class, I ran after him, barely letting my books fall out of my bag. 

“Mr Martins! Please, I need a favor. Can you change my partner? I'll take anyone else, but please just not Ramsay.”

He gave me an understanding look. 

“Carter, I can understand why you don't want to work with him considering what happened two years ago. But all that has passed and he has done his time. So you have to move on. He will be your partner. That is life.”

As he walked away, I felt helpless. How on earth was I going to pass this when he paired me with the devil? 

Ramsay hated me. He hated my existence, he hated my presence, he hated the fact that I came to this school and we had all the classes together. 

Most of all, he hates the fact that we used to be friends. 

Hard to believe? 

We used to be friends in Freshman year. Best of friends before the other guys met him. 

It was Ramsay, Carter and Jet. 

“Why're you so far away? What's got your mind in a twist?”

I snapped out of it and looked at Sabrina.

“Oh, it's nothing. How was English Lit?”

She rolled her eyes. 

“Ugh, I don't want to talk about it. How did you get your uniform clean?”

I paused. 

“I thought you brought me a clean pair.”

She shook her head. 

“Where would I get it?”

Just then, Ramsay passed us without a single word along with his other group of friends. 

Sabrina held my hand as we walked to trigonometry class. 

“We are partners on a group assignment for chemistry. Karma is really a bitch.”

Her mouth fell open, clearly feeling my predicament. 

“I’m so sorry for you. Has he said anything?”

Even if he does say something, I won't know what to say. Just like before, the chemistry assignment has been the start of the chaos. And here it was again. 

I knew that for as long as I lived, we would never be friends again, we would never get back to how we were before and there was nothing I could do to remedy the situation. 

“I can't believe he used to be your best friend and now, I don't even know what you two are.”

Mortal enemies. That's what we are. I didn't expect us to become friends. He has been Jet's friend first and since I helped Jet with his homework, I met him. 

The first day I met him, I froze because I didn't think that he would be that handsome. I'd never even seen him around school before. And just like that we became friends. 

It was like we had been friends for ages because we got along so well. 

“At least, that means JOKE can stop bothering you.” 

I looked at her. It was like she didn't know them. 

“Now that he's back and they're complete, my life is a living hell. I might as well pack my things and leave.”

He was calm unlike before. Why was he so calm? Should I say it bothered me? I have no idea. 

We had always been worlds apart. He was the popular kid that everyone liked and everyone wanted to be friends with. He attended all the parties and got all the girls. 

Meanwhile, I was just a nerd. The creepy nerd who got picked in by other kids at school.  

Trig class hadn't started so Sabrina and I just took our seats behind some girls. 

“Did you see Ramsay? Gosh, I thought he would look awful when he came back from jail but that is one chunk of hot ass. That man is to die for.”

I had to look at the girls to see who they were. 

Another girl in glasses spoke. 

“Ugh, I wish I could go talk to him. But I'm scared. Did you see the tattoos he now has? I wish he could go to jail everyday.” 

Her and her friends burst out laughing and I tried to tune the conversation out. 

The first time I saw him in the cafeteria this afternoon, I'd thought the same thing. The way he was now was more muscular than before and it was sexy. But there was no way I could say that. 

And why did I feel mad that these girls were talking about him like that?